Box & Fiddle Feb 2015

&BOX Fiddle

The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

38th YearNo. 06 Feb 2015 £2

.70

PLUS CLUB & DANCE DIARIES, REVIEWS, AND MUCH MORE...

HIGHLANDshowtimeMG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2014

John The Prof Matheson

Guest Artiste DIRECTORY

venue - Carrbridge HotelFri 27th, Sat 28th & Sun 29th March 2015A weekend of Scottish Music and dancing with

a hint of Country Music and funfeaturing

* Brandon McPhee Band [4 piece] * Occasionals Band [4 piece] * Paula Macaskill * Jim Mackay Band [full band] * Eddie Rose * Susie Simpson Band [5 piece] * Kirkjuvagr Ceilidh Band from Orkney [5 piece] * Robert Lovie * Manson Grant and the Dynamos [4 piece]

Arrive Friday 27th depart after breakfast Monday30th - Dinner/Bed & Breakfast and entertainmentafter dinner each night - all in cost of £195 per person sharing.

Booking forms and full information from:R. Cameron, Achnaclyth, Tannach, Wick,

Caithness. KW1 5SF

or e-mail - [email protected]

9 Great King Street, Dumfries DG1 1BA Telephone 01387 256479

www.johndouglasmusic.com [email protected]

John Douglas

Music

A small selection of quality used accordions

Roland FR7X 5 row in immaculate £1995 condition, in black with extras Hohner Morino VN 120 bass in black £2750 Classique 120 bass with full decoration £3500 and fitted with midi. Sounds and looks great Gabbanelli 96 bass, fitted with midi and mics, £1750 musette tuned in an eye catching purple Titano by Victoria, double cassotto, musette £2495 tuned, full midi in black See our website for a full list of accordions

we currently have in stock

B&F • EDITORIAL 3

In this issue, we have included the list of Guest Artistes. It is not perfect, as I have had to take information from several sources, but I hope to improve on that in the next 12 months. The list is also online, and changes will happen every month. Guest Artistes, please remember to let me know when your contact details change. If people can’t get hold of you, you can’t get the job.

The February issue also has a new feature: a Quiz, which we hope you will enjoy. This is once more a response to reader suggestions. So keep those ideas coming.

We have no music in this issue, so if you have a tune you want to share, send it in to me.

Clubs, please keep promoting the magazine, and do remember to send me your information in time. Advertise in the B&F well in advance if you have an event too.

We are now starting to think about the summer issues. Yes, even if it is wintry outside! Many of you have told me that you missed your magazine over the summer last year. From the March issue, you will find a Summer Subscription Form, whereby you can sign up to receive your copy while your club is closed for the summer. Please use this service. If we can’t sell the magazine during the summer, we can’t publish it!

The next few months are going to be busy. I am already working on the March issue. We have our Festival at Inchyra then. The Box & Fiddle will have a table there, do come and say hello. Stay for the concert and the dance. We also have the annual Golf Outing and the AGM in June. The magazine will start the voting procedure for the Box & Fiddle Awards from March onwards, so thinking caps on now, please. Who do you want to see as proud recipients?

Clubs, if you want to pick up your parcel of March magazines at the Inchyra Festival – can you let me know a.s.a.p, so I can make the necessary arrangements.

Keep the music going, but drive carefully to all events.

Pia

...to the February issue of Box & Fiddle

Editor • Pia Walker 7 Tarvit Gardens

Cupar, Fife, KY15 5BT Tel: 01334 657 850

Mob: 07715 115 489 [email protected]

Designer • Marie Irvine [email protected]

Cover Image Da Fustra, Scots Trad Music Awards

© Louis DeCarlo

Printer • Meigle Colour Printers www.meigleprint.co.uk

NAAFC Chairman • Nicol McLaren 9 Sheila Road, Blairgowrie

Perthshire, PH10 6RP Tel: 01250 874 526

[email protected]

Vice Chairman • Iain Cathcart Tel: 01555 661 017

[email protected]

Secretary • Susan MacFadyen Carlung Farm, West Kilbride

Ayrshire, KA23 9PU Tel: 01294 823 865

[email protected]

Treasurer • Charlie Todd 63 Station Road, Thankerton

Biggar, ML12 6NZ Tel: 01899 308 327

[email protected]

Executive Committee: Charlie Kirkpatrick David Cunningham Margo Maclennan

Richard Ross Tom Orr

Willie Johnstone

The magazine for Scottish music enthusiasts

Pia Walker, Editor

Welcome

The editorial team reserves the right to refuse or edit all copy. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. Use of material and advertising from this publication is strictly prohibited without permission in writing from the editor. While every care has been taken in compiling Box & Fiddle to ensure that it is correct at the time of going to press, Box & Fiddle assume no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions.

www.boxandfiddle.comBox & Fiddle (NAAFC)

Keep up with the latest news at

B&F • CONTENTS 5

All articles, adverts, club reports and text for the magazine must be e-mailed to the editor by the 5th of every month at the latest. Copy received after this date cannot be guaranteed to feature in the next issue.

Deadlines:

6 News MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards 2014; Bon Accords Ceilidh

8 Highland Showtime Bob Wares reports from the annual show

at the Empire Theatre, Inverness

10 Guest Artiste Directory Your essential directory to bands and artistes

19 Centre Stage We chat to John The Prof Matheson

20 Club News The latest news from our clubs

32 Club Diary Where to go for a good night out

38 Dance Diary Find the dances and ceilidhs near you

40 Take the Floor Marian Anderson SDB

41 Reviews Imprints by Eilidh Steel & Mark Neal; TMGE Accordion Syllabus

43 Quiz New for 2015, test your knowledge and enter for a chance to win a mystery prize!

Contents

20

8 Strathfleet Buttons & Bows

41

The Colin Donaldson SDB

6 B&F • WWW.BOXANDFIDDLE.COM

Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD: Live at Celtic Connections by Duncan Chisholm

Club of the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland: Tin Hut Sessions

Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music: Jim Sutherland.

Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust: Summer Isles Festival

Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland: GRIT: The Martyn Bennett Story

Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna: Mischa Macpherson

Venue of the Year Award: The Ceilidh Place

Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs: Da Fustra

Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society: Catriona McKay

Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings: Skipinnish

Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association: Emily Smith

Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Music: Julie Fowlis

Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The National Piping Centre: West Lothian Schools pipe band

Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Skipinnish: Isles FM

Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative: Douglas Montgomery

Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: The Elephant Sessions

Send in your story, it will be of interest to others. If you have a photo that tells a story, send it in with an explanation. NewsNEWS

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Scots Trad Music Awards 2014

MG ALBA The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards celebrated its 12th year with an awards ceremony broadcast live on BBC ALBA from Inverness Leisure. The ceremony was hosted by Tony Kearney and Mary Ann Kennedy.Winners and sponsors were:

It was good to see so many of our friends being nominated in various categories and just great to see a Dance band winning the award for Scottish Dance Band of the Year. Nominees for this section included Jack Delaney, Matthew Maclennan, Burns Brothers Ceilidh Band and the winners were the popular Shetland band, Da Fustra. So a huge congratulations to both nominees and winners.

Alan Gifford of Da Fustra holding their newly won trophy. With Pia and Cecil Hughson.

B&F • NEWS 77N

Let

terEnter now!

Dumfries Accordion and Fiddle Festival takes place on 28th March 2015 and is a Competitive Festival designed to encourage Traditional Accordion and Fiddle playing for all ages and abilities.

Unfortunately, because of a clash of dates among other things, we had to cancel the festival last year due to a lack of entries.

It would be a pity if smaller festivals disappear from the calendar and we would like to encourage anyone interested, both players and teachers, to have a look at our website: www.DDMFA.org.

If anyone would like further information please contact me on: [email protected] or 01387 265 660.

We would be delighted to welcome you to Dumfries. Gavin Foster

Travellers David Vernon sent in this photo of the Saltire Ceilidh Band during their visit to Warsaw Caledonian Society for their St Andrews Night Ball. Where were you for Burns night?

