June Shanty Session at the Press Room

Subject: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 07:37 PM

Next Saturday, 19 June is the date for the monthly shanty/forebitter session in Portsmouth NH at the Press Room, 77 Daniel Street, from 3:30 to 7:30 PM..

Looking forward to seeing some Mystic survivors as well as some who couldn't make that fest; it would be also nice to see some of my fellow cut-ups as well as the folks I haven't seen in a dog's age.

N.B., while sea songs are the main theme of these sessions, anyone with a mind to sing a trad song of any genre will be more than welcome to do so.

See you on Saturday -- Tom

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 08:45 AM

Been cleaning house -- mostly going through ephemera. Charley -- got some shhh--, I mean, good stuff for you.

May even remember to bring photos from the last session to give away and an Edward Rowe Snow card of real bits of historic ships for show and tell.

Do I need to bring the cat-o-nine-tails?

Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 12:34 PM

Roll & Go members will be arriving a little late. We'll be ending our set at the Soltice Celebration in Kennebunk/Kennebunkport near the Captain Lord Mansion at 3 pm, coiling down the sound equipment. We should be at the Press Room by 4:30 or so.

Jeff and Bruce did well at Mystic and should be able to fill you in on choice details.

Be nice if Barry could make it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, still in Mystic

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 12:12 PM

Doubt if Domestic Management will go for it, but will keep it in mind.

Have no currently working guitar but have other options.
(Have to whittle me up a nut out of soup-bone for my Yamaha 12-string as no one seems to make a plastic one that'll fit).

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 07:26 PM

Aw, c'mon Uncle Jaque -- it's been almost a year since we've seen you (and then at Bunker's barn). What kind of weaponry do we have to bring along to entice you?

I've got a new song (not quite yet learned) -- combination of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Battle Cry of Freedom."

Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: curmudgeon
Date: 17 Jun 04 - 07:54 PM

U.J., I'll bring my guitar along. It would be a notable "first" to see you there.

I was really hoping to hear from some of those who used to be regulars. While I'm well on the way to recovery, I could use some singing help. See you Saturday?

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 09:55 AM

If you check in on the Mystic Sea Music Festival thread, you will find a link to some of the digital images JudyB took. We really have to figure out a way to get the rest of the Press Room shanty group there next year. It's exhausting but it's also great fun!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 10:20 AM

I think I'll likely be there, and may bring my guitar. Nose is only half-stuffed up and the voice is a croak, but I'm getting better. I'll tell my germs to do no ramblin'...perhaps I ought to get a T-shirt with a 'Biohazard' emblem on it.

Hurrah for Mary, hurrah for the lamb...dammit, she got another one before me! Maybe I ought to learn "Oh Sheep" as a follow-up.

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 12:46 PM

Jeri-

How about "Sheep on the Deep" from the new Boarding Party release?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 01:11 PM

Charley, that's actually what I was thinking of: "Oh sheep, sheep, don't you know the tide?"

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 01:51 PM

Is this another sheep joke?!?

Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 03:59 PM

Linn-

On some level it's a fine joke but it's also a fine song, and just the thing for rounding out a "Non-Nautical Animals at Sea" session. I must have half a dozen of those, plus I'm sure someone knows the Noah's Ark shanty. Anyone up for a challenge?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Jun 04 - 04:42 PM

AllanC is on his way to MAine. If he arrives early enough Saturday, we will both make an appearance. It's been too long, Tom.

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 09:01 AM

Off to Kennebunkport where we'll be singing from 1 to 3 pm near the Captain Lord mansion. See you all later!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 09:45 AM

Charley -- Tom and I spent our wedding night at the Captain Lord mansion. But I don't know if that's song fodder . . .

Sinsull! I think we haven't seen you since you got back after surviving Chicago last, what, November?!?

Jeff Warner is back from England (and Mystic) and will be there. Barbara Benn is, I think, in Brooklyn. Barry Finn was at the session last night so probably won't make the trek from Derry today. (Too bad -- I still have the Bob Nilson drawing for him of all of us dancing on stage St. Patrick's night.)

Where's Brien Hoye?

Jeff and I may sing a decidedly unnautical "Cuckoo's Nest" just because we discovered last night that we both know it. Or I could sing the combination of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Battle Cry of Freedom" to annoy Jeri -- or make her join me in incurring the Wrath of Tom.

