In Memory of Jim Halcrow
An International Ambassador for Shetland Music
by
B&F August 2015
A large crowd gathered at Scalloway’s big kirk on 26th June to celebrate the life of Jim Halcrow, a testament to the huge respect he commanded throughout the isles; sentiments shared with many people far beyond Shetland.
Jim spent his entire life in Scalloway, apart from two years studying at College in Newark. Jim’s life would have turned out very differently had he and wife Doreen heeded the urge to emigrate during the 1950’s. Twenty years later after experiencing the vagaries of the local construction and fishing industries, Jim became a piano tuner. Following his two-year college course, he returned to Shetland in 1974 establishing his own tuning and repair business, turning down offers, which would have meant the family settling permanently in England.
It is as one of Shetland’s finest and most enduring musicians that the wider community will fondly remember Jim. In 1951 he scraped together £22 to buy a second hand Alvari 80 bass accordion from Forbes of Dundee and was somehow able to transfer to it the self-taught techniques he developed playing his mother’s pedal-driven American organ. Within a year he joined Shetland’s top dance band of the time, ‘The New Players’. In constant demand throughout the islands for some fifteen years, the band played each Saturday in Lerwick’s TA Hall, regularly attracting crowds of over 400.
Jim went on to guest with a local jazz group along with longstanding pal, Peerie Willie, before forming his own band. Resident band at the Lerwick Hotel for many years, their Saturday night dances were sell-outs. They were the busiest band in the isles, many a Shetland wedding was arranged around the Halcrow Band’s availability. Short tours of Orkney and the Scottish mainland were notable musical events, spreading the reputation of Shetland music and musicianship. David assumed lead accordion role in 1992, Jim “fillin’ in ahint” as he put it, on harmony accordion. Daughter, Hazel, also joined the band, playing keyboard before her marriage to Craig McCallum. The band made several memorable ‘TTF’ broadcasts and received rave reviews for their performances at the 2013 Celtic Connections Festival. The Alvari 80 bass had long since given way to a succession of instruments, including the Imperator, Galanti, Crucanelli, Farfisa and, greatly prized, the Morino IV purchased from pal, Ian Holmes. Not as highly prized, however, as the Gola, a 70th birthday present from Doreen, securing his membership of the exclusive Shetland Gola Club.
Jim was very fond of Scandinavian music and visited Norway on several occasions. He finally met one of his musical heroes, Arnstein Johansen, the Norwegian virtuoso, during a short tour of Shetland, the meeting developing into a lasting friendship following an almighty music session in Gordon Jamieson’s Cullivoe home. Bandleader Alan Nicolson subsequently joined Jim and David, forming an accordion trio playing a range of Scandinavian and continental music, rapturously received by audiences.
Amongst his fondest musical memories were tours with the famous band ‘Hamefarers’ with two of his closest musical pals, Willie Hunter and Ronnie Cooper, joined by Jackie Robertson, Douglas Johnstone and Ronnie Hunter. Their sound had a brilliance and freshness topped off with the excellent musicianship which will long be remembered. Their party-piece opening of ‘Kate Dalrymple’ played po-faced with each player in a different key for the first measure had audiences squirming uncomfortably, laughingly relieved when the band zipped into the second part in perfect tune.
The N.A.A.F.C. recognised Jim’s huge contribution to Scottish music in 2012. The Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame inducted him into that very select list in 2012 describing him as, “….an international ambassador for Shetland music”. The Jim Halcrow Stadium in Gretna was named in his honour by friend and admirer, Jimmy Norman. Nearer home the Lerwick Old Time Dance club recently celebrated dancing to his music for an incredible 62 years.
Jim was above all a family man, his wife of 55 years, Doreen, his constant companion and soulmate. He was quietly proud that his best pal, son David, developed into such a fine musician and delighted when Hazel and Craig married. Grand-daughters Lauren and Lisa, were held in special regard and he cherished the time he was able to spend with them in their home in Aberdeen.
As a composer he leaves behind a clutch of fine melodies – the family unsure just how many, as many of them are not recorded on paper. As a teacher his many pupils form part of his great musical legacy – one referring to him affectionately as ‘Sir James’ in the title of a polka he had composed. He was never happier than when playing to a full dance floor; acknowledging dancers with his trademark smile. His relaxed playing style could make the most knuckle-crunching reel flow with as much ease as his slow foxtrots, harmonies always clocked by listening musicians. He had no formal musical education or tuition so didn’t read music, relying on his keen ear, which never failed him.
Well-known bandleader, the late Jim Johnstone asked to comment on this phenomenon replied simply, “You either have it or you don’t”. Jim certainly had it and we were privileged to enjoy it.
A Tribute to Jim Halcrow
by Ian Holmes
B&F September 2015
Mickie Ainsworth first told me about the fantastic accordionist he’d heard when the Powrie Band first visited Shetland in the early 1960’s. Mickie said he was literally knocked out by the playing of Jim Halcrow.
I first met Jim when my own band played at a dance at Moniaive around 1973. During our playing of the beautiful waltz, Doreen, I managed to fumble the bass jump from B minor to B flat and a fellow called up from the floor: “Aye, that’s an awffy big jump.” Later, I was formally introduced to him and to my great embarrassment I discovered it was none other than the composer of the tune, Jim Halcrow. Of my apologies, he just said, “Dinna worry, for I gey often get it wrang masel.”
Over the years we became good friends and we often laughed about our first meeting. His phone calls would always begin with “Is that you, Maastro?” He and Doreen were close friends of Jimmy and Dorothy Norman from Gretna and in fact, the couple named their new business venture, The Halcrow Stadium, after him. We had some great nights playing there and somewhere there is a photograph of the two Jims and myself.
Jim and I both had a passion for Scandinavian music (He’s refer to it as Norska music) and both had the Norwegian accordionist Arnstein Johansen as a pen-friend. In one of his letters Arnstein told me he was very impressed with Jim’s playing. Quite an accolade, for they didn’t come any bigger or better than Arnstein.
I found Jim to be an extremely modest, friendly, family loving man with a great gift for music. Purely self-taught, he did not read or write music, yet he had acquired the rare ability to produce, among other things, exciting three-accordion arrangements of Scandinavian music.
In his couthy way he’d say, “Oor music’s a’ done wi’ the lug.” You’ve either got it, or you haven’t, and Jim Halcrow had it in bundles.
To many of us, his playing of Scottish Dance Music was strong, accurate and natural, completely devoid of any gimmickry and of a very high standard, seldom heard nowadays.
Friends and musicians, like Jim, are irreplaceable and he’ll therefore be missed so much by so many people. I greatly valued his friendship.
Jim spent his entire life in Scalloway, apart from two years studying at College in Newark. Jim’s life would have turned out very differently had he and wife Doreen heeded the urge to emigrate during the 1950’s. Twenty years later after experiencing the vagaries of the local construction and fishing industries, Jim became a piano tuner. Following his two-year college course, he returned to Shetland in 1974 establishing his own tuning and repair business, turning down offers, which would have meant the family settling permanently in England.
It is as one of Shetland’s finest and most enduring musicians that the wider community will fondly remember Jim. In 1951 he scraped together £22 to buy a second hand Alvari 80 bass accordion from Forbes of Dundee and was somehow able to transfer to it the self-taught techniques he developed playing his mother’s pedal-driven American organ. Within a year he joined Shetland’s top dance band of the time, ‘The New Players’. In constant demand throughout the islands for some fifteen years, the band played each Saturday in Lerwick’s TA Hall, regularly attracting crowds of over 400.
Jim went on to guest with a local jazz group along with longstanding pal, Peerie Willie, before forming his own band. Resident band at the Lerwick Hotel for many years, their Saturday night dances were sell-outs. They were the busiest band in the isles, many a Shetland wedding was arranged around the Halcrow Band’s availability. Short tours of Orkney and the Scottish mainland were notable musical events, spreading the reputation of Shetland music and musicianship. David assumed lead accordion role in 1992, Jim “fillin’ in ahint” as he put it, on harmony accordion. Daughter, Hazel, also joined the band, playing keyboard before her marriage to Craig McCallum. The band made several memorable ‘TTF’ broadcasts and received rave reviews for their performances at the 2013 Celtic Connections Festival. The Alvari 80 bass had long since given way to a succession of instruments, including the Imperator, Galanti, Crucanelli, Farfisa and, greatly prized, the Morino IV purchased from pal, Ian Holmes. Not as highly prized, however, as the Gola, a 70th birthday present from Doreen, securing his membership of the exclusive Shetland Gola Club.
Jim was very fond of Scandinavian music and visited Norway on several occasions. He finally met one of his musical heroes, Arnstein Johansen, the Norwegian virtuoso, during a short tour of Shetland, the meeting developing into a lasting friendship following an almighty music session in Gordon Jamieson’s Cullivoe home. Bandleader Alan Nicolson subsequently joined Jim and David, forming an accordion trio playing a range of Scandinavian and continental music, rapturously received by audiences.
Amongst his fondest musical memories were tours with the famous band ‘Hamefarers’ with two of his closest musical pals, Willie Hunter and Ronnie Cooper, joined by Jackie Robertson, Douglas Johnstone and Ronnie Hunter. Their sound had a brilliance and freshness topped off with the excellent musicianship which will long be remembered. Their party-piece opening of ‘Kate Dalrymple’ played po-faced with each player in a different key for the first measure had audiences squirming uncomfortably, laughingly relieved when the band zipped into the second part in perfect tune.
The N.A.A.F.C. recognised Jim’s huge contribution to Scottish music in 2012. The Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame inducted him into that very select list in 2012 describing him as, “….an international ambassador for Shetland music”. The Jim Halcrow Stadium in Gretna was named in his honour by friend and admirer, Jimmy Norman. Nearer home the Lerwick Old Time Dance club recently celebrated dancing to his music for an incredible 62 years.
Jim was above all a family man, his wife of 55 years, Doreen, his constant companion and soulmate. He was quietly proud that his best pal, son David, developed into such a fine musician and delighted when Hazel and Craig married. Grand-daughters Lauren and Lisa, were held in special regard and he cherished the time he was able to spend with them in their home in Aberdeen.
As a composer he leaves behind a clutch of fine melodies – the family unsure just how many, as many of them are not recorded on paper. As a teacher his many pupils form part of his great musical legacy – one referring to him affectionately as ‘Sir James’ in the title of a polka he had composed. He was never happier than when playing to a full dance floor; acknowledging dancers with his trademark smile. His relaxed playing style could make the most knuckle-crunching reel flow with as much ease as his slow foxtrots, harmonies always clocked by listening musicians. He had no formal musical education or tuition so didn’t read music, relying on his keen ear, which never failed him.
Well-known bandleader, the late Jim Johnstone asked to comment on this phenomenon replied simply, “You either have it or you don’t”. Jim certainly had it and we were privileged to enjoy it.
A Tribute to Jim Halcrow
by Ian Holmes
B&F September 2015
Mickie Ainsworth first told me about the fantastic accordionist he’d heard when the Powrie Band first visited Shetland in the early 1960’s. Mickie said he was literally knocked out by the playing of Jim Halcrow.
I first met Jim when my own band played at a dance at Moniaive around 1973. During our playing of the beautiful waltz, Doreen, I managed to fumble the bass jump from B minor to B flat and a fellow called up from the floor: “Aye, that’s an awffy big jump.” Later, I was formally introduced to him and to my great embarrassment I discovered it was none other than the composer of the tune, Jim Halcrow. Of my apologies, he just said, “Dinna worry, for I gey often get it wrang masel.”
Over the years we became good friends and we often laughed about our first meeting. His phone calls would always begin with “Is that you, Maastro?” He and Doreen were close friends of Jimmy and Dorothy Norman from Gretna and in fact, the couple named their new business venture, The Halcrow Stadium, after him. We had some great nights playing there and somewhere there is a photograph of the two Jims and myself.
Jim and I both had a passion for Scandinavian music (He’s refer to it as Norska music) and both had the Norwegian accordionist Arnstein Johansen as a pen-friend. In one of his letters Arnstein told me he was very impressed with Jim’s playing. Quite an accolade, for they didn’t come any bigger or better than Arnstein.
I found Jim to be an extremely modest, friendly, family loving man with a great gift for music. Purely self-taught, he did not read or write music, yet he had acquired the rare ability to produce, among other things, exciting three-accordion arrangements of Scandinavian music.
In his couthy way he’d say, “Oor music’s a’ done wi’ the lug.” You’ve either got it, or you haven’t, and Jim Halcrow had it in bundles.
To many of us, his playing of Scottish Dance Music was strong, accurate and natural, completely devoid of any gimmickry and of a very high standard, seldom heard nowadays.
Friends and musicians, like Jim, are irreplaceable and he’ll therefore be missed so much by so many people. I greatly valued his friendship.