It’s time for our Ceilidh weekend in the lovely setting of The Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries. The

care and attention from the staff and the lovely meals in addition to loads of music and great musicians makes it unforgettable!

The Ceilidh in February 2014, was a sell-out. Arrival was from 2pm onwards and there was great “craic” in the bar, as we all met together.

Friday night was spent dancing to bands made up of resident players with backing in the very capable hands of Derek Hamilton, Jimmy MacDonald, Richard Hughes and Robin Waitt.

On Saturday we had the usual play around before going to an Accordion Club, with lots of visiting players. Saturday night guests were the brilliant Alan Small (accordion) and the fantastic Gemma Donald on fiddle/piano/vocals, accompanied by Richard Hughes on drums and Roddy Matthews on fiddle. What a night! MC for the evening was the talented John Caskie.

Sunday saw the annual trip to The Globe (Burns Howff). Afterwards we were entertained by Lee McQueen (accordion) and Roddy Matthews (fiddle) while enjoying the drammies. On Sunday lunchtime our play around was followed by the

Open Afternoon style Accordion & Fiddle Club. Visiting players again made it a great afternoon. A huge thanks to everyone, from the young like Blythe and Alice and the not so young! Thanks Charlie! Sunday night was blue night. The Park House Suite looked lovely with blue table decorations, balloons etc. Guests on the Sunday night were Iain MacPhail and Brian Griffin, accompanied by Derek Hamilton on keyboard who then handed over to Leonard Brown. A magic night of music!

Hassam (Cairndale management) surprised us all on Sunday night. In full Highland Dress. He and Bobby Colgan sang Caledonia. I’ve never seen so many cameras!

A huge thank you to everyone who made the weekend so fantastic, the faithful backing musicians, the resident and visiting players, the guests, to Floor Manager John Weldon and the hard-working “SHE TEAM”: Robin Waitt, Gillian and Geoff Dickinson and Sheila Gifford.

We have an Accordion Club Open Afternoon on 21st and 22nd February, 2015 in The Cairndale Hotel, Dumfries, from 1-5 pm. Players are very welcome. Hope to see you there! l

Deryn Waitt (SHE!)

BON ACCORDS Ceilidh

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Adin Graham Scottish Dance Band please contact: Graham, Adin

Alan Ross Scottish Dance Band please contact: Ross, Alan

Alasdair Macleod SDB please contact: Macleod, Alasdair

Albany please contact: Anderson, Billy

Alexander Young SDB please contact: Young, Alexander

Alistair K Macpherson SDB please contact: Macpherson, Alistair K

Alistair McCulloch Duo please contact: McCulloch, Alistair

Andy Kain Band please contact: Kain, Andy

Black Rose Ceilidh Band please contact: Maccuish, Alasdair

Blackthorne Ceilidh Band please contact: Liddle, Bob

Bon-Accord please contact: Waitt, Deryn & Robin

Burns Brothers Ceilidh Band please contact: Burns, John

C & G Sound please contact: Low, Calum

Cairnhill Ceilidh Band please contact: Buchanan, Iain

Canongate Cadjers Ceilidh Band please contact: Ross, Alex

Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio please contact: Kirkpatrick, Charlie

Clappy Doo Ceilidh Band please contact: Munro, Graeme

Colin Garvin Trio please contact: Garvin, Colin

Craigowl SDB please contact: Quirie, Bruce

Da Fustra please contact: Hughson, Cecil

Danelaw SDB please contact: Whitehead, Robert

Dave Husband Sound please contact: Husband, Dave

David Oswald SDB please contact: Oswald, David

Deoch ‘n’ Dorus please contact: Cameron, Stuart

Duncan Black SDB please contact: Black, Duncan

Eirich Ceilidh Band please contact: Hunt, David

Ewan Galloway SDB please contact: Galloway, Ewan

Gary Sutherland Band please contact: Sutherland, Gary

Glencraig SDB please contact: McLaren, Nicol

Graham Geddes Band please contact: Geddes, Graham

Hebrideans please contact: Gillan, Annabelle

Ian MacCallum Trio please contact: MacCallum, Ian

James Coutts SDB please contact: Coutts, James

Judith Linton Trio / Borders Ceilidh Band please contact: Linton, Judith

Guest Artiste DirectoryThis list has been assembled from various sources. Please contact [email protected] for any additions, deletions or amendments. Any changes will occur in online-format.

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B&F • GUEST ARTISTES 9

Kingdom Ceilidh Band please contact: Crawford, Laura

Kyle Innes Trio/Ceilidh Band please contact: Innes, Kyle

Leonard Brown and Malcolm Ross please contact: Brown, Leonard

Leonard Brown and Maggie Adamson please contact: Brown, Leonard

Leonard Brown Trio please contact: Brown, Leonard

Lomond Ceilidh Band please contact: Small, Alan

Lothian SDB please contact: Meikle, George

Marian Anderson’s SDB please contact: Anderson, Marian

Marie Fielding & Duncan Black Duo please contact: Fielding, Marie

Matthew Maclennan SDB please contact: Maclennan, Matthew

Missing Time please contact: O’Neill Sean

Morag Robertson Trio please contact: Robertson, Morag

Neil Hardie SDB please contact: Hardie, Neil

Neil MacEachern Ceilidh Band please contact: MacEachern, Angela

Occasionals please contact: Barbour, Freeland

Orwell Ceilidh Band please contact: Paterson, Neil

Pentlands Ceilidh Band please contact: Colin or Rae, Derek

Ray Carse Magic Music please contact: Carse, Ray

Roddy Matthews and Friends please contact: Matthews, Roddy

Roy Hendrie SDB please contact: Hendrie, Roy

Scott Band SDB please contact: Band, Scott

Scott Leslie Ceilidh Band please contact: Leslie, Scott

Simon Howie Scottish Dance Band please contact: Howie, Simon

Sonas please contact: McFadyen, Hector

Strathmore Ceilidh Band please contact: Carnegie, Scott

Stuart Anderson SDB please contact: Anderson, Stuart

The Dollarfield Band please contact: Cook, Fiona

The Full Scottish please contact: Burns, John

The Full Tilt Ceilidh Band please contact: Fraser, Irene

The McLean Sisters please contact: Cook, Fiona

West Highland Ceilidh Band please contact: Macdonald, Iain

West Telferton Ceilidh Band please contact: Knight, Andrew

☛De

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BANDS

Please note: This list is not an endorsement, recommendation or guarantee.


Club NewsTo ensure a more readable section, please only send in max 250-300 words. A photo tells a better story, so add one or two of those too. Why not of your audience? If you don’t have a report to write, then mention someone from your club or a special event and send in a relevant photo. Information in Club News helps attract visitors to your club, so make sure your club sounds like the place we want to go to.

Just remember to seek permission to publish the

photos and tell us the name of the photographers.

ABERDEEN

Aberdeen held their annual Buffet Dance with the James Coutts SDB. The trio comprised James on lead accordion, Ian Adamson on drums and Brian Cruickshank on bass.

They played a great selection of festive tunes to the various dances and had the crowd singing along.

We had a big crowd of dancers who came especially for the Christmas Dance so we had some nifty footwork on the floor. Esma Shepherd

ALNWICK

NOVEMBER Another great night of entertainment and good company was enjoyed by all. The local artists were Di Jevons on fiddle; Ian Riddell played drums, Ernie Gordon and Jimmy Little both played their mouth organs, and the accordion players were Robin Cowens, Robert Whitehead, Ann Brown, Leonard Brown and myself. A big thanks to all these supporting artists.

The guests for the night were The Andy Kain Trio,

Andy on fiddle, Craig Paton on accordion with Gordon Smith on drums. A rousing sound with a great programme of music both traditional, modern and continental. Great stuff.

