Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)

Subject: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: curmudgeon
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:12 PM

The January shanty/foreebitter/ballad session will take place at the Press Room in Portsmouth NH this Saturday, 17 January from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.

Having had to cancel the Nov. session and being in hospital for Dec., I really need this session to get my sea legs back. Hope to see lots of you lot there - Tom

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:19 PM

Sea legs back? Expecting an earthquake? If the weather cooperates I will be there with a digital camera for Linn.
And a Mac laptop if it's claimed.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: curmudgeon
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:21 PM

Mary - Turn the laptop on and see if there's a name therein - Tom

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:38 PM

Hoping to be there, fresh from Kendall's gig at the Sidedoor Coffeehouse the night before.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:38 PM

I will tonight, Tom. Didn't like to pry.
M

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 06:20 PM

Judy and I should be there for sure.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 08:23 PM

Ah the lap top. Therein lies a tale and I hope a song. It was "stolen" from a local restaurant...

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: PeadarOfPortsmouth
Date: 13 Jan 09 - 11:35 AM

I've got some juggling to do, but I'll likely be there for the last half of the afternoon.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: curmudgeon
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 10:54 AM

It looks like we'll have a decent turnout despite the cold. Most of the locals are coming as well as the Maine contingent. Haven't yet heard from Cape Anne.

See you this afternoon - Tom

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 11:22 AM

I'm certainly packing all my arctic gear for the trek from Richmond to Portsmouth. It was 14 below zero yesterday without factoring in the wind chill.

Anyone for leading "Wee Pot Stove"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 11:29 AM

See ya shortly

Barry

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 12:03 PM

Not feeling well and have to cancel. Jacqui is still on. I will make arrangements to mail the camera on Monday if it doesn't make it down to the Press Room.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 12:37 PM

Don't think I'll be there. Woke up feeling drowsy this morning and just started with the sneezes and sniffles. All I want to do right now is head back to bed!

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 01:22 PM

This has been the winter from hell introduced by the infection from hell. Another 6" of snow tomorrow, I am going stir crazy. Sorry Tom and Linn.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 02:01 PM

I'm gonna be there, but I don't know how long I'll last. I have this nerve thing going on that means if I move the wrong way, I get zapped in the in the chest and sometimes it goes all the way down into my hand, where it tingles. No, relax--it's the right side and it's movement related. I think my neck's effed up. Landed on it one too many times in Judo.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: adventure
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 02:51 PM

Unfortunately we just got in from a 6 hour board meeting for Adventure and we're well-done....combined with all the other negative stuff that's gone down since just before Christmas......we're in for the afternoon trying to pace ourselves.
Eternal spring is around the corner, which one is unknown.
Sing well and have a great time...miss you all.
Doryman and his mate.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 02:55 PM

I always thought you guys looked more perky after you'd been at the session. Oh well. Take care of yourselves.

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 11:00 AM

It was great to be part of the session again, after an absence of two months. There were only about a dozen of us there but it was a critical mass for singing and interacting. Let's see, Bruce, Bob, Mark, Tom, and Linn were there when I came in around 4 pm. Judy joined us later as did Jeri, Barry, Peter, Barbara and Jeff. Did I miss anyone?

The songs I led included "Mobile Bay," "Tramps-Shanty for Steam," "Lee Fore Brace," "Christmas Day," "West Indies Blues," and "Pastures of Memories." Three of these songs are based on poems by C. Fox Smith; "Tramps" was composed by retired merchant mariner Ron Baxter and is certainly a keeper. "Pastures of Memories" is my own composition, the chorus and first verse of which were harvested from an early morning dream.

I'll be missing the February session, planning to be in Ethiopia for a revisit with people I worked with when I was there in the Peace Corps some 40 years ago; I'll probably initiate another journey thread for those who might be curious. I do hope the worm hole is fully operational.

Thanks again to Tom and Linn for keeping these sessions going.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 01:17 PM

It was a lovely, cozy session with everyone in fine voice. Missed those who couldn't make it (ohmagawd, a SIX HOUR board meeting?!? And I bet it wasn't a dinner meeting, either) but we just kept on singing.

Bruce MacIntyre was there for a bit at the beginning, too, Charley, but he had to go back to work.

What did I sing? "Sailor's Prayer", "Ten Stone" (thanks, Jeri!), "Cannery Shed", and a couple non-sea songs -- "Tequila Sheila" (a "south-of-the border ballad") in honor of Judy's margarita and gospelly "That's All Right" because someone said the magic words "that's all right". Oh, and "Gin, Gin Is Mother's Ru-in" while discussing booze-related songs and the Great Molasses Flood in Boston.

Stay away from off shore Ethiopia and Somalia, Charley -- keep safe from pirates.

Linn

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 05:50 PM

Linn - your 'Tequila Sheila' is such fun to listen to and sing --- wish I could have been there. Work raised its ugly head as usual.......

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 06:16 PM

Yeah, I have to work Saturdays, too -- but my boss is generous enough to let me leave early for musical events. Yesterday I arrived at the Press Room absolutely famished -- I hadn't had time at work to duck out even for a 10 minute lunch break. Hope my next commission check is better than my last (Nov.) one -- it was pretty sick.

Doesn't seem to be a recession as far as sales of glasses goes -- maybe people can't afford Lasik or are using insurance benefits before their jobs go away.

Linn

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: MaineDog
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 07:57 PM

Work is the curse of the singing class.
MD

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Jan 09 - 01:00 AM

It was indeed a lovely small session but I do hope the warmer weather, when ever it gets around to getting here, will bring in more of the regulars, including the Maine-axes & the Cape Anner's & some of the locals. I do love the larger choruses "out-bellowing the bar". See you in Feb when I predict an Indian Summer thaw.

Barry

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Micca
Date: 19 Jan 09 - 03:13 AM

You guys have NO IDEA how much more I would have rathered been there with you all on Saturday!!

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 10:27 AM

Don't know how I could have forgotten Chris Maden at the session, too -- he led the first song -- "Lover's Heart" -- which he had sung at the previous night's session and Bruce wanted to join in on again as he and Dave Hallowell used to do it (and Tom needed to revive the concertina accompaniment for).

He also sang "Hanging Johnny" and "Fiddler's Green" and can't remeber (yet) what else -- and introduced the subject of Boston's Great Molasses Flood, of which this was the anniversary (or close anniversary. (Giving an entirely new perspective on the phrase "slow as molasses in January".) Of course that degenerated into a discussion of rum...

Linn

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jan 09 - 12:58 PM

Linn-

For sure, Chris Maden, a fine nautical singer transplanted to the East Coast from San Francisco, I believe.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Jan Shanty Session @the Press Rm (NH)
From: Paul_Schurr_PSG_NY
Date: 21 Jan 09 - 11:12 AM

I was drawn to this thread as if by magic. The Press Room gatherings refresh the soul and bring sparkle to a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.

Charlene and I planned on being there until we found ourselves with a gig at Cafe Lena's on January 31st (11-4). Our Pickin' Singin' Gatherin' folk club sometimes pulls together "All Night Long" as a chorus song group and performs at a tug boat festival in September or a pick-up event like this one. Saratoga Springs is having a chowderfest, and we are helping Cafe Lena's with chowder and songs. This is the old folk venue where Bob Dylan once performed. It has hosted an amazing group of luminaries.

Well, practice was on the 17th, so we missed you all. Our next opportunity to be your chorus will be April. I can hardly wait!

All the best,
Paul