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.

Galway Hooker

This is the model of the Galway Hooker my friend Lee Smith up in Maine  gave me.

Sweet Sesh at Littlest Tonight

Kevin, Brendan, Eoin - top of the line.

Apollo Guitars

It all began with my slippery tear-drop-shaped bouzouki and a sore upper back and neck that the strap on my bouzouki makes even worse and the thought that a guitar-shaped bouzouki (a la Andy Irvine) would be so much easier to hold. That's when I remembered Nikos Apollonio, the luthier who made Susie Bowman's "catboat" guitar (a gorgeous instrument that is clamored for and coveted at a session), also, my friend Bob Denton had just taken delivery of a Nikos-made bouzouki, praises for which could be heard all the way from Tucson.

After the initial and rather humorous realization that Nik's shop is in Maine, not Massachusetts ("I'm in Brookline, I'll just drive up to Rockport tomorrow afternoon;" wait, what's this about the ME Tnpk - must be a typo...), and combined with having learned - coincidentally, the day before - of my dear friends Barb and Lee's imminent relocation from Maine to Washington state; also knowing that the impending Vineyard busy season would preclude any traveling until at least next January, I cleared my calendar for the 3 1/2-hour drive/two-day visit to Maine's mid-coast.

It was a wonderful couple of days. This violin maker's daughter found Nikos' shop fascinating - watching the process (and participating in the selection) of preparing the wood and bending the sides for my "gui-zouki" was worth the trip, alone. Playing tunes with Nik (along with being a skilled craftsman, Nik is also a fabulous musician, composer, and all-around great guy), attending a local trad session, and spending time with Barbara and Lee were also among the highlights of my visit. Just being in Maine was a treat - you see, even though I travel every week between Boston and the Vineyard, I never actually go anywhere - my commutes are simply from one bedroom to another, so it was fun breaking away from my well-worn path for a change, albeit briefly.

Nick's web site, here.

Nik on Facebook.














A bell-shaped cittern, in progress.






Preparing to thin-slice a piece of mahogany which will ultimately become the sides of my instrument.










Milling a slab of spruce, a possible contender for the top of my gui-zouki.



Examining the spruce. Nik has a deep understanding of wood and which qualities - grain, density - will make an instrument sound in a particular way. This piece was ultimately rejected due to its being water stained.








A stash of spruce seasons in a sunny window.




Preparing the sound-box mold.



Moxie, the curious kitten, investigates.









 Preparing the water bath. After being boiled for about an hour, the mahogany will be pliable enough to bend around the mold.



Bending, fitting, and clamping along the way.



Both sides are now clamped onto the mold.


After a couple of days, the sides will be dry enough to remove from the mold. According to my most recent e-mail from Nik, the end blocks are now in.




Not only does Nik build beautiful instruments, he also plays them beautifully. Here, Nik plays his bell cittern, a full-bodied and rich-sounding instrument that also features outstanding action and play-ability. Nik is an entirely self-taught luthier and has made instruments for prominent musicians (and fellow Mainers) such as Paul Noel Stookey and Gordon Bok.

Lee and Barbara, over in Orland. I've known Barbara and Lee since I was ten years old. Lee, a boatman and woodworker, sent me home with a sweet little wooden model of a Galway hooker, a traditional Irish fishing boat, along with a much-admired (during previous visits) hand-made wooden bench.