Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 02:25 AM

Thank you, MMario; that does sound like a reasonable project. I love taking them so am always glad to have something to do with them.
A few more up today. I feel as if I am just trickling them in but I see by last year's thread that it was early July too....

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 02:05 PM

(whoops) Forgot about the guitar...I actually borrowed my father's gorgeous Epiphone for the festival this year. I am shopping around right now for a new guitar, though.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 02:04 PM

celtaddict - a thought - a pdf-format "Mudcat/Mystic" calender - for a nominal fee (donated to mudcat)

shouldn't be too much work - and the photos are fantastic!

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 02:01 PM

No offense taken! I was just wincing at the thought of how "new" I might have looked in that scenario. In fact I learned more about traditional accompaniment in that hour with Ken and Craig than I could've imagined. What a nice way to wrap up the festival.

And your photos are *gorgeous*. Particularly the scenes of the seaport at sunset and sunrise -- you should have a gallery show!

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 03:22 PM

I am sorry if you are wounded, Timbrel, and yes, we know each other. I was just abbreviating for the sake of picturing the moment. Of course in full it should say, "a [guitar] player new to that style of play," though in my defense it did specify that it was just so you could accompany them. I am fortunate enough to have heard you sing and play many a time. I was also glad you sang Phil Ochs' "Pleasures of the Harbor" again that night too. And is that not a new guitar? (Maybe you could pretend "new guitar player" could also be worded "player of a new guitar"...)

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,Timbrel
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 12:05 PM

My wounded pride compels me to respond to this, CeltAddict:

"Watching and listening as Craig Edwards, the Festival director, who had every reason to be exhausted, sitting at midnight Sunday night giving a patient guitar lesson to a new player so she could accompany his fiddle and Ken Sweeney's squeezebox."

That was a terrific session Sunday night. I just have to protest that I'm not a new player, although I can see how it might have looked that way. I've been a guitar player for 20 years in a variety of styles. But I am new to accompanying traditional tunes on the guitar, which is a strict and demanding style that's very different from most folk guitar playing. Craig, Ken, and Carl T. spent some time teaching me a few new tunes and techniques that night so that they could have backup for their tunes.

I started learning to play tunes because there's a new Monday night session in Mystic for old-time players. It's into its third month and has been really successful and well recieved. There are usually a couple of fiddles (including Craig's), banjo, mandolin, and guitar; and on occasion, even the rub board, washtub bass, and ukelele have made their appearance.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 08:12 PM

Well, you did all appear to have all of your parts (back to last year's festival photos...)
Anyway, enjoyed the songs and was glad to meet you and Bryan. And if you will kindly give me some names, I will ask Pene Azul to redo the photo caption, and will call you whatever you want.
Including calling on you for a song at any opportunity.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 06:49 PM

Hey Gang,

Salty Walt's pullin' yer peglegs!

We opened for the guys who started "Talk Like A Pirate Day" this weekend at a benefit for a local non-profit. If they pay us enough, or we like the cause enough, we *MIGHT* be convinced to pretend we're pirates...

We just don't want the word gettin' out. If'n it does, we'll be cuttin' yer throats for gills to breath with when we throws ye overboard! Hargh! ;)

We're just goodhearted, amiable, honest guys. Honest.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,Bryan of Salty Walt!
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 06:25 PM

Hey, we made it back just fine, Charlie!

I just had to chime in and say "Hello!" Is CLLR around here somewhere, too? Wondering if he made it back across the Pond alright.

...and we all have shirts that say "Pirates *ARE* the new Monkeys". Only the Griffer brought his.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,SaltyWalt
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 02:05 PM

Hi folks,
I've not wandered around this part o Mudcat before (last night), so don't know who everyone is, so please bear with me. . .

Celtadict: yes,"Pirates are the new Monkeys" it's a long story involving our first newspaper interview in the SF Weekly-it's online.

MMario: Nope, Black T with white letters=confusion, but you can see my face in the event photos listed as "SaltyWalt & the Rattlin' Ratlines".

>"what's wrong with being pegged as pirates?
There are few venues out here that are interested in "Traditional Music". When I tell people we sing "seamusic" or "chanteys" they usually don't get it and eventually settle on "Pirate Music" and start Yarrin' away at us. It makes it harder to be taken seriously.
Also,there's a group out here we'd rather not be confused with.
Not that we can't Yarr and YoHo with the best O 'em. ;)

Charlie: Thanks for asking! For reasons beyond my ken, it took us ALL DAY to fly back to the west coast, INCLUDING the time change!
It was a hair arduous, but we're all well thanks!
-Walter

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: JudyB
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 11:08 AM

Thanks for the lyrics, Jerry - it really is beautiful! I look forward to hearing it on your next CD. And thanks, Celtaddict, for making me aware that it existed.

   JudyB

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 08:29 AM

Salty Walt-

Good to hear that you made it back to San Francisco. You sure looked like you had a great time a Mystic, and at the Gris. Did the rest of your crew make it back as well?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 08:25 AM

and wasn't it one of your group wearing the shirt that said (in Latin) "we are the singing pirates?"

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:25 AM

Hey Walt! Good to hear from you! I was informed by someone who purported to know the name of your group, which seemed to fit with the (too few) songs we heard. So who are you really? (And for that matter, what's wrong with being pegged as pirates? And did the shirt say "Pirates are the new Monkeys" or "Monkeys are the new Pirates"? Or was that Monkees?)(she queried, sidling toward the plank)
Thanks, Jerry, for the words.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,Salty Walt
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:18 AM

Not that I don't appreciate all the kind words, but I've got to know how we've gotten branded as "Pirates". Heck, we didn't even wear funny clothes.
-Walter

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: JWB
Date: 30 Jun 04 - 02:03 AM

Judy,

Here are the lyrics to "Hard to Say Goodbye" (my title for the song Celtaddict calls No Consolation). When I get around to doing another CD of my own stuff (next year, maybe?), I'll include this.

HARD TO SAY GOODBYE (tune based on "Leave Her, Johnny")
by Jerry Bryant
Copyright 1996

Oh the hour was late and the moon was high yet still we did not depart,
For the glow of pleasant company warmed each and every heart.
"Just one more song," said someone, as the landlord doused the light,
So we sent a final chorus ringing out into the night.

Chorus
It is no consolation to know that time must fly;
It's still very hard, when the hour comes, to have to say goodbye.

"Why must you go?" the young wife says, and tears are in her eyes.
"To build a better life for us," he tenderly replies.
Together they have talked of this for many a long day,
And still she cries when he, at last, is finally on his way.

Chorus

Two brothers stood upon the dock not knowing what to say,
For one was going to board a ship while the other one would stay.
One had made the choice to travel out into the world alone,
While the other one chose family, security and home.

Chorus

When the news arrived from far away that our old friend was gone,
We did not call it tragedy to hear he'd traveled on.
For his life had been a long one, with friends and pleasure filled;
Yet still a stone was in our hearts to think his voice was stilled.

Chorus


Written for Stan Hugill's memorial service at the 1992 Mystic Sea Music Festival.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:01 PM

wonderful new pics, celtaddict!...makes me 'almost' feel like I was there this year...*sigh* If I lived in Conn., I'd never miss it....

(last fall, I attended my 25th consecutive FSGW Getaway, and we just had our 24th Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park...so it ain't like I'm hurting for music.....still.......)

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 08:04 PM

Sure, Charley, the camera lies all the time; sometimes it makes people look better than they do in person too! But yes, many people's smiles when they are singing tend to be fleeting, and the baseline expression serious with concentration, so I have often had the experience of watching someone I know smiles and never catching a smile.
Judy, Jerry wrote the words to "No Consolation" after Stan died (can it really be over a decade ago?) and sang it at the memorial service for Stan at the Seaport the first festival after. It is set to a modification of "Leave Her, Johnny," an eminently suitable choice of melody, not only as a farewell shanty but as the song Stan sang to close the Festival at Mystic for many years. In a way, the closing at
Mystic contains two songs in memory, as Don started singing "Maui"
in his memory since he sang it so often himself.
I do not know if he has sung it much since. The chorus goes,
    It is no consolation,
    To know that time must fly.
    It's still very hard, when the hour comes,
    To have to say good-bye.
I believe I do have all the words around somewhere, or you might PM Jerry (or I can) and ask if he wishes to post them or to supply them individually.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:06 AM

Celtaddict-

I really enjoyed your close-up images of people leading songs at the late night singing sessions, an incredibly difficult situation to photograph in. You never know where the next song is coming from and the lighting is marginal.

Do I actually look that serious leading songs? I suppose I do. A camera couldn't lie...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: JudyB
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 08:54 PM

There are more of Celtaddict's photos up! Hooray!!

One question - as I wasn't able to get to the green at the right moment (too many stages, too little time...) - what was "Jerry Bryant's tribute to Stan Hugill, ''No Consolation'"? Or should I quiz JWB about that? Don't remember hearing anything along those lines elsewhere over the weekend.

Thanks!
JudyB

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 01:25 PM

Two groups that I would like to see at future festivals, if Craig can get the sponsorship financing to bring them down, would be the Men Of The Deeps from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia and the Cormiers from Newfoundland.   SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: JudyB
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 11:17 AM

Marc,
I found the session interesting - I hadn't known anything about fife and drum corps before, though I did know that not all ships used shanties. I liked the different approaches of the two groups, and the way you used them to compare techniques. And I was rather amazed that the joint performance sounded so smooth - it's a lot harder to quietly hum along on a joint number you don't usually do quite that way when you're playing a fife or a drum! It sounds as if there are enough groups in the area that a slightly different perspective with a couple of different groups would work well in a year or two without being repetitive.

I'd also like to suggest something with the teenage group that sang at the open mike - they had a name like ChanteyTeens or something. Hmm - maybe something about different ways teenagers are adopting traditional music - there was a definite difference in appearance between the Nutmeg Corps and the ChanteyTeens, but both seemed to have put a lot of effort into what they did. And just last night my teenage niece was telling us that she and her mother often listened to Roll & Go's CD in the car as an acceptable compromise between her rap music and her mother's golden oldies. Just a thought....

I have a couple of other photos of the Nutmeg Fife & Drum Corps I could e-mail if you're interested. The other ones of the Ancient Mariners didn't come out as well as their faces were in shadow from where I was. I didn't get a picture of the whole group - don't have a wide angle lens and was afraid if I went far enough from the sound board to get a good shot, you could make it to the mike and start talking faster than I could make it back to the sound board to turn on the sound! :)

JudyB

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 10:28 AM

Just sent off Tommy Makem and the songwriting workshop; the ballad workshops, TM in concert, the final concert, and a handful from the Gris, will follow. (Actually I doubt if I would find it possible to send off Tommy. These are just photos.)

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From:
Date: 28 Jun 04 - 03:44 AM

celtaddict, they are fantastic pictures - thanks for sharing them with those of us who can't get there.

sandra

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:23 PM

Thank you very much satchel. All I needed was for one person to say the found it interesting. It almost certainly won't happen every year , but I have close associations with many corps, so maybe a 2 or 3 year rotation with various groups and material. I was looking for food to discuss the subject further.

Marc

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: GUEST,satchel
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:56 PM

Yeah Marc,
I'd say do it again, even though I'm not a fife and drum corp person. Great job moderating, especially relating fife and drum to sea music. It was great to have more than one corp, as has happened in the past. Interesting as well to see how different corps play the same song! And, the arrival at the main stage for them final concert was a nice touch.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival 2004
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 09:10 AM

Great Stuff. THank you. Isn't Mystic Seaport a Beautiful place without the people. It is a great place to work, but its early in the morning and late in the evening that I really feel lucky. Most people never get to see that side. BY the way, I'd like an oppinion on something. Did anyone here catch any of the fife & drum workshop at the northend stage on sunday? Did anyone find it at all interesting? The performers had a blast, now I'm curious if none fife & drum people found it of any interest at all. Is it worth doing another some year in the future?

Marc

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival-2004
From: Celtaddict
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 05:59 PM

Joe Clone(s), you RULE.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 05:54 PM

Joe Clone? Are you there? Maybe years on this thread and the photo thread from 2003 (which I just refreshed) would be a help too. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 05:10 PM

Chanteyranger, I thank you. (Blush.)
Just sent pub sing shots off. Sets of workshops, scenery, final concert, and the Gris will follow.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 02:21 PM

Celtaddict, those are professional quality photos! In the scenic shots, you have a great eye for capturing the beauty of the seaport.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 12:52 PM

Celtaddict-

Very nicely done!

Look forward to the next set.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 12:40 PM

I see Craig actually used "ChanteyCraig" when he signed on as a guest.
Next installment on the way.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: JudyB
Date: 26 Jun 04 - 12:34 PM

Wow - beautiful!! I love the pinks and oranges and what you were doing with reflections.

I didn't have much luck taking photos inside the tent, so I'm glad you got some at the main stage. The photo from behind the stage of the Georgia Sea Islanders is a nice touch - and the caption for Jerry Bryant is great!

JudyB (waiting eagerly for the next installment)

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 11:23 PM

While everyone is singing (or if Don Sineti is humming to himself) it is far from quiet, but I like the look. AOL keeps dumping me tonight so I will have to keep sending tomorrow I guess.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 10:57 PM

Gosh, what a quiet looking place! :-)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Pene Azul
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 10:50 PM

Here are the photos!

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 05:29 PM

Thanks, Bill (and we missed you this year!), I think we have a simple version. I like them separate but do not often use the text-on-photo trick except for greeting cards. (Sheer laziness on my part I suppose but these 3 a.m. babies keep me hopping enough I will continue to look for shortest cuts.) Just about to send off another batch.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 01:03 PM

Celtaddict--there are ways to actually add captions ON pics (place letters in color in a corner..etc.) let me know if you'd like to try that sometime. (free programs)

I posted some from Mystic that way last year

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 12:15 PM

Just had an e-mail from Pene Azul so know he has the first handful of shots; the bulk are on my laptop here at work now so will go off tonight. (I hope he puts a link; I can't from work.)

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Celtaddict
Date: 25 Jun 04 - 12:27 AM

You are right, Charley, I have been rather swamped, but just sent some photos off to Pene Azul to add to the Events page, and am hoping he will put a link from this thread. Also I hope he can tell me an easy way to send a file with a caption to it. I have some that please me. But Marc, I do not have as good a shot of you this year as the one last year. (No, not the pirate prosthetic one, the one in the white shirt.) There will be a few installments of shots, as I get them off; I have seen/edited most, but if I am to be functional tomorrow I had better stop for now.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Nancy King
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 10:16 PM

Nice pix, Judy! Wish I'd been able to be there! Well, maybe next year!

Nancy

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 08:41 PM

Thank You Charlie. In all honesty, I was a bit under the weather at the festival, particularly monday night. But to be fair, I had a great festival just the same. I hope you enjoyed yourself also. My post was really more of a refresh to see if any more commentary would trickle out. This actually is one of my favorite parts, reading your comments about the festival. Generally I'm so sucked up in the festival, I don't get to talk to as many people I might like to.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 05:59 PM

Marc-

Celticaddict promised to post some of her images on Mudcat but she may not have had time to do that yet.

You looked like you were enjoying yourself at the Festival.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 05:26 PM

One link. Charlie Nobles site. Which are great shots, I was just curious if there were any more. By the way Mario, I owe you a cd. pm me your address and I'll get one in the mail to you.

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: GUEST,mmario
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 02:45 PM

several links above in thread

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 02:42 PM

I thought there were pictures coming. Where are they?

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: JennyO
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 10:40 PM

Charlie, when you describe Carl Thornton, I have a vision of someone with a voice like John Warner :-) Comes in very handy for getting people's attention sometimes!

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 12:43 PM

One enduring image for me was Carl Thornton leading "Paddy Lay Back" at the after concert shanty-shout in the Galley Saturday night. He was one of the first to sing and he managed to cut through all the confusion of people talking to each other, milling around, and breaking bottles over each other's heads (well, no, that didn't really happen). And I've never heard so many verses. What a powerful voice!

And, yes, Jerry Bryant's rendition of "Hexagon Zombies" was superb!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 02:55 PM

A more appropriate name for his duo would be "The FlexTradition." BTW, I second the motion, very nice photos, JudyB.