What a joy and a privilege to sing with the Mystic 2009 performers, newbie's, and regulars all over the Mystic shipyard and at the German hall. We are lucky people to have this wonderful experience every year.

Wasn't the open-sing at the German hall spectacular? I enjoyed so many different voices and so many good songs. I think the extra seats in the hall helped create more of a community feel and encouraged more folks to step up and lead a song. It was less hectic than other years. In addition, the hall sings were less dominated by performers (as much as we love to hear them).

On my first visit to the festival a few years ago, Marc Bernier was the performer who made this newbie feel welcomed to Mystic's long-time shanty family. Now it feels like home to me in the hall thanks to the friends I've made at Mystic. I know a lot of people contribute to Mystic's friendly atmosphere—and I thank you all. It takes the good spirits of people like Bonnie, John, Barry, Charlie, Marc, Don, the unscheduled performers who just show up (our other John), and more folks than I could possibly list to create what we have at this festival. Yes, we have a treasure.

There have been a few comments referring to an after-after sing, and I can say that it is also a joy to have the rising sun and singing birds announce your bedtime. A little secret hasn't been mentioned, however. A certain highly regarded folk artist and sometime MC, who might be more known for his rousing Chicken on a Raft or his melancholy Best Cure, led the Friday after-afters singers in a rousing night-ending medley of Doo-op music. We killed off teenagers (tell Laura for me) and woke up little Susie and who knows what else damage we caused with this final song blast. I confess that even Weird Al made an appearance, but that's my fault. (Thanks to Jim, the Rum Soaked Crook who sang back-up rhythm. I'm still laughing.)   I'm sure these ditties qualify as foc'sle songs on some cargo ship. Another night a very large guy with a pierced earring and rakish look in his eye led a version of Rolling Down to Old Maui that, though jumbled in oddly disturbing and interesting ways, shook the rafters, raised the dead, and cleared the air of all serious intent. Now I'm sure these after-afters were occurring all over the town in motel rooms, private homes, and camp sites. Bless you if you slept instead so that you could rest your voice, get ready for the next day's performance, or maybe please your wife.

One last chapter in this book—Performer CDs. I have CDs by many of the folks, so I'll only mention the best of the new ones I picked up. My biggest surprise was Holdstock and MacLeod's "Deepwater Return." I've already memorized "My Pittenweem Jo" and given 4 iTune stars to many of the songs.   Danny Spooner's "We'll Either Bend or Break 'er" is a fine collection of traditional shanties. I love Louis Killen's version of these songs too (they're deeply grooved in my hard drive after two years…yes, I'm a newbie), but I never expected to 4 star so many of Danny's versions of the songs. He makes a song like "Liverpool Judies" sound fresh. Bob Web has a number of maritime tunes and fewer shanties on "From Salthouse Dock." For me, songs like Bob's "The Gals o'Chile" got 4 iTune stars and earned a place on my learn list. Well done, Bob.

My favorite CD overall is John Robert's "Sea Fever." By god, get a copy. Songs like "The Black Cook" and "Sir Patrick Spens" – just to name two – have the deep smoky flavor and complexity of a fine, well-aged single malt. They will be classics. I noticed that Peter and Joanne Souza are acknowledged for their support on the CD. Well if you two give John his get up and go for making CDs, please keep priming the pump. Well done. I bought other CDs, but they became $15 donations to various folk traditions. Another recent purchase was Finn & Haddie's "Fathom This." Barry Finn was a volunteer this year at Mystic and kept too busy (thanks Barry). But I must say that 4 cuts on this CD get 5 iTune stars. A few others were 4 stars. Neal Haddie actually writes or arranges some of these songs. I almost led his original song "Heavy Cruiser" at the Friday sing, but the chorus would have been new to everyone. Marc would like the rousing nature of the song. You can get this CD at the Portsmouth Maritime Festival on the last weekend in September. Then you can hear Neal lead the song, not me. Save a seat in the Press Room pub if you get there on Friday before me.