Sunday Ceilidh – Featured Album by Sandy Legget

“Ceilidh Capers” with Sandy Legget and the Carseloch Ceilidh Band

By Karyn Mac
“The Real Ceilidh” Presenter. Irvine Beat FM

Hello!

Karyn Mac here, from The Real Ceilidh on Sunday afternoons, from 4 – 6pm.

Featured Album: (Sunday 17th March 2019)

“Ceilidh Capers” from Sandy Legget and the Carseloch Ceilidh Band is this week’s featured album on the Real Sunday Ceilidh.

It was released in 2002.

The band personnel:

Sandy Legget Lead Accordion
Iain Anderson Fiddle
Peter Wood 2nd Accordion
Shauna Flockhart Piano, Bass
Steven MacInnes Drums

Sleeves Note

In the sleeve notes from Sandy, he thanks the following people: –
“The Band – super musicians, great friends, tremendous fun!
Our producer, Ian Hutson, who showed a new, patient side to his personality, one we didn’t know existed!
Stuart Hamilton, sound engineer, a wizard at the controls, a pleasure to work with.
The photographic production team, on location at Alloway’s Auld Haunted Kirk. Brilliant crack!
Stevie Graham, Website Designer, Photographer, Adviser, Work Colleague and Friend.
Gordon Shand, Band Leader, for permission to use his Lothian’s Waltz arrangement.
Grandad Flockhart for suggesting the chords for the Gaelic Waltzes.
All my other musical colleagues who participate in the gigs and enhance the band’s reputation.”

The Carseloch Ceilidh Band

“The Carseloch Ceilidh Band” – you might be wondering where the name of the band came from?
I’ll tell you in a minute…

There was no music in Sandy Legget’s family, other than his dad’s huge collection of old ’78 records. The 10-year-old Sandy used to listen to his cousin, Jim Bell, practicing his accordion in the house and eventually mum and dad asked if he would like to learn the accordion too. He said yes, and they bought him a 96 bass Guerrini, and so it began!

Living in Dunbar at that time, Sandy went to John Leslie for lessons and before long he was competing in the Perth and Musselburgh Championships. He enjoyed competing, with occasional success, two highlights being victory in the Intermediate Duet playing The Mexican Hat Dance with Ian Hutson and a triumph in the 1983 Higher Intermediate Solo. (In later years he would also go on to win the Trio and Band Competitions).

Bugari Armando

He also needed a bigger accordion, so mum and dad very kindly bought him a full size, 120 bass, brand new Bugari Armando, which had white bass keys with red lining, a rarity in those days!

His musical interest was up against strong competition – as Sandy was also a keen rugby player, so for a few years he only played accordion occasionally. Early influences came “every other Sunday” at the West Barnes Inn, from people like Davie Patrick, Andrew Knight, Graeme Cockburn and Gordon Clark, amongst others.

Hohner Morino IVN

Accordion changes were on the cards again and in 1987 he bought a Hohner Morino IVN but had to sell the Bugari a few years later as there was no room for both in the new house!

In 1995, Sandy moved to Ayrshire due to work commitments, and was going to do his first radio broadcast with the band. He decided he wanted something different from the usual “Scottish Dance Band” in the title. At that time, he lived in Carseloch Road, so decided that the “Carseloch Ceilidh Band” would be a grand name.

Enjoy Yourselves

Sandy has this advice for young up and coming players: “Enjoy yourselves and have fun! Playing in a Ceilidh or Scottish Dance Band for that matter is a tremendously rewarding experience and gives you the potential to travel all over the world if you work hard, have the dedication and, above all, luck”.

Random Facts:

– The John Leslie Accordion Orchestra gave Sandy his first recording experience when they recoded an L.P. Accordion Versatility. Great fun!
– Sandy has travelled to places like Bulgaria, Ireland and of course, Shetland, to play at various gigs and festivals, not forgetting The Mishnish in Tobermory, Mull.
– He is a keen runner and can often be found donning spandex or lycra (but don’t tell anyone!)
– For a day job, he has worked as an Air Traffic Controller.

The Real Cielidh with Kayrn Mac airs live every Sunday. 4pm – 6pm (GMT) on 107.2FM & online around the world here on Irvine Beat FM.