The Greenbriar, January 3, 2011

This week I took a vacation from my Monday and Tuesday job down on the island so I was able to attend one of my favorite sessions, Monday night at the Greenbriar: Slow session from 7-9; big boy session from 9-11 (or so).

Last night Brian's grandpa Frank was the star of the evening - well, even more so than usual, since it was his 85th birthday. A number of family members were on hand, including Brian (natch), and Brian's brother Brendan and sister Siobhan; his Aunt Mary and her son Andrew, and Frank's wife - whose name may be Kathleen because Frank sang I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen - but I'm not sure (this just in: yes, grandma's name is Kathleen - I'm a genius). One thing I need to start doing is pay more attention to names. I love Brian's family - his is just the kind of family I have always wished I came from - and it's being surrounded by these families, and being a part of the session family at large that is the most fantastic thing about this music; thank God for these people and this music.

I used a combination of the 40D with 50mm/1.4 (good for low light, though with its shallow depth of field and narrow view due to small sensor it functions more as a telephoto lens, so is a bit limited for indoor/small spaces, but works if I can work the room), and the G12. The G12 is pretty decent for low light, and gives me a wider angle, also HD video. I am learning a lot as I go along, both about shooting in these low light situations, as well as post-processing. There's also the issue of being torn between wanting to play the music and take photos. I wonder, sometimes, how people feel about my camera(s), but I noticed last night there were many cameras in the house. I think that eventually everyone will be accustomed to the fact that I often have a camera with me.  

Enough chit-chat.


Above, Frank sings I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen, to his bride, Kathleen; also, the Birthday Song, by the Company.













Frank reacts to being sung to by the slow session crowd.





Jack sang a rousing song that had us knocking on tables and shouting, "McIntyre!"


My friend Bob Brogan whom I've known since the 80's on the island - we were mere kids - when he was a crew member of the Shenandoah and playing his fiddle at the local ag fair fiddle contest.


Kathleen and Frank  (sorry for shallow depth of field).


Larry Reynolds and Tara - dynamic duo.


Brian, with his grandma and grandpa. 

The lovebirds.







Brian, Andrew, Grandma, Brendan, and Grandpa.










Mary sings for her parents.





Terry, Larry, and Tara provide back-up.


Tony and Bill


Jimmy Marshall

 Delia, listening to her husband singing a rollicking version of Maids When You're Young Never Marry an Old Man: For he's got no faloodorum, fadidle di dorum
For he's got no faloodoorum, fadidle day
He's got no faloorum,he's lost his ding dorum
So maids when you're young, never wed an old man
 Kathleen's secret to living a long and healthy life is "to keep moving, never stop."


Bob Brogan
















































                                                                           

Greenbriar Slow Session, 12/13/10

My friend Louise was up visiting for a few days from the island. Usually I am down there on Mondays, so I took advantage of the rare opportunity to attend the Greenbriar, at least the early session, because I knew I would be pushing it by keeping Lou out too late, though I do love that later group. We went over early, for dinner - delicious fish 'n chips - and I settled Lou at a table with a couple of new friends, where she sat and enjoyed the music and the socializing. This particular session is nothing, if not social - and it is a good bit more, of course: an opportunity to play, enmasse (this evening I'd say there were thirty to forty players), all of my favorite tunes, albeit a bit slowly for my taste. Well, too slow for the tunes I know; just right for the tunes I'm learning. The number of people I know increases with each session I attend - I love this - tunes, too, as I am more and more able to pick up tunes on the fly, at least the ones I already have in my ear.

Rosanne, etc.

Yours Truly, by Joanie.

Ditto.

Tony, and son.

Joanie, etc.

Frank and Joanie. My friend Brian brings his grandpa Frank to most sessions, where he is always given a seat of honor and often sings a song from the homeland. We all love Frank. God bless ye, sir.

The Company