Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Amergin
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 02:46 PM

Yep, I did....had lots of fun listening to everyone.....

Will make it tonight too....

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Amergin
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 08:00 PM

actually it appears something came up...hope you all have fun...

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Genie
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 10:48 PM

Charlie, his friend Jane, and a new Mudcatter from New Hampshire with a killer voice for chanties (and whose name I've forgotten) joined us at Yola's. The Easterners were a great addition to the motley crew.

Gotta go. I'm late for the Elephant and Castle chantey sing.

Genie

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 11:40 PM

Judy and I managed to get back from Portland late last night only to find Mudcat all jammed up, running slower than molasses in an ice house.

We had a splendid session in the back dining room of the Elephant & the Castle last Tuesday attended by Jonathan, Mary, Gordy, Genie, Gil, Martin and several other fine nautical singers. I'm still too burnt out to describe the festivities in much detail except to say that I was extremely pleased to have provoked this evening.

I'm looking forward to listening to Shanghaied on the Wilamette's (Jonathan and Gordy's group) CD's, as soon as I can find them within my luggage. As well as the reggai inspired adaptations of sea shantied by Spinnacker (Jonathan, Mary et al); you haven't heard "Mauie" until you've heard it sone reggai style.

I want to thank Genie, Jonathan, Barbara and Mary for all of the valuable networking they did to make my visit so much fun.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, back at home in his own bed with his own set of kittens

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 01:05 PM

Saturday morning and everything looks bright and shining on the coast of Maine, well, actually we're some 20 miles up the Kennebec River from the Atlantic coast but we're still coasting. Here's my summary of our Portland-West highlights and for those of you who participated feel free to fill in what I've left out or censored:

The Elephant & the Castle with Spinnacker-this is a traditional tavern in Portland's Old Town area, the bar where the friday evening festivities took place was smokey but Spinnaker with the aid of their sound system was able to cut through the smoke and any bar chatter. Spinnacker includes Mary Benson, Tony Sciola, Jonathan Lay and Dan Gicker; their new CD is entitled SPINNACKER: One Fine Day. Their style of singing sea songs ranges from traditional to "twisted Celtic" to Reggai; they were gracious enough to let me lead several songs and to demonstrate how to snap the 5th string of my banjo. I especially liked the closing song led by the barmaids.

The Artichoke Music session was held in the back of a fine music store, a large song circle faciltated by Kate Power, and composed of participants of varying levels of expertise and energy, and with reference to Rise Up Singing songbooks or printed handouts. My old friend Barbara of Mudcat delivered me to the gathering. Genie of Mudcat was also there and there may have been other Mudcatters but not obvious among the more than 40 people. This was a great introduction for me, and several folks like Gil and Martin were also at the subsequent music events. I also noted a lovely S.S. Stewart Special Thoroughbred banjo hanging on the wall with a modest price of $1200; it's worth at least $1500.

The gathering at Yola's Foster Road was in more of a brunch gathering space with about 12 of us gathered around some tables, with my old music friend Jane from Michigan chauffering me to the event. This was much more of a spontaneous interaction than the event at the Artichoke and more fun for me in terms of being to react more immediately to other folk's songs. We were also surprised when Aaron from the Press Room gathering in NH dropped in for a song or two. We had a lot of fun working up my version of "Dead Dog Cider." The propriators of Yola's took off on their motorcycles in the middle of our session; I rather doubt that it was our music that drove them away but their departure did inspire a few verses from "Black Leather Jacket and Motorcycle Boots-Highway 101."

My last gathering has to be my favorite, more of a song party in the back dining room of the Elephant & the Castle with about 12 folks most of whom I'd already met and a few more strong sea music people that I hadn't. Gordy Euler, Jonathan Lay's partner with the traditional sea music duo Shanhaied on the Willamette (2 CD's which I'm looking forward to listening to this afternoon). Gil, Martin, Genie, Jane, my wife Judy, Jonathan, Susan, and others whose names have escaped were all there raising the roof, removing layers of whatever from the ceilings, and driving away the few tourists who were trying to have a quiet cup of oyster stew or fish & chips. A song would start, and within seconds there would be the click and flash of cassette recorders gobbling up the results. "Dead Dog Cider" got the full treatment, including the breakaway "Rise Again chorus." "Wake Up Susianna" provided its own benchmark as a sea shanty for warping the tradition of singing sea shanties. Judy delivered a sea story of the imperatives of commercial fishing, John Campbell's "Keep on Fishing;" I swear I remember someone's fish and chips spewing across the table after one critical line...but you had to be there!

That's all I can dredge up for now without resorting to further unpacking, and since I'm joining Brett at the Portsmouth Songs of Sail Festival tomorrow I haven't really got time to do that.

Thanks again for all the help and the fine singing!
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Genie
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 09:43 AM

Charley, Yola and Kelly actually were already out on their Harleys when we started. They just stopped in to check us out, I think, and then left again for their usual Sunday afternoon biker outing.

Will talked to them a day or two later and they said they said the music they heard was great.

You were, of course, a great addition to all of the sessions I attended. And I introduced "Dead Dog Cider" to the San Diego folks today, to their delight.

So glad you made it out here. Come back again real soon, y'heah?

Genie

PS., Who could forget Jonathan's calypso-style tribute to "The New Carissa?" *G*

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 09:55 AM

Genie-

Jonathan's "The New Carissa" shipwreak song was a jewel. For those who haven't heard it the theme is somewhat like "The Cat Came Back."

I wonder how one is supposed to spell "Reggai"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 08:09 PM

Refresh!

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: David Ingerson
Date: 03 Oct 02 - 06:08 PM

I'm not a regular Mudcatter, but maybe this will teach me! Just found this thread a week too late. Wish I could have been there. I don't do many chanties on my own but love to join in (and throw in a few Irish songs along the way).

David

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Genie
Date: 03 Oct 02 - 07:38 PM

Well, David, I kinda dropped the ball. I meant to email a blurb about Charley's visit to Moggie and Henry, Meryle, etc., to have them announce it at the Second Saturday Song Circle (Imagine "Thylvethter The Cat" trying to thay that!), but between my traveling and Charley's I didn't gather all the relevant info in time.

You'd have been a welcome addition. But you're right -- maybe it will teach you that it pays to be a Mudcat member! Now you'll just have to make a trip to Portland East to visit Charley.

Genie

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Oct 02 - 08:37 PM

David-

Sorry that you missed our round of fun and songs but as Genie says you can always drop into Portland East and we'll organize a world class song party for you.

Oh, for those who may be interested, the Roll & Go CD did arrive in Maine while I was away and may be ordered from our website at www.rollandgoseamusic.com

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Apr 03 - 07:26 PM

Refresh for KT

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: KT
Date: 26 Apr 03 - 07:51 PM

Thanks, Charley! This sounds like great fun! how 'bout coming back west nest week?? Now I'm off to call the Elephant and tthe Castle and find out what's happening there.   KT

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Genie
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 12:20 AM

Huh?
Did I miss something?
Are ya comin' out this way again, Charlie?
Hope so.

Genie

Subject: RE: Charley Noble:Portland E.to Portland W.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 10:09 AM

Genie-

I'd love to visit Portland West again but we can't swing it this year, I'm afraid.

Judy and I are planning a short business/fun trip to San Francisco again , 7/20 to 7/28. Maybe we can rendezvous there.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble