Not only can he do it; he can teach it, too!

I've just returned from Sam's first residential weekend accordion course. It was excellent. Seven punters, of widely varying experience and ability, all brought together and taught one-to-one, in groups, and in masterclass type sessions, with each one taking away a huge leap in their ability to play the accordion, and so many ideas to develop different playing styles.

I would recommend this low student:teacher ratio to anyone who plays, or wants to play the piano accordion, over any of the larger workshops, as I came away more fulfilled from this weekend than any previous learning session, and I've been to some good'uns.

Mudcat interest included Helen J, (serious party girl), who dragged three unwilling males on a pub-crawl around Goole, and a couple of the Mudcat Foreign Legion from the Jug.

Gill, Sam's mum, required each delegate to consume at least 5,000 calories of the most delicious home cooked grub at every sitting, and the informal, friendly atmosphere was helped by the cross pollination of ideas from all present.

Seriously, if you play the stomach Steinway, and you aren't Phil Cunningham, Karen Tweed or Ian Lowthian, get your name on Sam's books for the next weekend course.

Skipjack