DECEMBER The club Christmas party was a great night of musical entertainment and good company. Our guests for the night were Sausage & Roll as part of the grand buffet enjoyed by all.

The artists for the night were Di Jevons, Rachel Hales, Robin Dunn, Ian Woods and Andy Kain on fiddles. Ian Riddell played drums with most of the players, Jimmy Little on his mouth organ and also Ernie

Gordon on the mouth organ. Ann Brown, Robin Cowens, Lenard Brown and yours truly all played accordions.

A great selection of tunes including Flett from Flotta, McCrostie Park, The Furrows End, Jingle Bells and many more and the night was rounded off with a rousing stramash.

Mungo Riddell

ANNAN ST ANDREW

The December meeting of the Annan Accordion & Fiddle Club took the form of a dinner dance with a very good attendance and visitors present from as far afield as Cumbria and South Lanarkshire.

During the evening a beautiful

James Coutts

11B&F • CLUB NEWS ☛

Christmas dinner was prepared and served by Mrs Shona Maxwell and her band of helpers. Those in attendance were given the choice of turkey or roast beef with all the trimmings followed by many different sweets.

Music for dancing was provided by The Willie McFarlane Scottish Dance Band, with Willie McFarlane on lead accordion, Stewart Lockie on second accordion, Ian Wilson on keyboard and Jack McLeish on drums. Jack also provided occasional vocals. Willie McFarlane, who hails from West Lothian, played a five-row button-key accordion whilst Stewart Lockie played a piano accordion. They harmonised so well and their timing was impeccable. They perform at venues across the country and are particularly popular at accordion and fiddle clubs. They played for all the popular dances and throughout the evening the floor was thronging with dancers. There was a real party atmosphere as they played favourite dances on request.

Over the past nine months, Jack Murdoch, our regular MC, has been indisposed and in his absence John Watret has kindly been the MC for the monthly meetings. Pleasingly, Jack is now on the mend and was present at the recent meeting. During the evening he made a speech and publicly thanked John for his kindness and assistance. The club committee wish to thank the public for their support in 2014 and extend to them every good wish the year ahead.

ARBROATH

A large audience and our guests Steven Carcary Duo were welcomed by Chairman Tony Simpson to this evening’s meeting and the music got under way without delay.

Local players were respectively, on accordions, Tony Simpson, John Hart, Alan Petrie, Margaret Patullo, Arthur Wood, Cora Nicol, Eric Davidson, Scott Band and a new youngster to Arbroath, 12 year old Josh Campbell from Forfar. Well done Josh, hope to see you back. Avril Abbott was on drums, John White and Tony accompanied various groups on piano and Dave Smith was our only fiddler. Many thanks goes to all the players.

Our guests for the evening were Steven Carcary and Malcolm Ross who delighted the audience with tunes old and new including several Lindsay Ross sets. They soon had the audience toe tapping and singing along. Their performance was much enjoyed by all and concluded with a superb stramash.

Tony gave the vote of thanks and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Look forward to seeing everyone back again. EA

BEITH

The final meeting of 2014 was held on December 15th where we opted for no guest artists and had a club night instead. It was just as well as we had 27 players in total, giving us a fantastic feast of music. It was great to see regular club members, who don’t usually perform at the club, dusting down their instruments and giving us a tune.

We had a wide variety of instruments, from the usual accordion and fiddle to the concertina and flute and even the spoons! A great night’s entertainment!

Playing accordion was Jackie Clark, Gordon McKellar, Andy Philip, John Cowan, Archie Gardiner, Susan MacFadyen, Morag Sinclair, Frank Hamilton, Willie Young, John Scott, Jim Hendry, Stuart Faulds, Wullie

Steven Carcary and Malcolm Ross


Over the past few months it has been my task to co-

ordinate and deliver the revised Accordion Syllabus, which is part of the TMGE (Traditional Music Graded Exam) system. Iain MacPhail and I have spent many hours debating tunes for inclusion in the latest review process and we hopefully have succeeded in choosing tunes that will inspire young players and appeal to the more mature accordion students who aspire to becoming graduates of the TMGE system.

