Great Craic at the Littlest Last Night.

Tradition!

According to a Vineyard Gazette story from 1948, on the day that my Main Street house was moved by ox team from Ocean Heights, in the early 1800s, once the house arrived at its destination a feast was laid out and a fiddler was called. As a child, our kitchen and dining room were often filled with guitars and song and these sessions were attended by many a friend and relative (including my cousin Sally Ann Shurtleff, whose lovely soprano voice was legendary). I am thrilled to be continuing this tradition. What better way to honor my musical roots - my grandparents, whose house this once was, and my very musical parents and brother - than to fill my home with fiddles and guitars and friends. Even Great-granny Shurtleff, whose parents were born in Co. Kildare, would be pleased, I'm sure. Not to mention, I've got to keep it going for the next generation: my three grandbabies who appear to be musically inclined (as they say).

Last night I was honored by the presence of a plethora of Henrys (seriously, there are so many of them that they travel in what can only be described as a pod), on-island for the weekend to ride their bikes in the annual MS fund raiser.

I suspect we will be doing this again next year.

Great music, great company - thanks, everyone.



 Sean  Brian   David    Sean and David        Too many Henrys to count.  

Saturday Night at the Littlest

Last night was one of those rare and wonderful Saturday evenings downtown. The city streets were bustling with people, out and about, enjoying each other as well the clear spring air and late afternoon light, and the session down at the Littlest featured many friends I would hope to meet up with for tunes. The pub was filled with a festive spirit (somebody had the birthday song sung to him at least three times that I could count), as well as random friends - the regulars - but also David's parents, Woody and Susie, were up from the Vineyard, and my life-long childhood friend Cooky stopped in, with Joe (Cooky and I grew up across the street from each other in Edgartown).

After the Littlest I made my way down to Quincy, to hear Sean Brennan sing at my old stomping ground, Paddy Barry's (my first session, ever, was at Paddy's - I loved that place).

It was a great session, a great performance by Sean (and loved seeing and chatting with various Henrys) and a great Saturday night - perfect in every way.

Here's a little footage: three reels. Musicians include Rosanne, Liam, David, Alex, Sally, Brendan, Maureen, Arnie, Greg, and I even managed to jump in at the end for Bucks of Oranmore (and to the people who kid me and say, "Oh, I'd love to see you photograph and play at the same time," I will say, this is not so far-fetched, folks).

Head Over Heels

I swear, I won't get a wink of sleep until I learn these tunes (via Jim McAuley).

House Session, Edgartown

Tuesday night's seis was small, but fun - a celebration of having completed the renovations on my dining/music room, a celebration of a new session season at the Alison Boylston Piazza House/Midnight Mermaid Gallery, as well as a coming home party (after living and studying in Boston for the past ten years, I have decided to return to my childhood home to enjoy my family, my garden, and having all my stuff in one place).

The evening was a good test-run of the room. I knew it would be a lively room, with its 9' ceilings, and I have loved playing my fiddle or singing in that room by myself - heavenly - but the real test would be a group of musicians. The room was okay for music, as it turned out (and just okay), but terrible for conversation. So I am now fine-tuning the room, having added a rug, and will add some heavy curtains (for which my neighbors will probably also thank me).

All in all, it was a fun couple of days. Next up: Fourth of July porch session. Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for this, and more (and the door is always open in the meantime).

It's going to be a great summer.


Bob




Bob, in his groove with his awesome and amazing Apollo zouk.






Mando Mike





Ryan, loving (and sounding quite savage) on his new fiddle.





Fiddle Mike





Sara by Ryan




ditto





Chiara by Ryan




Guitar Mike (some fine guitar work here)











Edgartown, where the radiators are made of gold.

House Session at Liam's

Over the weekend I found myself in yet another never-before-visited Massachusetts town: Dracut, for a house session at Liam's (I had also never been to Salem until a couple of weeks ago). Great music, and especially wonderful to have some of the old gang assembled; also a pleasure to meet a couple of fine local musicians. I've said it a hundred times but is worth saying again: I love the connective aspect of this music, the way any group of Irish trad musicians can sit down and instantly play together as if they've known each other forever. Love it. Thank you, Liam and Kitty.


Corwyn, Liam, David, Ben, and Eamon


David, Ben and Eamon

David


David and Ben


David


Eamon


The lovely Miss Flora








Eamon and Flora


Liam and David


Corwyn


Liam


David



Eamon and Sue



Liam, Flora, and Nesta



Corwyn and David


Corwyn


Corwyn and David


Corwyn and David


Sara's fiddle


Liam and David


Ben

Savage Salem Session

I left the Vineyard for Boston on Thursday night, reluctantly leaving the painting and gardening projects behind, and thinking it would be a quick turn-around and that I would only be focusing on preparing for my Saturday morning gig - for the first time, ever, I did not pack my fiddle and bouzouki.

On Friday morning, however, I got an e-mail from Nik Apollonio, up (or down, as they say) in Maine, who said, "I'm going down to Bob's session in Salem, want to come?" Damn! I sent back my regrets - of all the days to leave my instruments home. I was dying to see both Bob and Nik (especially since it was Nik's birthday), so of course the gears were turning, and within a few minutes I wrote back and said, "Don't you have a house full of fiddles? Could you bring me one - I'd love to join you guys."

What a great night it was. The session is hosted by the fantastic Larry Young, and also featured the likes of  the very talented Emerald Rae, whom I had not seen since the Tommy Doyle days, as well as my buddy Bob Denton, a mainstay at my Edgartown summer sessions. Add in Bob and Jen Strom whom I know from various Boston sessions, and the birthday boy, as well as a full assortment of other musicians, and it had all the makings of a mighty, mighty night of music; really - the place was packed, the energy was high, and the music was downright savage.

It was Nik's birthday, but it felt like my own, as this was pure, unadulterated joy.

I have to laugh - I can't imagine what my kids must be thinking with photos from various pubs rolling by in my FaceBook stream.

Thanks, everyone - I hope I see you all again very soon.



O'Neill's, in downtown Salem. Hey - how'd Nik get that premium parking spot?




I will soon be sporting one of these tees, as well as an Apollonio gui-zouk.



Jen (right)



Terry



Daisy



Bob (left)



Daisy



Nik







Terry











Jen and Lisa.



Bob, Jen, Nik.



Bob, Larry, Emerald, Nik.








Jen









Lisa




(Glad to get a few shots of myself for a change. These were taken by Grace with my phone. Thank you!)Here, with Nik and Bob.








Larry and Emerald


Ha ha - right around 3:08 is where I couldn't take another minute of not playing and set the camera on someone's case so I could get in on at least the last bit of the Silver Spear.