Liam Hart at Tommy Doyle's

Liam Hart - Amhran an Da Chuan from Ryan Abernathey on Vimeo.

Recorded live at Tommy Doyle's pub in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass. Featuring Sean Connor on fiddle and David Bowman on whistle. Recorded by Ryan Abernathey and Sara Piazza and edited by Ryan.

We are there every Wednesday and Thursday evening!

Just Me

In a black room. Nothing fancy, or perfect, just a couple of relatively new tunes - one hot off the press (and perhaps not quite ready for prime time) this morning.

Da Slockit Light and The Hut on Staffin Island from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Taking advantage of an empty black room with a bit of morning window light and great acoustics. These are two of my favorite tunes from this past summer's porch sessions and will always be inextricably linked to Bob and the summer of 2011. The inter-weaving of tunes and people from all over is what I love the most about this music.

The Tosa Waltz from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

This sweet waltz I learned this morning from my friend Jim McAuley in County Antrim, thanks to the wonders of the Internet and YouTube. Thanks, Jim!

A Few Last Tunes with Cormac

Safe travels, my friend, and come back soon!

Tommy Doyle's, Wednesday Night August 24, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

One last set with Cormac - this time around, anyway.

Penultimate Porch Party

Our second-to-last porch session for this season was wonderful - one of the best of the summer, I think. Between the brilliant musicians who have found their way to the porch - not the easiest session to get to, mind you, between busy summer schedules, buses, traffic, and ferries - so kudos and many thanks to all who bothered to venture this way, and many thanks as well as to the people who have stopped by to listen and/or to play with us; and thank you especially to the loyal regulars - Bob, David, Susie, and Karen. These sessions have truly made my summer, and I hope the music has brought a little joy to Main Street, as well (and judging by the smiles and the dancing on the sidewalk, that would be answered in the affirmative). A clipping that is in my possession -  from the Vineyard Gazette in 1948 (related post, link) - documents the moving of this house, by a team of oxen in 1848 to its present location, culminating with a party that included a feast and fiddlers, and my childhood in this house included many a kitchen hootenanny - with family and friends and neighbors gathered around the table - so it is only fitting, and deeply meaningful to me, that this house is becoming once again a gathering place and filled with music, in the tradition of Irish and folk music the world over. Thanks, everyone. To be continued.





Saturday Night Porch Session, August 20, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.
Our regular Saturday night session, greatly enhanced this week by the addition of Emily, concertina and whistle; Adrienne, fiddle; and Dirk, guitar - all three from the North Shore of Boston; and Mando Mike, from Boston. Great stuff, everyone!


























































The morning after.
For the photo-tech geeks: video was shot with the G12,  BWs with the 5D (amazing quality for ISO 6400 and very low light, I think).

More Porch Magic

Edgartown Porch Session, August 13, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Another magical Saturday night in Edgartown, featuring top-notch music, a steady stream of friends - including a healthy dose of townies, as well as many happy passersby, with special guests, Jose - from Bolivia, making a return visit with his charango; Eric, down from Boston; and Irene, who regaled us with a few more stories and songs from her childhood in Ireland. Thanks, everyone - especially the stalwarts, David, Bob, and Susie, for helping me to fill my home - indeed, the whole neighborhood - with music and making these sessions and the summer of 2011 truly wonderful.

Irene Max Introduces The Lonely Woods of Upton from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Irene Max Sings The Lonely Woods of Upton from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Porch Session, August 6, 2011

Edgartown Porch Session, August 6, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Dual whistling by David and Chris; backed by Bob. A wonderful Saturday night in Edgartown, with many people stopping by the porch - friends and strangers alike.

Thanks, especially, to Chris for coming all the way down from Boston, and to Irene - from Derry - who graced us with stories and songs from Ireland.

Tommy Doyle's, Thursday Night, August 4, 2011

So great to be back in town for a couple of days.

Tommy Doyle's, Thursday Night, August 4, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

Messing with Premiere Elements - not enough time in the day to learn all I want to learn - in every department. Shot with G12. Great to be back in Cambridge - love you guys!