April Song Circle at SINSULL's

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: SINSULL
Date: 08 Feb 08 - 09:43 AM

Thanks Charley.
John and Jenny are very generous with lyrics, links and research. Really nice people. Let us know how you do, Lorna.
And consider becoming a member - it is free and you can PM other members for things like emails.
Mary

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 08:22 PM

Lorna-

You may contact John Warner himself at this e-mail address or his housemate Jenny: [e-mail]

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: GUEST,Lorna
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 04:19 PM

Hi
I am learning Anderson's coast which I have on a Cockersdale cd but I would love to get a copy of Pithead in the Fern by the songwriter John Warner. I cannot find a source here in the UK.
Can you or anyone help?
Thanks
Lorna

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 27 May 05 - 07:44 AM

Did it again -- just sent Jeff the photos from the April Song Circle and he's got them up at Member's Photos -- Events.

I'm sure you'll find it.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: jacqui.c
Date: 06 May 05 - 06:32 AM

Sorry Uncle Jaque - my mistake - my memory for names is attrocious.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 06 May 05 - 05:22 AM

Cool photos - thanks.

That one of me playing the guitar on the first page (I think it was ".30 U.S. On the Wall") lists "Anne" as the lady sitting next to me; that's actually Sue, AKA "Domestic Management", my Responsible Adult Guardian for the past 33 years or so.

In the one of Brian holding out his recorder and cracking up while I stand and sing a-cappella, I was doing the arguably bawdy "Cruisin' 'Round Yarmouth" - a Chanty for adult audiences, for the most part.

I learned it from a Chantyman down in Baltimore MD when we were down there for a Civil War Fife & Drum gig some years ago.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 06 May 05 - 04:31 AM

Are there any photos of people eating the shortbreads? And then sneezing profusely afterwards? LOL.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 05 May 05 - 07:36 AM

Sherry reduction makes sense -- don't know why Curmudgeon or I didn't immediately think of that.

I rather like the half dollar sized THIN cookies -- makes people think cracker rather than cookie; savory rather than sweet.

Yeah, slightly less black pepper and more sherry flavor.

Next time!

By the way, the photos from the April song circle are on the beginning of the roll still in the camera. With luck, I'll kill the roll this weekend, while saying "hello" to Professor Child and doing another rubbing (yes, I found the gear) and at the folk gathering we'll be at. Maybe a pic of Mortimer refusing to get into the cat carrier to be boarded at the vet's. I keep telling him he's going to camp for the weekend, but he doesn't believe me. (Until Monday when I pick him up and the vet assistants and kennel girls have spoiled him rotten.)

By the way, I'll place a late post on the March song circle thread about the photos.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 04 May 05 - 11:53 PM

Linn.....
When I made the shortbreads, remember, I used more Sherry than you did. It's okay if the dough is sticky when you put it in the fridge because some of the alcohol evaporates. Plus, as it sits in the fridge, it forms up quite a bit. I settled on the amount 1/8 of a cup of pepper. I did use a bottle of aged sherry that was very strong. If you really want to intensify the Sherry flavor, you could heat some up in pan and make a Sherry reduction which is probably what the original recipe I was trying to approximate did. I would reduce 2 cups of sherry down to one cup and then use that. We'll get this recipe right sooner or later. I'll try making another batch this time with a Sherry reduction.

I also found that one way to overcome people's unfamiliarity with savory shortbreads is to pipe the dough out as pastry straws using a star shaped nozzle. They bake up just like Cheese Straws - crispy, light and melt in your mouth. If you try that with the Sherry-Black Pepper dough or the Basil-Walnut dough.. you need to pipe a long line onto a baking sheet lined with greased parchment paper.

The straws come out well and people are more likely to accept a spicy pastry straw than if it was a round biscuit.. at least here in the States. I never had any problem serving savory round biscuits to people in my own family. It's just not something most americans are accustomed to eating. Try them as Straws next time.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 May 05 - 09:27 PM

Note to all potential attendees: if you have an aversion to animals, human or otherwise, re-think attending. Four legged furry things prevail.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: jacqui.c
Date: 04 May 05 - 07:00 PM

Nice photos Linn - I was wearing the beautiful shawl that MMario made for me - a real treasure!

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 May 05 - 06:34 PM

"Starring" the cats -- I don't think any of them were staring...

I can't believe how fast those photos got put up (as Page 2 of the Sinsull Song Circle, March 26, 2005)!!! (Thanks, Jeff!)

I didn't feel well and came home from work early, so got them sent off mid-afternoon.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 May 05 - 02:42 PM

I just sent Jeff 8 photographs from the March 26th singaround. Staring the cats, of course. (Alice hogged a lot of film.)

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 04 May 05 - 08:12 AM

Well, I just downloaded the photos from the March gathering (with Bobbi, Uncle Jacque, et al) -- should have the prints in a couple days.

But we're going out of town this weekend from early Friday until late afternoon Monday, so I don't think I'll get the pics to Pene Azul until early next week.

Who knows.

I still have to find my gravestone rubbing tackle and I can't remember where I stowed it for the winter. It's not where it's s'pozed to be. Sigh.

I think the next time I make the shortbread, I'll use a bit less pepper (not a lot) and a stronger perhaps sweeter sherry. Maybe something I wouldn't actually drink, but will provide a stronger flavor. You can only add enough to make the dough the right consistency -- and the butter provides a lot of the moisture.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 04 May 05 - 07:26 AM

well Sinsull... I am coming EAST in August.. just not THAT far East. I'll be in Montreal, Plattsburgh, Tupper Lake and a few other spots in the Adirondacks. Maybe my husband, who is not davetnova, can be persuaded to make the side-trip!

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: karen k
Date: 04 May 05 - 03:57 AM

Sounds like you all had a good time. Just wanted to be #100!

k

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 03 May 05 - 11:30 PM

Glad that a good time was had by all! (And thanks 4 thinking of me, Brian).

I seem to have contracted a rather tenacious case of brochitis of some sort; got checked out at the VA in Togus last month, and after a going over and chest X-ray they gave me a small grocery bag full of drugs, inhalers, pills, cough drops and such (Gotta love the VA!) which fixed me up for a while - but it seems to have come back again.

   Hopefully by the time the next one rolls around I'll be clear of this MIner's lung disease or whatever it is and be back in tune.

   We'll be in touch!

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: ranger1
Date: 03 May 05 - 08:05 PM

Bat Goddess,
Both Jason and neighbor Kathy liked them, but think perhaps less pepper and more sherry is the way to go. Jason is not sure that shortbread should be savory, his ideal shortbread would involve chocolate and butterscotch. However, I noticed that he ate all but the one I gave to Kathy, so he couldn't have disliked them too much.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 May 05 - 01:22 PM

Dave's Wife - why not deliver the shortbread in person? It might inspire me to get another guest room cleared out and habitable.

Most of you missed Brian's foray into Hank Williams a few months ago. The man is full of surprises. When Jennifer returns, Jacqui has a parody (Big Surprise!) of Amazing Grace.

How about Curry Shortbread, guys? My favorite maybe with a hint of lemon or lime...

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 03 May 05 - 08:08 AM

Batgoddess.. I'm typing up the Pesto Shortbread recipe right now. Will get it to you later today. Maybe you can bring some to the next Song Circle! You and I are gonna wind up with a whole cookbook's worth of these soon.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: GUEST,Bat Goddess
Date: 03 May 05 - 07:49 AM

So, Tami -- did you take a couple of the sherry-black pepper shortbread cookies home to Jason as he requested? What did he think?

Inquiring minds need to know.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: ranger1
Date: 02 May 05 - 01:02 PM

Thanks for the revelries, everyone. I really look forward to this every month. There's so much variety and life to these gatherings. Clancy would like me to pass on thanks to all those who slipped him a tidbit or two. He also says that Brian greatly exaggerates, he was not eyeing the ham, merely introducing himself to it.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 02 May 05 - 11:26 AM

I have to admit one reason I never performed my C & W parody was I felt I needed to clean it up up somewhat so I could perform it in mixed company. I have more songs I will play in the future. I have the Portland Folk Club song circles with BobBi, Chez, Charley Noble, Nor, Eli, Kendall and Naemanson among others to thank for introducing me to a whole lot of music I never would have known about. I claim full responsibility for my ability to speak in (Irish)toungues. I am looking forward to the next song circle. I am hoping to host one at my place some time in the future.

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 May 05 - 08:15 AM

I can't believe that in the over 20 years that I have known Brían, he has never shared his country/western parody. One wonders what other songs he's been hoarding?

Maybe I'll bring some Ethiopian style shortbread next time, spiced with berbera.

Twas nice to hear "Aunt Clara" again. There really should be a holiday for such great aunts, and one for the occasional great uncle as well.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 May 05 - 07:55 AM

Wasabi shortbread! That could be REALLY interesting -- and porter cake. I have a recipe for Guinness icecream somewhere. When I posted it either here on some thread or other or on Ballad-L someone who actually MADE it said it worked better as a sauce for pancakes.

There really wasn't much of the ham left besides the bone (which is actually a very useful remnant). I think I gnawed all the edible bits off to attempt to satisfy my ham craving, which is why I brought it in the first place.

Dave's Wife -- check out some of the photos of Sinsull's gatherings in the Mudcat Photo (Events) section. She just started doing this and the gatherings are absolutely lovel. I've got to send some of my photos to Pene Azul -- soon I hope. Also some from the Press Room sea music singarounds, etc.

Sinsull had a wonderful New Years Eve gathering, too, which drew Mudcatters from as far away as Ottawa (hi, Edmund & Charmion!) -- and we keep forgetting to sign Sinsull's closet.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Naemanson
Date: 02 May 05 - 07:32 AM

It sounds like you had a great time. From my experiences with some members of the group I can imagine what it was like. I wish I could have been there.

Ah, my friends, my current life is good as was my previous life. If one could have it all...

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 02 May 05 - 04:52 AM

Wow! I feel as if I were there in Spirit! You see Batgoddess, my husband, who is not davetnova, was right.. less pepper for the wimps!


I gather than Sinsull's song cirle is a monthly affair. That being the case, perhaps I can ship ahead some food goodies from my own kitchen? Batgoddess inspired me and I've been cooking all kinds of odd shortbreads lately. First the Sherry-Black Pepper ones, then came the Basil & Pine Nuts Biscuits, and after them, the Stilton & Chives. If packed properly , they will travel well. of course, I can always email the new recipes to Batgoddess and have her whip them up for you all. Once you get the hang of it, all kinds of possibilities pop into your head. Earlier today I was trying to figure out how to manage some Wasabi Shortbreads! Have I gone too far? I find the Savory Shortbreads go well with Wine and beer.

Maybe I could send some Porter cake since that is always better after a few days in a tin.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 01 May 05 - 11:07 PM

Great time as usual! good song & good fun. Glad we didn't terrify too much arriving late - it would have been really exciting if Fred had left his "Greenman" costume on- the mask is incredible! Just as well I guess.
Thanks for the food as well- Judy, I believe it is officially "escalloped" potatoes, as in "to bake in a sauce or milk etc, often with breadcrumbs on top"
Whatever they were , they were good, even cold!
Chyahz- Julia

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 01 May 05 - 08:17 PM

I think I had double helpings of everything on the table. Of course, I eat anything potato in large quantities. The shortbread was rather surprising, but good.

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: kendall
Date: 01 May 05 - 08:14 PM

The food was outstanding, even if there were no creamed onions, and the music was very enjoyable. I had a good time.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: JudyB
Date: 01 May 05 - 06:50 PM

I was going to mention how good the scalloped potatoes were and how well they went with the ham - both things I enjoy and almost never fix at home! But I was too lazy to find a dictionary to figure out if scalloped was spelled like the shelled creatures or some other way.... Shortbread was good, too, almost (but not quite) too spicy for me!

   JudyB

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: JudyB
Date: 01 May 05 - 06:46 PM

Linn -

You absolutely have my "permission" to learn/sing "Kitty Kane" - I'd love to hear your take on it! And I think we have John Warner's permission, which might be more relevant! The song was written by John for the "Pithead in the Fern" CD, which tells the story of the development of the South Gippsland region of the Australian province of Victoria. It's a great CD (as are all of John's - what a shame that they're so hard to find in the US), and also includes "Anderson's Coast" which Charlie sings occasionally and "Blossom the Mining Horse" in which the miners are saved from likely death by a stubborn little horse - not a song that I could sing, but I really like it!

Anyway, in the notes John says "Finally, these songs are for singing; we hope you will roar out the choruses, busk with them on city street corners, sing them in clubs, sing them in the shower and celebrate the memory:
   'the making of a people in their fight to live and learn,
   The legend of the pithead in the fern.'"
So enjoy!

A really nice mix of songs - and great food! What a wonderful way to end April and get ready to move into May!

   JudyB

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 May 05 - 06:45 PM

And here I wait for accolades re: my incredibly good scalloped potatoes which hesitated to bake but then...blossomed. Actually I have the remnants of the ham and have plans for pea soup.

Kendall was in rare form - stories, songs and his old sense of humor. Wonderful to have him back. Jennifer will be back. She tried to go to bed several times and always wandered back in - Maggie May seemed to be her favorite.

Kitty Kane is a great song. Judy with Kendall accompanying is getting the guitar/song multitasking down.

Brian continues to surprise. Hiw C&W spoof is hilarious. But if he wants to remain a member in good standing, he better arrive EARLY with the Guinness. We will forgive him this time - final exams.

When Fred, Julia and Claire tapped a the door, I thought the police had arrived to suggest we quiet down. It followed a rousing Amazing Grace requested by Jennifer.

Thank you everyone. A wonderful evening.
Mary

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 May 05 - 06:21 PM

Again, a great bunch o' songs. Nice, too, that Fred, Julia and Claire Curtis were able to drop in after their gig. (Well, that finished off the ham -- and I only fed a couple small tidbits to Clancy.)

Brian amazed us once again -- with his country & western parody. Who knew?

It was a good time to be singing, too -- great opportunity for May songs as well as my own warped take on Mother's Day.

Judy did a great job of accompanying herself on guitar while singing, among other songs, "Kitty Kane" which I need to learn one of these days (with Judy's "permission").

The sherry-black pepper savory shortbread went over well, although a few wimps wanted less black pepper. (sigh.) And I got my ham fix, which was the whole point of bringing it. (Selfish me.) Lovely having Sinsull's friend Jennifer in attendance, too. I don't think we scared her off.

As usual, the party continued this morning. I made scrambled eggs with chive cream cheese for 5 -- but Ranger1 overslept and her eggs, left in the pan, were fit only for Clancy (if he chose to eat them) so Mary cooked up a serving of fried eggs to go along with that great toast for Tami.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 May 05 - 12:12 PM

There are, indeed, survivors of Sinsull's gala sing. Judy and I had a wonderful time, lots of food to sample and fermented fluids to imbibe, and songs to swap.

That was a truly magnificant parody of "Lucille" that Kendall sang. The images are still haunting me hours later. There was also a slendid round of "tearjerkers" and a residual request for "Don't Go In The Lion's Cage" which I honored. Jacqui led "The Grey Flannel Line" which had the assembled listeners in stitches. Then there was the soulful rendering of "All Around My Phat" by a bevy of beauties.

Fred, Julia, and was it Clair, stumped in around midnight and raised the ceiling to a new level. Prior to that the level was barely above shoulder height and there was a ceiling fan that fortunately no one had turned on or the entire our attention spane might have been critically shortened, with the exception of the five-foot members of our jovial crew, one dog, and several cats.

Hope the coffeemaker did its magic.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: karen k
Date: 01 May 05 - 11:32 AM

Brian,
Thanks for the title of the book. At the risk of being a pain would it be too much to ask you to post the songs that are in the book and the publisher. I'm working on an indexing project and would like to include it. Thanks,

karen

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 01 May 05 - 09:46 AM

Ranger1 is finding a voice of her own, starting a theme of fox songs. Clancy was eyeing the ham on the table like a fox eyeing a goose. Kendall's parody of LUCILLE. Charley Noble sang his WEST INDIES BLUES, that Rudy Vallee song about the tattooedlady and that wonderful song about the fiddle. Charley Noble's better half sang a wonderful rendition of KITTY KANE. It was a pleasant surprise to see Fred and Julia arrive in May Day raiments. A new life was added with a round of May Day songs including HAL AND TOW and an English version of TUGAMAR FÉIN AN SAMHRADH LINN (WE HAVE BROUGHT THE SUMMER WITH US.

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Tinker
Date: 01 May 05 - 09:12 AM

Kendall, you're confused. The applicable quote goes...

"She liked her men like her chocolate.... dark and rich."

I suppose you could substitute coffee, but the connotations just aren't the same.

I really do need to get a T shirt of this someday...

Tinker

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: jacqui.c
Date: 01 May 05 - 08:45 AM

Down boy, or it's the cellar and the creamed onions for you again.

Thanks for a really good time to everybody.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: kendall
Date: 01 May 05 - 08:02 AM

Your coffee maker produces Whitney Huston? Did you get that at Goodwill? I want one.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 May 05 - 01:47 AM

I am happy and hoarse and extremely tired. The children are nestled all snug in their beds, the remnants of the feast are packed away and the coffee machine is programmed to produce something hot and black at 7:15. See you then. Goodnight.
SINS

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 May 05 - 01:29 AM

Charley is just kidding. He plays a banjo and we ALL know what they say about banjos and tuning.

By my calculations it is just about over now, Sinsull's house is a mess and everyone is happy and hoarse. Sigh, and I had to spend that time out in the sun, under the palm trees, by the ocean, at a fiesta. I had my little guitar with me and I did sing a song or two. It just wasn't the same.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 02:10 PM

Charly Noble,

Didn't they tune that thing at the factory?

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 01:50 PM

I tried Dave's Wife's recipe for sherry-black pepper shortbread (see thread on the subject) and I think the cookies are wonderful. (Especially with red wine -- I'm taking a bottle and some of the shortbread up the hill to my neighbor's, so I hope I'm in decent condition by the time I get to South Portland!)

AND I'm bringing some of them along for the multitude to try.

You'll have to like black pepper. And the flavor lingers. And I think I'll roll them out thinner next time, but these are really good, too.

Linn

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 12:56 PM

Do we have to tune?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 30 Apr 05 - 12:50 PM

Just casting out the net one more time. Where's Uncle Jaque?

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 09:17 AM

Karen,

The book is:

Post, J. (2004) Music in Rural New England Family and Community Life, 1870-1940

ISBN 1-58465-415-5

The book attempt to resolve problems with many other similar anthologies while looking at the same collections and informants. It does not overlook songs found in songsters, newspapers, learned from the radio and ballad sheets. The CD that comes with it are actual field recordings that give us a snapshot of what rural life and entertainment was like in New England at the turn of the last century.   

Brían

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Naemanson
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 09:08 AM

Once upon a time I went to a small workshop at Old Songs and sat mesmerized by a young woman who sang the long version of Barbry Allen. I had never liked that song until then. We got the long intro and then the song but she did such a lovely job of singing it that I fell in love with the song all at once, or rather, slowly over the 20 minutes of the song.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 08:22 AM

One of the things I have against folk song collectors is their habit of giving a 20 minute lecture on a song, then singing a 40 verse thing (from a book)never seeing that people's eyes are glassing over.

Subject: RE: April Song Circle at SINSULL's
From: Brían
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 07:06 AM

Thank you, Naemanson. I will post the information on the book later. It is on of the best folk song collections I have seen. The author attempts to give biographies and context as well.

Brían