|
11 Sep 04 - 09:12 AM (#1269196) Subject: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon For any Mudcatters and their friends who may be living in or travelling to the coastal New England region, the Fourth Annual PMFF, featuring Cindy Kallet, John Roberts, Danny Spooner, Bob Webb and many others runs from Sept. 23 - 26, 2004. On Thursday, the 23rd, there will be a lecture on Portsmouth's maritime history, with songs by Jeff Warner at the Rockingham Ballroom at 7:00 PM. No official events on Friday, but the weekly trad music session at the Press Room , from 5 - 9 PM will be featuring some of the Festival performers. On Saturday, the 25th, the day begins at 3:00 at the Rockingham Ballroom with Ports of Call: a Musical Journey. A maritime singaround will be at the Press Room from 4:30 to 7:00 . The evening concert at the North Church begins at 8:00 Sunday's events include performances at Market Square Area Pubs and Restaurants, Cameo Concerts at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, and a singaround at Jack Quigley's Pub. The Festival will conclude with a Group Sing at the Athenaeum at 5:00 PM. Concert tickets are $12.00 at the door; all other events are FREE! For further information, watch this thread and try the website. NB - As the webmaster is currently relocatin from NH to NC, the site may not be quite ready. Hope to see some of you there -- Tom |
|
11 Sep 04 - 09:46 AM (#1269207) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: lucky_p I can't tell you how much I would love to go, but I can't. Have a great time. Penny |
|
11 Sep 04 - 10:51 AM (#1269249) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri Websites: Cindy Kallet Danny Spooner Uses frames, and that dark blue bar provides camouflage for shy, furtive links. Jeff Warner John Roberts doesn't appear to have a website to call his own. There's a John Roberts & Tony Barrand site. If someone around here knows of another, please let me know and I'll edit. Bob Webb seems to be complete siteless, poor man. |
|
11 Sep 04 - 05:41 PM (#1269511) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Here's Bob's Webb-site -- Tom |
|
11 Sep 04 - 06:27 PM (#1269552) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Desert Dancer The other all-new but non-personalized John Roberts web site is Golden Hind Music. ~ Becky in Tucson |
|
13 Sep 04 - 11:35 AM (#1271188) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon In addition to the more famous folk featured in the concert, there will be other performances by lesser know, but highly accomplished singers and musicians from the NH Seacoast region. The duet of Hallowell & MacIntyre offers a fine blend of tight harmonies and tasteful instrumentation. Kevin Scanlon, while one of the younger folks of the local scene, has a rich repertoire, offering songs unaccompanied or with a most benign banjo backup. And the even younger Chris Stevens will be demonstrating a skill well beyond his years on button accordion and Anglo concertina. Bat Goddess and I will be hosting the Sat and Sun pub singarounds and hope to be joined by more Mudcatters, Jeri, Barry Finn, maybe Charlie Noble? Sinsull? Kendall? The Website's still not up, but if you keep the thread alive, I'll post it here when the time comes -- Tom |
|
15 Sep 04 - 08:43 AM (#1272285) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Charley Noble Tom- Unfortunately, I'll be prowling the Fells Point waterfront in Baltimore that weekend, looking for fun in all the wrong places! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
|
19 Sep 04 - 10:00 AM (#1275530) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Finally, the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival website is up and running. Now you can get the festival schedule, performers list, maps, etc. The weather forecast is for delightful conditions. Hope to see as many of you there as can make it -- Tom |
|
19 Sep 04 - 10:36 AM (#1275546) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri And here's the frames-free version of Folk Horizon's Portsmouth Maritime Festival page. |
|
19 Sep 04 - 07:34 PM (#1275959) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Naemanson Good luck and good fun to all my buddies. I'll have to include this on my itinerary next year. |
|
19 Sep 04 - 11:06 PM (#1276079) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Max I'll be in the area on Saturday. I'll try and stop by the press room. Jeri, will you be there? |
|
19 Sep 04 - 11:15 PM (#1276082) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri YOUBETCHA! It'll be good to see you again. (And hopefully, again next month.) |
|
20 Sep 04 - 06:37 AM (#1276272) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Looking forward to seeing you again, Max. There'll be a seat and a pint with your name on it -- Tom |
|
21 Sep 04 - 07:15 AM (#1277169) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Bat Goddess Looking forward to seeing you again, Max! By the way, the problem at the website with the performers' photos (Curmudgeon and me and Cindy Kallet's) is worked out and displaying fine (thanks to Jeri). Linn |
|
22 Sep 04 - 07:25 AM (#1278115) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Don't forget, except for the Sat night concert, its all FREE! And, besides, you might have the chance to meet and thank Max. |
|
24 Sep 04 - 10:29 AM (#1279968) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Since a lot of the Friday session regulars, ie., the Angel Band, have another gig, there may be some open seats. Don't know how many because I don't yet know how many of the featured performers Jeff Warner will be bringing around. See you tonight -- Tom |
|
24 Sep 04 - 11:12 AM (#1280010) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri I'll see you tonight. I wonder if I can learn a new shanty between now and then. If I'm working this weekend, I don't know about it yet, so I may be free to 'ping' all day Sunday. |
|
25 Sep 04 - 09:45 AM (#1280696) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Charley Noble Sure wish I was there to sing along. Baltimore is a nice tourist place but so far no opportunity to sing with others. However, Bertha's Mussels was just as great as it was the last time I was here, back in 1979, and they still feature a mint CD of John Roberts and Tony Barrand entitled EAT BERTHA'S MUSSELS. Give my best to Danny Spooner. Charley Noble, still in Baltimore |
|
25 Sep 04 - 11:08 AM (#1280736) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri The session last night was GREAT! A few tunes and lots of good songs, many with nice, loud choruses. People - singers and otherwise - were in from out of town besides performers. Danny Spooner did (amongst other songs) one union song that was written by John Warner, set to the tune of the hymn that 'No More Fish' was set to. Must find... And his song about ale that came from Lincolnshire. I enjoyed everything he sang. Maybe he's recorded these, but I need John Warner's music too. I almost learned the shanty I'd threatened, but I was having enough problems remembering words to songs I thought I knew. Maybe this afternoon. The old advertising pitch, "be first on your block to own..." is SO true of CDs. You get 'em first, you get to learn your pick of the songs first. Y'all 'undecideds' out there, get ye on the Road to Portsmouth! It's a sunny, clear autumn day, and this afternoon's song session and tonight's concert are going to be wonderful. |
|
25 Sep 04 - 12:21 PM (#1280766) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Jeri's quite right. Last night's session was certainly among the very best we've had. All were in fine voice and the songs flowed from the barrel. In addition to Danny Spooner, we had songs from other festival performers April Grant, Bruce MacIntyre, Dave Hallowell and Jeff Warner, Mudcatters Jeri, Barry Finn, Bat Goddess and yrs truly, not to mention Barbara Benn, Jean Pauly-Jennings, and Pamela from Albany (last names often take a while to register in my brain) and tunes deftly squeezed out by Paul Semprini and Joe, a first timer at one of the sessions. Heed Jeri's advice and get on the road. "Ports of Call" starts at 3:00 at the Rockingham Ballroom, the singaround at 4:00 at the Press Room and the concert at the North Church is at 8:00. And we do really miss our Maine friends -- Tom |
|
25 Sep 04 - 11:23 PM (#1281146) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Charley Noble Go to it, gang, and thanks for the details. Baltimore, in contrast is strictly tourist town. However, I do get to do a wake-up shanty for one of Judy's legislation workshops Sunday morning, probably a verse or two from "Fire Maringo." Cheerily, Charley Noble |
|
26 Sep 04 - 12:35 AM (#1281186) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri Incredible session (Tom gave your 'howdy' to Danny), great concert. People went to the party, and I came home because I was falling alseep and thought I should drive home while I still could. More music tomorrow. |
|
26 Sep 04 - 09:51 AM (#1281377) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Charley Noble Well, just came back from Judy's workshop in Baltimore "On How a Bill Becomes a Law." Judy used as an example "Fire Maringo," proposing it as for the Traditional State Sea Shanty. I led a couple of verses to the startled half-awake workshop participants. Hope they took careful notes for Judy's follow-up quiz. Now I guess I'll wander down to the other side of the inner harbor and sing a couple of shanties for those aboard the Pride of Baltimore II, maybe "Wake Up Susianna." Wish I was in Portsmouth! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
|
26 Sep 04 - 10:43 AM (#1281421) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Bat Goddess Curmudgeon and I went to the post-concert party, but didn't climb the long Victorian stairs to the third floor singing session -- we were too involved in the conversations downstairs. John Roberts is in need of Zand's Herbal Mist, Singer's Saving Grace or Entertainers Secret. I offered him some of the VocalZones I had with me. Sorry, gotta leave NOW for Portsmouth and today's festivities. All of you who didn't come yesterday -- get your posteriors (and voices) down here!!! Linn |
|
27 Sep 04 - 07:01 AM (#1282117) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Bat Goddess No time for a festival wrap-up right now -- gotta head out the door to work, but . . . Among the wonderful musical experiences of the weekend, one thing stood out for me, at least -- it's right up there in my own personal highlights smack next to having Louis Killen sing harmony on my "Fathom the Bowl" Happened at the singaround at Jack Quigley's Pub. You know how when harmonies work, they REALLY work -- something magical or akin to a chemical reaction occurs and and energy is produced out of thin air. Well, Barbara Benn and Pamela Goddard started singing "Row On, Row On" in close harmony . . . in just the right key, etc. I chimed in on the choruses with a third harmony and we achieved harmonic critical mass. I'm not totally sure, I'll have to ask around, but I think for a moment there, every molecule in the universe quivered. The music was amazing. Danny Spooner, Cindy Kallet and all the other performers gave the crowd in the heart of Portsmouth a real treat -- and we had glorious weather to boot. Not a single cloud in the sky. On the way home the full moon (or close to full moon) rose in a blue and lavender sky behind us. An amazing weekend. More later. Linn |
|
27 Sep 04 - 10:40 AM (#1282266) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Charley Noble I understand that Al and Barbara from the South Street Sea Port Chantey Sings were also present. We're planning to get together with them and a few other singers in Brooklyn Friday evening after we depart from Baltimore on Wednesday. I had fun touring the harbor aboard a traditional skipjack yesterday, talking to the crew, and playing concertina. The Mystic Whaler is also in the harbor, and next weekend there will be some 70 schooners assembled for an annual Chesapeake Bay race. Of course, I'll be long gone. Grumble, grumble. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
|
27 Sep 04 - 11:22 AM (#1282310) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Jeri The music was great, the weather was great, everything was great. The finale was held on a busy downtown street corner instead of indoors as planned. Outdoors is where these songs were always sung, although we lacked the cries of seagulls, the slap of waves on the sides of the ship and various creaks and clanks Voices were lifted and songs of old were carried down the streets of an old seaport town, and maybe a few ghosts joined in. One of the most remarkable things I noticed was earlier in the day, on this same corner. I turned around to see the faces of people assembled. There were those I recognized, and those I didn't. Some undoubtedly came for the music, but some probably just tarried, mid-shopping, to see what the heck was going on. They were singing. Kids were singing, and people carrying bags of shopping-booty were singing, and bikers in leathers who'd just parked big, loud bikes out front had sat down, and were singing. |
|
27 Sep 04 - 04:58 PM (#1282529) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon "Great" is an understatement! I've got one of Danny Spooner's CDs on as I write, which makes it a bit difficult to concentrate my thoughts on these words; he's certainly among the finest singers I've ever had the pleasure to meet, hear, and sing with. It was one of those weekends that will never be forgotten. It gave new meaning to the phrase "make the rafters roars." The old beams in the Press Room rang as I've never heard them over a quarter century of singing there. Even the very stones and bricks at Quigley's were aquiver with harmonic resonance. Rather than try to describe any specifics, I'll just say that this was one of those rare magnificent confluences of the right people in the right palce at the right time with the right voice. Charley, you need a new calendar; your old one seems to be landing you at too many wrong places at wrong times. BTW, Danny returns your greeting. Julie from Vermont also says "Hi!" Stay tuned for announcement sof next year's fest -- Tom |
|
27 Sep 04 - 06:39 PM (#1282606) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Bat Goddess Another high point that happened at the Quigley singaround was the festival debut of a young lady named Zoe who is 8 years old. She stood on a chair next to her mom and sang a long and well-executed song about the gundalow. She had the presence of a performer, too. I wish Al and Barbara had stuck around for the Sunday festivities -- they came up from Long Island for the DAY! Really enjoyed their voices (well, and them, too!) at the Press Room singaround session before the evening concert. They promised to come up soon for one of our monthly singarounds and we're looking forward to ti! Linn |
|
27 Sep 04 - 07:13 PM (#1282632) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Naemanson Sigh... It sounds wonderful. Next year for sure! I intend to spend most of autumn in New England. I will be there for the Portsmouth festival and for FSGW. It will be heavenly. I am SO glad that my friends had such a good time. It is nice to hear about. I can see the crowds and the clear fall sky. I can feel the crisp autumn air. And I can almost hear the voices raised in song, filling the rooms and streets, reverbrating down inside each participant, and bringing to life the basic instincts that bering us together. Good going gang! |
|
27 Sep 04 - 08:21 PM (#1282680) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: GUEST,Dave Ruch Will there be any sessions at the Press Room over the long Thanksgiving weekend this coming November? I'll be visiting family in Nashua NH and would love to bring a few folks down. |
|
27 Sep 04 - 10:46 PM (#1282762) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: GUEST,Guest, Pamela from Ithaca Linn, what a sweet thing to say! That was a great moment for me as well - as was hearing that little girl sing. It really gives you hope for the future! I had a great time, once again... my second year at the festival. If only there was a way to shorten the distance between the coast and the Finger Lakes! Not much maritime singing out this way. I strongly encourage all of you to do it again. Plan it now, don't let the enery wane. Cheers, Pamela |
|
28 Sep 04 - 05:41 PM (#1283493) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: Bat Goddess It's true, Pamela! And I got to be part of it! I got you and Barbara and Jeff on tape doing "10,000 Miles" and that made shivers run down my spine, too! Wow! Harmony is an amazing thing, isn't it? You'll have to get over here more often -- and next year's festival planning starts in a couple days. Linn |
|
28 Sep 04 - 07:27 PM (#1283563) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: GUEST,Pamela Here's a thought for the planning meeting: The "Spotlight" media piece wrote of "buskers, raconteurs, and shanty singers" ... but there really wasn't busking, was there? Would it alienate your funders to have the public able to chip in through something like donation buckets, button-badge sales, open instrument cases, etc, etc? We have a weekend long arts and music festival here in Ithaca, and at least 50% of it is funded through te-shirt and button sales. Also, hit up your chamber of commerce on the tourism angle. If there's folks like myself coming from central New York, South Street Sea Port, parts of Mass. and Maine, then those folks are spending money there which they otherwise wouldn't see. Keeping the money flowing is always the hardest part of making these things work... that and not burning out your volunteers. Somehow you all manage to make it look seamless and easy, but I know that can't be the case. Thanks for all the hard work! Not to mention the great music!!! (Sure would love to hear those tapes of how we all sounded...) I'll let you all know when I'm likely to me in the area. It happens from time to time. Cheers, Pamela |
|
29 Sep 04 - 01:11 PM (#1284154) Subject: RE: Portsmouth (NH) Maritime Folk Festival From: curmudgeon Dave -- There will most definately be a session the Friday after Thanksiving. We start around 4:30 and run till 9:00. Holidays are strange; we'll either be packed with regulars or fairly empty. Best bet is to arrive early. Pamela -- Many thanks for your good words and suggestions, and your singing. I talked with Jeff yesterday and we will have a brief planning session/discussion this Friday. Would likt to hear thoughts and suggestions fom others either on this thread or by PM. Thanks to all -- Tom |