I am delighted to have enlisted the support of some of our most prolific and respected composers of accordion music for this project. Sandy Brechin, Maireared Green, Graeme Mitchell and Blair Douglas are amongst the contributors, but we as accordionists are of course equally at home performing tunes from the Bagpipe and Fiddle collections, of which many are included in all 5 grades of the syllabus.

Iain MacPhail was responsible for creating the quick study and aural tests, reviewing and refreshing the scales and arpeggios discipline.

Iain MacPhail and Keith Dickson have been loyal supporters of the

TMGE system since its inception and continue their support as examiners travelling the length and breadth of the country throughout the year.

Our traditional music continues to evolve and we as custodians must always be appreciative of the changes shaping our kind of music, but should not lose sight of the strong tradition that have made our music what it is today.

The TMGE system continues to promote and develop the playing of traditional/contemporary music in Accordion, Fiddle and Harp disciplines throughout Scotland and beyond, and the administrators look forward to the future development and

expansion of grades for current instruments as well as including more traditional instruments.

Our work is very ably supported by Christine Martin and the team at Taigh na Teud who are responsible for producing the tune books for all TMGE syllabi.

Dr Joshua Dickson (Head of Scottish Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and Alistair McCulloch (Fiddle tutor, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) are both instrumental in co-ordinating the exams, which take place on a regular basis in exam centres throughout the country.

Ian Muir, Tutor/Lecturer RCS

TMGE Accordion Syllabus

Tunes that will inspire young

players and appeal to the more

mature accordion students

“

”

New Traditional Music Repertoire Exam Books for Fiddle, Accordion and Harp 2014 -2020

[email protected] TELEPHONE: 01471 822528

Purchase the new Traditional Music Graded Exam books 2014 -2020 from www.scotlandsmusic.com.

Contact the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland website for new Syllabuses, repertoires and entry guidelines

http://www.rcs.ac.uk/ traditional-music-graded-exams/

Check out the article by Ian Muir in this issue of Box and Fiddle!

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers Graded Examinations in Accordions (piano and button row) and Fiddle, in which

anyone can participate, from school-age pupils to adult learners and enthusiasts.

Exam books are available from www.scotlandsmusic.com

Visit our website for more info at www.rcs.ac.uk/tmge

GRADED EXAMINATIONS

See how many you can answer...

One person with the correct answers will be the lucky winner of a Stanley Ceilidh CD.

There will be a special prize for the person who gets all the questions in this and the next 5 quizzes correct. Please send your answers including name, e-mail and/or contact telephone number to: [email protected] or by post to the editor before the 5th March 2015. Late entries will be disqualified.

The answers for the February quiz will be published in the April issue.

Which fiddler won three successive Glenfiddich Titles in the early 90s?

Who composed the Bluebell Polka?

How many Englishmen have won the All Scotland Senior Accordion Championship and can you name them?

Which key signature is Kate Dalrymple traditionally played in?

Which well known entertainer once owned the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen?

Who played drums in Iain MacPhail’s band prior to Graham Jamieson?

What model of accordion did Colin Finlayson play?

In which year did the NAAFC last hold their annual Festival in the Brunton Halls, Musselburgh?

Name two accordionists who have produced Take the Floor?

Which instrument does Frena Carmichael play? (John Carmichael’s wife).

Newfor 2015

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Quiz

Saturday 7 March 2015Starting at 9.00 am

Inchyra Grange Hotel, Polmont FK2 0YB

NAAFC 41st Annual Festival

DESI

GNED

BY

FREE

PIK

Composer for open accordion championship – Phil CunninghamComposer for open fiddle championship – Lindsay Ross

Evening concert Commencing at the conclusion of the band competition

Dance to Iain Anderson and his Scottish Dance Band

For further details contact:Margaret Knight, 34 The Square, Newtongrange. EH22 4PW Telephone: 0131 660 1926 E-mail: [email protected]

Box & Fiddle Feb 2015

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Transcript of Box & Fiddle Feb 2015