May Shanty Session at the Press Room

Subject: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 04 May 03 - 10:15 AM

The monthly shanty/forebitter session will be taking place at the Press Room, 77 Daniel St. Portsmouth NH on Saturday, 10 May from 3:30 to 7:30 PM. Due to a previous commitment, neither Linn nor I will be able to attend. However, Bruce MacIntyre has consented to take the helm for the day, thus ensuring a well run singaround.

Those at the April session may recall Raquel Maria Dillon, the young woman with the tape recorder from New Hampshire Public Radio. She has distilled her 3 hours of recording into a 5 minute feature which will be aired on NHPR, 89.1 FM, this coming Friday between 5:45 and 6:00 PM. For those out of earshot or otherwise occupied, the feature should be available on-line here. sometime after the broadcast.

Please plan to attend next Saturday and hoist a pint and a song. Will miss you all -- Tom

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Brían
Date: 04 May 03 - 12:17 PM

I will have these darned bands off my jaws on Friday, but I won't be able to sing for another couple of weeks. I just want to take a moment to mention what a great job Bruce and Dave did at the Kennebunk Coffeehouse April 26 along with Tom Wilsbach(who plays everything), Davy McGuire and Don Wessels. It was a fine night of jigs, reels, hornpipes, airs and songs on fiddle, flute, guitar, bozuki and harmonica.

Brían

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 May 03 - 01:43 PM

Looks like I, Brett and Dick Dufresne will be rolling down from Maine to sing and I've heard from a couple of folks I sang with last month in NYC that they're seriously considering attending as well.

Brían, if you'd like a ride you'll have to remind me of your street address.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 May 03 - 06:04 PM

Think of all the songs we can try to lead while Tom et al are away!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 06 May 03 - 07:43 PM

Let's not get carried away, Charlie.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 06 May 03 - 09:07 PM

Don't just try Charley, do it! Bruce will give me a full report.

And the rest of you lot, don't hold back. I will be sorely offended if my absence precludes anyone's attendence.

Be well and be there -- Tom

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Brían
Date: 07 May 03 - 06:05 AM

I'll have to pass on this singaround, but I hope to be in singing form by the next one!

Brían

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Barry Finn
Date: 07 May 03 - 08:37 PM

I guess I'll be going too Tom, well someone's gonna have to be there to ride Bruce. Can't let all this responsability get him, could cause serious damage. Should be expsome out of town suprises, 2 but hopefully 4. See ya. Barry

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 May 03 - 09:10 PM

One of the out of town surprises has not yet let me know if he will be there. If, and when, he does, I will aprise Bruce accordingly. I really hate missing this session -- Tom

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 May 03 - 08:19 AM

Barry -

I'm sure Bruce will appreciate your concern. We folks from across the border will also endeavor to be circumspect. And when Tom, Linn and Jeri return from their foray I'm sure they'll appreciate our joint efforts as they survey the little pile of smoke and ashes.

This will probably be Brett's last visit to the Press Room Shanty Sing before shipping out to Guam.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Naemanson
Date: 08 May 03 - 09:38 AM

Yup! I'm headed for Gaum in the second week of June and probably will be there the weekend you all gather. Remember me by singing some songs that mention the south seas.

I don't see Sinsull signing in on this thread. I think she's planning to be there.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 May 03 - 08:30 PM

Anybody know any good cannibal songs?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 08 May 03 - 09:43 PM

I know one Charlie.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 May 03 - 08:54 AM

Kendall-

Will you be coming for sure? I understand you have about a dozen other things happening.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Jeri
Date: 09 May 03 - 09:03 AM

I'm sorry to be missing this one, but hopefully, I'll get a full report when I come back. Hope the 'out of town surprises' can make it - it sounds like it's gonna be a great session, even if someone DID but Bruce in charge. (Joke)

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 May 03 - 11:05 AM

No "but" about it. Bruce is the man!

Have a good time, Jeri, wherever you're off to!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 09 May 03 - 12:37 PM

Yes, Charlie, I plan to attend.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 May 03 - 08:18 PM

What joy! Any other folks coming!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 09 May 03 - 08:59 PM

Anyone know a song called "What Could I do"? I think Jimmy Driftwood wrote it.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 May 03 - 10:24 PM

Well, Brett and I got back to Richmond about 9:30 pm after the Shanty Sing and we had a fine time. Bruce did a great job of dictating who would sing next and what they should sing, and what they should or should not drink. It's nice to have an authority figure.

