Main Street Ceili, October 2012

While getting ready to welcome Rose and Gene Clancy back to Edgartown for my big Labor Day 2016 Irish session, I was reminiscing over the weekend a few years back when the Clancys, along with Stu Peak, were last on the Island together during a really lively night on Main Street during which no fewer than three separate groups from a nearby Irish wedding (coincidentally) walked in off the street to join us for the music and the craic - and it was mighty, to say the least, with songs, stories, jokes, and dancing galore.



Rose, Stu, and Gene - playing at a wedding at Edgartown Lighthouse earlier in the day; a wedding that I photographed, and the impetus to pre-plan a session for that evening.





Stu, Jon, and Rose. We even got some of the Boston and Rhode Island contingent over here for the event. I can see from the near-empty bookshelves and bare walls that I had not even fully moved in at this point.


Gene and random walk-ins. What can I say - they see the flag, they hear the music, and the ones who know what's going on walk right in. And that's just the way I like it.


Rose and Levi.










Cecelia and Gene.





Bob, Susie, Ken, and Stu.


Paul - a most unforgettable and very funny character from Co. Down, whose oft-repeated line of the night was "Up, Down!"

Sunday Afternoon on the Porch, June 16

Bob Denton was on-island over the weekend, bringing along his North Shore session mate James Moriarty with his magic button box. James hails originally from Ireland (Kildare? Kerry? Kilkenny? Kilarney!) and now lives in Peabody, where he hosts local sessions. Bob has been a mainstay of the Edgartown sessions for the past two summers and it was great to see him again, if only briefly. Susie Bowman and Mary Wolverton also made an appearance, as did Bob's Windsor Mountain School classmate Roberta - which turned the afternoon into a forty-five year reunion of sorts; all great fun. Karen Lehman and James' family - wife, Brigitte, and son, Patrick - rounded out the guest list. Oh, and let's not forget Ann Tucker, originally from Co. Clare, who stopped by to give us a little dance and conversation. The afternoon, which turned into night, became very interesting when James and I started swapping songs - we could have gone on longer had it not been for the lateness of the hour. I'm looking forward to more of this. Thanks, everyone, for the craic.



Bob, James, and Roberta.


Bob and his magic banjo.

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.

Fourth of July Porch Session

The Alison Boylston Piazza House, a/k/a the Midnight Mermaid.


I've begun what I hope will become a Fourth of July tradition: a barbecue on the front lawn along with music on the porch (videos at the end). My Main Street house is right on the parade route, in the center of the celebrations - which includes the parade that begins at 5:00, topped off with fireworks over the nearby harbor - so is a perfect place for a session. This brings to full circle a story that was referred to often in my childhood. According to a Vineyard Gazette piece that appeared in a May 1948 issue, my Main Street house was moved from Ocean Heights in 1848, being rolled into town on logs by oxen (imagine the house being pulled forward a few feet, with the men then removing the rear-most log and placing it the front row - over and over for three miles down a dirt road). As the story is told, that particular May day culminated with a rare spring snow storm (records of which I've never been able to find), and as was the custom of the day, with a pot-luck feast, replete with fiddlers.







A couple of the lads, fresh back from the beach.



Cormac and Bob.



Cormac



David



David, Levi, Cormac, and Bob.



Levi, Cormac, and Bob.



Levi and Cormac.



Levi, Cormac, and Bob.



Susie and David



Levi, Cormac, Bob, and David.



Fourth of July Porch Session from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.
Footage from our inaugural Alison Boylston Piazza House/Midnight Mermaid porch session, July 4, 2011. Great tunes, great friends, great craic!


Fourth of July Porch Session 2 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.
The Bucks of Oranmore with Levi, Cormac, Bob, Susie, and David.

This was a great day - from swimming at Bend in the Road, to the parade, the BBQ, and great music - all topped off with spectacular fireworks over Edgartown Harbor.