Stainton Village Hall.

DAVID Vernon, an internationallyrenowned accordionist from Edinburgh, visited Middlesbrough Accordion Workshop, based at Stainton, to entertain a near-capacity audience.

Josephine Watson, vocalist and violinist, began the evening before Vernon came on to play jigs, reels, laments and waltzes, many familiar to the accordionists in his audience, interspersed with jokes, stories of Scotland, and easy listening pieces, all played with consummate ease.

Dazzling fingerwork in the Italian ‘musette’ waltzes defied the audience to see every note being played and were followed by traditional Scottish tunes, some self-written.

A light-hearted piece, with a pun in the title, reminded him of a recent Polish trip, Spaghetti Polognese, featuring three accordionists, written by them and quickly brought together by careful editing before the performance (no mean feat).

Joe Slother, vocalist and flautist, opened the second half while Vernon began with Butterfly, which again defied spotting the fingering or changes. A lovely haunting ballad, Dark Island, led to a change of mood with a series of quick-fire jokes.

Terminal Three, written during a tenhour delay, is a favourite number.

Roulette Wheel cleverly interpreted the motion of the wheel, while Flying Scotsman, echoing an express train journey from London to Edinburgh, is a work of genius. Every variation in speed, every whistle, every signal passed, tunnel entered, every halt, the laboured pulling away and joyous speed on the flat, were there through the accordion, its final triumphant entry into Edinburgh ending a memorable evening’s entertainment.