The swap was well attended with regulars, some of whom haven't shown up in months. Guests from away set a new record with four folks from the NYC Seamen's Church Chantey Sing: Al and Barbara Cuenin, and Dan and Bonnie Milner. Kendall was there and sang a wonderful cannibal song in honor of Brett's impending move to Guam. Someone else recorded the session so there is a record of our efforts. I tried my best to bring the ceiling down with "Fire Maringo" but, alas, the tiles are still hanging up there like chads. David did a rousing version of "Barrett's Privateers" and later one of his fine Irish stories. Barry was there singing "Roller Bowler" and "Davy Lawson" or however it's properly spelled. Jeff Warner sang "The Bonnie Bay of Biscay-o." Dan Milner sang the fine song he wrote about blockade running in the Civil War. I got Dick Dufresne to lead "Yangtse River Shanty" and it was great to see so many people picking up on the chorus so quickly. Al led a great version of "The Black Ball Line." Bruce did "Get Up, Jack, John, Sit Down" and his ultimate version of "The Eddistone Light" and his partner Dave did the Webber version of "Limehouse Reach." Bonnie sang a prison worksong that I had never heard before and would like to hear again. Brett sang his ultimate version of "Pump Shanty." I'm missing songs and people but that why someone else should fill in.

I mean to say we had a real fine time and we were just getting warmed up when it was time to break up the party. I guess we'll see some of you folks at the Mystic Sea Music Festival in June, and maybe I can make another van run down to NYC sometime this year for their Chantey Sing when the summer schedule clears.

Welcome back, Tom and Linn. I hope we're still welcome at the Press Room...

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 10 May 03 - 11:48 PM

That was a fun gathering. Of course, Jeff Warner couldn't resist mentioning the fact that I''m ageing.
Sinsull and I caught a Dave Mallett concert on the way home. What a dynamite performer. I presented him with the plaque to mark his induction into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame, and he got a standing ovation. What a pleasure to do that presentation.
At the end of his performance, he got another standing ovation. Richly deserved too.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 May 03 - 08:49 AM

Welcome back, Tom, Linn, and Jeri!

We're so sorry about what happened to the plate glass window at the Press Room.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 12 May 03 - 05:57 PM

The real question of the day is -- Is there any BEER left?!?

To hell with the plate glass window.

Nobody insulted any waitresses, did they? Or keep them from keeping everybody from dying of thirst? Tipped well, too, I hope.

We were off for almost 3 full days of music, which rather made it worth missing both the Friday weekly session and the monthly session.

I'm really looking forward to hearing the tapes of what we missed. (The breaking glass and plopping ceiling tiles didn't drown out the choruses, did they? Did Sinsull bring the cats-o-nine-tails to either help Bruce keep order or to defend the choir from Bruce?)

Tom will get a full report from Bruce this evening. Charley, you can e-mail your side of the story. We'll take depositions at the Friday session or by e-mail.

Meanwhile, I've brought back tapes of some great stuff from this weekend; let's see how long it takes to learn it!

Linn

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 May 03 - 06:28 PM

Beer? Bruce wouldn't let any of us drink any. There was many a sober moment in between songs.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 12 May 03 - 07:39 PM

Good to know that you had smooth sailing for that day; really hated to miss it, all the more now. If Bruce really did as Charley said, we might give him the title of First Mate or Bo's'n?

The NHPR segment was wonderful. Raquel did a superlative job at capturing the essence of the sessions.
Download Here

See you in June -- Tom

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 12 May 03 - 07:42 PM

Let's try that URL again.

Download Here

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Naemanson
Date: 13 May 03 - 08:20 AM

Huh! I posted to this thread! Where is my contribution. Cyberspace must have eaten it.

Anyway, what I said, to the best of my recollection, is that it was a great final shanty sing. It was wonderful to meet Al and Barbara. they had some great songs and an alternative version of one that I do regularly. They even got it from the same source I got it, the 1934 edition of The Book Of Navy Songs published by the Naval Academy.

It was also nice to see Bonnie and Dan. They are two singers I have long admired and though they didn't know they were going to contribute to my final session they did an admirable job.

And many thanks to all the others who were there. Barry sang some of my favorite songs of his, including Haul Away For Boston. Bruce did Hard And Precious. Oh, I wish I could remember all the great music that evening. Even Ramona has put down her fiddle for these sessions and is singing more often. She has a lovely voice and a fine selection of songs.

Thanks to all of you for a wonderful set of sessions and good luck in keeping it going.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Jeri
Date: 13 May 03 - 05:47 PM

Ramona IS a wonderful singer! I didn't even know she sang until - was it the second session? She pretty much blew me away. Good choice of songs too.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 14 May 03 - 06:46 PM

Has anyone listened to the radio programme?

Please do so. It's well worth your effort -- Tom

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 14 May 03 - 07:21 PM

I heard it, makes me want more.

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Brían
Date: 14 May 03 - 10:54 PM

Thanks, Curmudgeon.

Brian

Subject: RE: May Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Naemanson
Date: 15 May 03 - 09:27 PM

I listened and I sent the URL for that page on to friends and family. It was a very nice piece that accurately reflects what we do. Bravo to NHPR.