Hope AllanC arrives in good time and Sinsull can drag him to the session.

Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 10:19 AM

You're not gonna annoy me too much - I like singing the chorus, although I'm not sure my voice will hold up long enough. If it will incur the Wrath of Tom, I'll give it my best shot.

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 02:37 PM

I'll bring Vocalzones, Jeri. They're everything Tom Lewis (and Louis Killen) said they were. BTW, those two distinguished singers hold entirely opposing views on them.

Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 10:24 AM

Well, we finally made it. It's been too long. Some favorite moments - Kendall sang "They're Closing The Brownshead Light", Jeri doing "Fire Down Below" despite a bad cold, AllanC's "The Water Is Wide", Charley doing "The Outside Track" at my request, Jeff doing a Steeleye Span (?) number, Linn's "She's More to Be Pitied than Censured...we got a bit non-nautical for a while. Tom looks wonderful although half of him is missing. Good to see everyone.
Mary

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 12:19 PM

And Kendall's story about the despondent young lady that was smuggled into a lifeboat by an enterprising sailor. At one point there were 6 concertinas covorting around the table, including Jeff's which has to be called "The Mother of All Concertinas." If I could only sing Rick Spencer's "Hexagon Zoombies"! Of course, I have no problem playing the tune...

It was good to hear Tom singing "Jack Tar" accompanied with guitar. It's also an old favorite for me since I first heard A.L. Lloyd's recording of the song on BLOW BOYS BLUES (released on CD by Tradition). This was my favorite sea music recording back in them dark ages of the early 1960's.

We're still having fun with John Masefield's "Hell's Pavement"; it seems to work quite well in my music hall arrangement. And it was great to have Tom's concertina backing up "The Mariner's Compass is Grog."

I wish Allan C. would settle down in this area. I really like his singing and guitar work.

Unfortunately, it looks like Nor and I won't be making it to the shanty swaps again until September because of concerts and other special events. Damn! We probably won't recognize the songs we lead when we hear the "new improved" versions in September.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 07:57 PM

Charley -- I second your motion on AllanC -- he'd be a really great addition to the music scene in coastal New Hampshire and Maine.

Gonna miss YOU and the rest of the Roll and Go contingent, though, for the next coupla sessions. Have to put more pressure on some of the folks who have been making excuses, I guess.

Sorry, I couldn't post earlier -- we've been social butterflies this weekend. Went to a music party with the Irish contingent in Dover after last night's session, then had another party (with some music, but the lovely day, the great conversation and all the fine food sort of lulled us into talking and eating more than playing music) in Massachusetts this afternoon. Earlier this morning I ended up taking a friend to the emergency room of the hospital in Rochester, NH -- adding yet another hospital to my list of the past few months. This one disguises the ER entrance as the main entrance of the hospital and neglects signage. Sigh. Got her there okay, though, and then I had to leave as there was nothing much else I could do and I felt sure they would keep her (or another friend could pick her up).

Do you realize I only sang ONE sea-related song yesterday?!? (Well, and a sea-related recitation.) But, I'm sure everybody in the songs DRANK water at least . . . I ended up at the party later singing water-related "Lovely Agnes" and "Three Score and Ten" -- both requests.

I really liked Ken Coles' song with the same tune as "Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her." Too many songs to learn; not enough time.

Later (Curmudgeon's getting impatient),
Linn

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 08:27 PM

I enjoyed the day except for the scullery maid slamming dishes around and playing that hideous crap they call music these days! Made me forget some of the words to the Loch Arcre.

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: kendall
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 04:46 AM

Am I the only one who has a hard time tolerating ignorant people who have no manners?

Subject: RE: June Shanty Session at the Press Room
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 08:12 AM

Linn-

I was thinking about leading another Great Lakes song that Sally Rogers sings, Craig Johnson's "Keweenaw County" with its chorus of "The Keweenaw light swings over the bay" but I wasn't sure I could access all the verses. I also like the song she wrote for her father, with it's vivid images of him sailing by himself toward the end of his life. What was that one called? Something like "Sails in Autumn." Maybe I'm just imaging it. No, I just looked it up and it's called "Old Father Fall" and recorded on her IN THE CIRCLE OF THE SUN album.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble