I'd like to second what Jeri had to say about Friday, and Saturday as well! Our motely crew gathered at Federal Jack's Tavern in Kennebunkport around 11 am, not knowing what the situation would be in the cold driving rain. Fortunately they let everyone inside early, performers had time to assemble and set themselves up in a corner. Our Mudcat contingent got to select ourselves three tables so we could provide a supporting chorus. Let's see (I'm bad at Mudcat names), there was Jeri, myself and my wife, Dick Dufresne and Brett Burnham from Roll & Go, Karen, Bat Goddess, Sinsual and Kendall Morse. The Tavern was a pretty difficult space to lead a song in, but folks eventually found a sweet spot to launch their songs; then we sat and swapped songs, stuffed ourselves and drank for another two hours.

The evening concert at the Kennebunk Town Hall was excellent all around, and the sound management was greatly improved over last year, in a very beautiful but difficult hall to do sound well in. Baggywrinkes again generated their famous wall of sound, and among their classic renditions of ta songs were some regional variations relating to their native Swansea in Wales. Bobb Webb did his usual fine job of singing and as chief organizer was obviously enjoying a packed hall. We got to hear some of David Littlefield's "traditional" compositions, including his whalebone cutter song which I'm sure someone will "collect" in years to come. Alison Kelley from The Johnson Girls got to do some songs solo for a change, and her last song really lifted the roof. Bob Walser did a fine rendition of "Shanghai Passage", from C. Fox Smith as arranged by Alan Fitzsimonds. And the gentle voice of Don Senetti is probably still resonating somewhere in Kennebunk this morning. Gordon Bok closed the evening with a lovely set of songs beginning with "Frankie on the Sheepscot," mesmerizing the audience with his songs of the fisherman's hard scrabble life in the Gulf of Maine, the Maritimes, in Puget Sound, and Australia.

My only suggestion would be to arrange things so performers could have longer sets, a minimum of 30 minutes to work with.

From the Friday night concert I was especially pleased at how well Tom Hall came across as a strong singer and storyteller, with a truly classic introduction and leading of "Paddy West." His rich lower baritone voice sounded wonderful in the hall, something which is hard to accomplish at those Friday sessions at the Press Room where us folks with higher voices have the advantage. He also did some fine concertina accompaniment.

Also Friday night I continued to be impressed with the arrangements and delivery of Shipping News, the humor of Jerry Bryant, and the all around fine quality of Cliff Haslem.

This sea music concert has been an annual event and I would think that the organizers, and sponsors, would be encouraged to contine it next year. Now that the rain gods are fully appeased, maybe next year we can have some sunshine?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble