November Shanty Session (NH)

Subject: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: curmudgeon
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:24 PM

This coming Saturday, 20 November is the date for the monthly shanty / forebitter session at the Press Room in Portsmouth NH from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.

Don't know if the film crew will be back, but this might be your chance to be a TV celebrity.

Hope to see some of you then -- Tom

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:12 PM

I'll be there Tom but only if you promise I am not filmed.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 02:51 PM

Prolly won't be filmed this time -- I think Will said he had another commitment. And we haven't heard from him, soooo . . .

I've got to get my e-mail reminders out. Hope we see (hear) some people who haven't been available for awhile.

Brien, are you EVER not going to be working on a Saturday?!?

Linn

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 03:30 PM

I'll be there. I haven't learned any new songs, and I'm not sure I can remember the old ones. I can 'Bruce' stuff though. I have some post-cold sinus gunk, which is pretty weird since I skipped the cold completely. (I'm guessing it's irritation from the dry air.) The voice works fine, though.

If I do that new shanty, I'm going to tack on the verses to 3 or 4 other ones and sing it until folks pick up on the chorus. I think 'Hitler's Only Got One Ball' might fit. Heck, Amazing Grace fits, and so does everything you can sing to the tune of Amazing Grace, including Jabberwocky. Sing, or face Folkie Fillibustering!

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: curmudgeon
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 05:28 PM

No filming this Saturday, although Will's going to try to make it. Well, that's four of us. Any other takers willing to commit? I'll have a chance to remind a few of the other regulars tomorrow night. Looking forward -- Tom

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 06:50 PM

I'm hoping to come along with SINSULL.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 07:39 PM

Had to give a friend a ride home to Amesbury, MA, so didn't get my reminder out to the list this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, though.

Looking forward to seeing you again, Jackie. I hope I remember to bring an old picture of the old Captain for you. It was in Yankee magazine in 1981, I think.

Linn

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: GUEST,Uncle Jaque
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 09:15 PM

Yow!; I sure would like to make one of these things some time - although I suspect that Domestic Management is not going to be any more enthusiastic about this one than... well, than she ever is.

I would like to pop down that way to replentish the grog locker and pick up some things @ Kittery Trading Post though; if it looks like a possibility I'll holler for directions again, as I'm not at all familiar with Portsmouth.

Any chances of another Shanty hoot up this way this year?

Funny thing; I'd kind of slacked off on music for the past month or so, but just the last couple of days dragged out my ol' geetar and tuned 'er up just to see if I remembered what to do with it.

Now my left hand is sore, and it ain't got nuthin' tae do with me love life! };^{)~

Fortunately, the fingertip callouses are not quite all gone.
I am, however, embarassingly rusty.

Now i've been pretty scarce in here for a while, and a lot seems to have happened since I last checked in.

Who is this "Jacqui" person who seems to have a thing going on with Cpt. Kendall? (or so I surmise). I'll be anxious to meet her. Another "Folkie", I assume?

And I thought Kendall had that tumor removed about a year ago... is the latest surgery dealing with the same one or did another one appear? Glad to see that he's recovering well regardless.

It's certainly been a while - hope to get back together soon; we have a lot of catching up to do, I reckon.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 10:50 PM

Uncle Jaque,
If you stand at the Kittery Trading Post and spit south, you may actually hit the Press Room. Warn us though so we don't get in the way. It is five nminutesfrom the market St. exit off 95 but you don't want directions from me - the blind leading the blind.

We are talking about a monthly sing at my house after the first of the year if there is interest. I have spare beds for anyone travelling far.
MAry

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 08:55 AM

Jaque, you're a wuss. Not because Domestic Management bosses you around but because you keep using her as an excuse instead of saying "I'm too busy watching TV to get my big Republican butt out of the sofa and go somewhere." No...you keep on with this "My tyrannical wife made me stay home" stuff. I've met her. She's not that scary. Either show up, or face my wrath!

Directions from the KTP:
Go south on Rt 1, cross bridge, look for Press Room on left/Post Office on right. Park.

Trust me, I do wrath pretty well, occasionally in rhyme, with a tune.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 09:03 AM

Uncle Jaque

You are out of touch! Kendall and I got married just over a month ago after a year's 'courtship', first meeting on the Mudcat and then in person in April. Yes, I'm a folkie, from England.

His cancer came back and was confirmed in September so he has had to have laser treatment to remove it again. Hopefully that will be the end of it but that was the main reason we gopt married at this time - I needed to be with him through this period - it ain't easy when someone you love is in trouble and three thousand miles away!

Hope to meet you sometime, even if you are a Republican!

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: karen k
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 09:36 AM

Hey Mary, count me in for a sing at your house and reserve a bed. It's a great idea.

karen

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 01:35 PM

Just heard from Tyler Buck and she plans on being there.

