Trad Diary: A Rabbi, a Priest, and a Minister Walk Into an Irish Session

Friday, September 7, 2012

A Rabbi, a Priest, and a Minister Walk Into an Irish Session

Okay, so it was only a priest and a minister, but what a great Saturday night session it was.

We've been playing in the living room lately - a great space now that it's painted and furnished - and with the screen door propped open, the music blasting out into the street, and the Irish colors flying, passersby - the cool ones, anyway - are likely to wander in. It's quite fun, actually.

Along with the above-mentioned men of the cloth (Susie's husband and FOCUS' Woody Bowman, and Fr. Augustine, one of our summer priests at the island's RC parish - a fan of Irish music due to his having taught for a few years in Dublin), I was vaguely aware of a scattering of folks who had wandered in and out on Saturday night, but the most memorable visitors had to have been the ladies who came in and step-danced across the living room floor.

The session resumed on Sunday afternoon, on the porch. I don't see all of what's going on around me - busy thinking about what note comes next and whether it's the second or third time around - but what I do see, I like. I am occasionally aware that a crowd has gathered on the sidewalk and that people have cameras out, but what I am mostly aware of is that people are smiling. Even people who have their serious "I'm on vacation but I'm stuck in nasty Edgartown traffic" faces on, when they see - and hear - a group of musicians playing happy Irish music on a porch, they break into smiles. I love it.

We played well into the evening on Sunday - right up until Emily, Dirk, Adrienne, and Eric had to hop onto VTA bus #1 to catch the last boat from Vineyard Haven. Several people stopped by, including Ann Tucker, from Co. Clare, who spends every summer in Edgartown; also Anita and Don - here from Chicago for a wedding. Anita graced our evening with stories of her folk years in Cambridge - with the obligatory "Do you know so-and-so?" game, and by singing - beautifully - an Irish song she had written. Just lovely.

I gotta say, I just love bringing people from various musical pockets together - from the Boston and Massachusetts area - and beyond; a true joy.

Thanks, everyone, for filling my home - and Upper Main Street - with music and life!