Linn

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 09:53 AM

It's today. Jaque? Yoo-hoo!
I've been practicing this wrath stuff, and I think I'm prepared for when you don't show up.

I may hit the Kittery Trading Post if I manage to leave here early enough, and possibly Candies accross the street (they sell candy). Gonna bring the Gibson fiddle I just had overhauled. I'm just slightly pissed he either didn't notice a small part of the top in the general vicinity where he was working was loose, or whether he ignored it. Sounds great, though.

Anybody heard from Kath Westra?

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 10:19 AM

My money's on Jeri unless Jaque brings his significant other along.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 10:24 AM

Yummies, Jeri, not Candies -- great spot! Everything from your youth you thought you'd never find again.

Reminds me, I've got to hit the Lindt factory outlet soon or my mother and sister-in-law won't speak to me for a year.

Kath's in Rockland, and that's a hike to Portsmouth.

Linn

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: GUEST,Brian
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 11:02 AM

Sorry I won't be able to maake it again this month. Hope to see you folks real soon.

Brian

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 01:04 PM

I have a sore throat and a runny nose. Can't sing much but that's nothing new. I will still be there.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 08:56 PM

It was fun. There were a few people I didn't know, including a 9-year old, who is a GOOD singer. (Did the Sailor's Alphabet and a song about the Gundalow.) No Jaque though.

And now, because I can't go around making idle threats about wrath and stuff:

Oh, it was in November ol' Jaque said he might come down
To have some fun with friends in dear old Portsmouth town
Too close to the event and he was dealt the final blow
When his wife informed him that he could not go
At least that's what he said, but we suspected that he lied
There's wrestling on the TV and it's just to far to drive
He'd hinted that he'd be here, then gave excuses lame,
And we all cried out, "Oh dammit, not again!"

Not again, not again
His name now is known as a verb by his friends
We'd been 'Jaqued' and he was home a-sittin' on his sorry end
And we all cried out, "Oh dammit, not again!"

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 04:05 PM

Jeri, she's 8 and her name is Zoe and I'd been hoping she'd come out of the woodwork again (with her parents) cuz I have photos of her from the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival singaround at Jack Quigley's where she made her debut.

Tom suggests that yesterday was a hen frigate -- about 10 females to three males at the singaround. Lots of the usual suspects (besides the perennial absent one; see above) were missing for various reasons, but we got a whole crop of first-timers -- Scott of the rich and melifluous voice (it was sort of dueling Stan Rogers' songs between Scott and Aaron Clegg), Kathy and Lucy. And Zoe, of course. And Tyler, Jeri, Sinsull and JacquiC, of course, and Tom Sawyer, a joiner-in-on-choruses who usually only gets to the Friday sessions.

Quite a commotion in the background, though; as of about 5 p.m. the whole world seemed to converge on the Press Room, crying/whining kids and all. But a representative of the loudest table came over as they were leaving to say how much they enjoyed the singing. (I was surprised they had listened to any of it, but I thanked them graciously, of course.) Even Mom and one of the whiney kids came over as they were leaving to say how much they liked listening to us.

Linn

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 10:11 PM

Jeri- that was ABSOLUTELY brilliant. remind me to rile you again sometime if it gets you to write stuff like that!!

You guys should check out Fred's new winter album "The night the Whisky Froze" Includes such favorites as "Haul Away Snow" and "The Shopping Shanty" as well as his seasonal stories- The Night Before Christmas Downeast and the Ripogenus Christmas Ball. see www.castlebay.net

Good stuff for a cold night and a toddy round the woodstove.

Wish we lived closer to ya...
best- Julia

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 11:28 AM

Good one, Jeri. But you have to work in a line about his wearing a pirate scarf when his wife isn't around.

Fun night. Lots os scratchy throats and runny noses. Happy Winter, all. If it is going to be an almost all female shanty sing from now on, we better write some knitting and birthing shanties to keep it authentic.

"And it's knit one
Purl two
Turn at the end of the row..."

"Contractions comin'
Better hold my hand
hee hee hee
ho ho ho
Baby is crownin'
It's a boy, how grand!
hee hee hee
ho ho ho"

Best I could do on short notice.

Subject: RE: November Shanty Session (NH)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Nov 04 - 12:03 PM

Nice to get a report on the shanty sing, Linn and Tim. And the verses about Uncle Jaque were brilliantly composed composed, Jeri, and it's always useful to have another verb like "Jaqued."

Judy and I were far south while the shanty sing was happening, soaking up sun in the Caribbean, and collecting fragments of rowing shanties and old calypso songs. We just got back to frosty Maine this morning around 2:30 AM. Other Roll & Go members have their usual wimpy excuses I'm sure.

See you all in December. In the spirit of the holiday season and our continuing maritime theme, I think I'll sing my version of "Christmas at Sea" by Robert Lewis Stevenson. Alas, no chorus, yet...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble