Monday, December 29, 2014

Wayne Palsson Returns to Launch Sing Shanties Song Circle's 4th Year!

Chanteyman Wayne Palsson from Seattle will be back to kick off our New Year celebrating our 4th Anniversary at the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend on Wednesday, January 14th from 6:00 to 8:00ish p.m. Bring yer mates for a rousing, family-friendly good time, and it's FREE!




"Wayne has been singing chanteys and maritime songs for over a decade, focusing on songs with rich tones reflecting the fishing and maritime trades. Wayne is the host of Northwest Seaport’s Chantey Sing Series and sings in the local group Strikes A Bell. His own nautical experience on the high seas and local waters helps to anchor his interpretations of traditional chanteys, new and local sea songs, and even a few overlooked classics by Gilbert and Sullivan." - Northwest Seaport


Monday, December 1, 2014

Deck the Hulls with Bows of Jolly - Captain Daniel (Dano) Quinn Returns to Lead December 10 Song Circle!

Climb aboard with award-winning storyteller Captain Daniel (Dano) Quinn as he leads us in song and maybe spins one of his colorful and original seafaring yarns, collected over 30+ years at sea!
When asked to share his bio with us, Dano writes, "I was born at a very young age, in fact I was an infant at the time, to two parents; my Mother & Father... I grew up in Mystic, CT. I fell in the water while crabbing when I was 5 years old and never came back out! I'm a licensed Captain of both sail and motor vessels and have been working aboard ships for over 30 years. The first half of my career was all in tall ships so I come by my shanty singing honestly. I'm also a story teller with a unique spin. I recite original humorous sea stories in ballad style. I've performed at the Fisher Poets Gathering in Astoria for the past 6 years, I've won the Seattle Maritime Festival "Stories of the Sea" Contest 4 times, and have also won the Northwest Folklife Festival Liar's Contest."
For more about Dano Quinn, here's the link to a recent article about Dano on Three Sheets Northwest by Deborah Bach: Salty stories and tall tales on Dano Quinn CD.

Please share this link and flyer with your family and friends. Holidays are a busy time, so be sure to save this date, Wednesday, December 10 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30ish p.m. to join us at the Northwest Maritime Center (upstairs) for a fun and festive gathering. Please bring your favorite holiday finger foods and sweet treats to enjoy with hot cider, coffee and tea. 


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Aye, Mateys! The Whateverly Brothers be leading our November 12th Shanty Sing at the NWMC in Port Townsend!

Join us for another FREE, family-friendly community song circle, where "singin' is encouraged but knot required." Wednesday, November 12th from 6pm to 8pm. Coffee and tea provided.


The Whateverly Brothers Chris Glanister (left) and Dan Roberts (back)

As the eldest brother, Dan has the most experience in music and performing. Raised in the Bay Area and coming of age in Berkley (he swears he has no memory of that), he also studied opera and received the training that makes his voice one of the most notable and powerful in the folk music community. A true folkie, Dan’s repertoire spans decades. It also spans three octaves which allow him to sing lead, bass, or make strange noises. He also plays a mean set of spoons. He also admits to being a recovering elementary school teacher.

Chris has been hanging around folk music for too many years and it shows (mostly in the waistline...). He grew up in England listening to Burl Ives, Pete Seeger and the popular British folk group The Spinners, along with Led Zeppelin and the Monkees and lots of classical music. As the co-founder of the local Seattle Celtic Band Watch the Sky! He has been entertaining audiences with his whistle playing and vocals for many years. He started his musical career as a recording and live sound engineer and at some point had to play the music he was hearing. He's since added bohdran, cittern and cowbell to his musical lineup, and loves the Scottish and maritime influences in the music he plays.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

October 8th, Save the Date. Join us for Another Rousing Song Circle with Mark Olson!



Join Mark Olson and shanty sing crew for another rousing Sea Shanties Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center on October 8th at 6:00p.m. Always a free, and family-friendly community gathering.

Wooden Boat Festival 2014 Photo Credit:
Kim Carver, Editor of Jack Tar Magazine

Monday, September 1, 2014

Ahoy, Mateys! The 38th Annual Wooden Boat Festival

The 2014 Wooden Boat Festival is coming up September 5-7 in Port Townsend. Check out the Festival Schedule including the Shanty Sings on Friday and Saturday nights.

Good Times with Matt, Dan and Chris - Center Stage

Monday, July 28, 2014

JW Sparrow returns for August 13th Song Circle


JW Sparrow returns to lead the August 13th Song Circle at the Maritime Center in Port Townsend!



Click here for more about John Sparrow. You won't want to miss this Song Circle. Sparrow is an amazing and entertaining storyteller and balladeer!

 

Thank you to our sponsors: Northwest Maritime Center, Courtyard Cafe, Pippa's Real Tea and the Pizza Factory

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Singin' Shanties down below at The Cellar Door June 11th!


Hey-Oh, below, below

Stowin' sugar in the hold belo-o-w

Sing it to me now, Huh!

Hey-Oh, below, below

Stowin' sugar in the hold belo-o-w....


Join Mike James and other shanty enthusiasts singin' shanties down below at The Cellar Door for the first time. Located at 940 Water Street in Port Townsend, an intimate venue, down the stairs, below street level, with a great selection of food and beverages.



Friday, May 23, 2014

Maritime Showcase at 2014 Northwest Folklife Festival


"Folklife has begun and is in full swing. If you are planning to attend the Maritime Showcase at the Traditional Stage on Saturday (3 to 6 pm), I recommend that you bring a festival chair for yourself. There are not a lot of seats for folks at that stage. Looks like the weather is going to hold for Saturday. Note to that the times in the on-line schedule are correct, and those in the printed schedule are not correct. 
Also a quick correction and note for Tom Rawson's performances. On Saturday, 7:10 p.m. Tom is at the Folklife Cafe with his regular repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk songs. Tom will be leading a Pete Seeger kids songs sing along, but that will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the Cornish Courtyard.
Check out the festival web site schedule on your own by clicking here."
Saturday, May 24
The Maritime Showcase at the Trad Stage 3 to 6 pm:
3:00pm The Baggywrinkles Trad Stage3:30pm John Gothard Trad Stage 4:05pm Strikes A Bell Trad Stage 4:40pm Broadside and the Handsome Cabin Boys Trad Stage 5:10pm Shanghaied on the Willamette Trad Stage 5:40pm William Pint & Felicia Dale Trad Stage \
2:00 pm Children's Pete Seeger Singalong with Tom Rawson Cornish Courtyard
7:10pm Tom Rawson Folklife Cafe 
Sunday, May 25
12:00pm Songs of the Columbia EMP JBL Theatre (Narrative Stage) 6:00pm John Denver Sing Along Cornish Courtyard (Workshop with Dan Maher and Nadine Sanders)
7:00pm Sea Chanteys and Maritime Songs Cornish Courtyard (Workshop with Wayne Palsson and Friends) 
Monday, May 26
1:00pm Pete Seeger Tribute: Hosted by Peter McKee, Tom Rawson, Lou Truskoff, Jean Geiger and Dan Maher Fisher Green Stage

Update by Wayne Palsson, NW Seaport Chantey Sing Host

Thursday, April 17, 2014

June 11th Shantey Sing Venue... the Cellar Door!

"So here’s the scoop. Have you ever had a chance to sing a shantey in a real, below street level, 1800’s environment, complete with bricked over tunnels that led to the waterfront? Well, strap on your singing shoes and grease your tonsils for the second Wednesday, June  11th, shantey sing at 6 p.m. at the Cellar Door in Port Townsend. You can almost see Max Levy hanging out in the shandows while the employees of his “personnel department convince stragglers that they need to become a sailor.” The Cellar Door is a newcomer on the scene with music of all types, usually with no cover. 
If the Cellar Door likes what they see in June, we also have July penciled in. Families are welcome, and kids can be there until 10 p.m. They have a full menu and beverage bar. The Cellar Door entrance is across from The Palace Hotel on Tyler Street, although the address is given as Water Street. On the Cellar Door website click on the Gallery, which will give you a look at the interior. Steve Lewis would be proud! More laterrrrr. Double Aaaaaargh!" - Mike James



Sunday, April 13, 2014

Northwest Maritime Center Sponsors May 14th Song Circle with Wayne Palsson!


Wayne Palsson has been singing chanteys and maritime songs up and down the West Coast for almost a decade, focusing on songs with rich tones reflecting the fishing and maritime trades. His own nautical experience on the high seas and local waters helps to anchor his interpretations of traditional chanteys, new and local sea songs, and even a few overlooked classics by Gilbert and Sullivan. Wayne is the host of Northwest Seaport’s Chantey Sing Series.
Wayne will lead the May Sing Shanties Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center (upstairs, above the Chandlery and across from the offices) on the second Wednesday in May - May 14th - from 6:00 to 8:00p.m. The best maritime venue on the Peninsula, and one of the finest shanty singers in the Pacific Northwest - not to be missed!

FREE, family-friendly community gathering, and songbooks available to sing along... coffee, tea and cookies provided.



























Friday, April 11, 2014

Singin' Shanties - Victorian Heritage Festival

I had no idea of what to expect in the way of attendance at the Port Townsend Victorian Days shantey sing. We had set up eight chairs thinking that would be adequate. Within minutes of the first song those chairs were full, and people kept streaming into the Hastings Building on Water Street to join in the music…some leading songs, joining in on choruses, or just enjoying listening. It reminded me of my days in Michigan during the great folk scare. People got together to share in the joy of a community voice, singing, unrehearsed and unfettered by what someone else might think. Wow! What fun!
Mike James, Sing Shanties song leader
The shanty sing was a huge asset to this year's Victorian Festival. Shanties bring together so much of what is Port Townsend - community and the sea, music, earthiness and good humor. It distills why we're here into something we can share. 
Nathan Barnett, Victorian Festival director

Thursday, March 27, 2014

April 9th Shanty Sing with Mike James!

Mike James leads the April 9th Shanty Sing at the Port Townsend Pizza Factory at 1102 Water Street, near the ferry terminal. Come early and order a slice. "Singin' is encouraged by knot required.!" Lead a song, request a song or pass.




Friday, January 10, 2014

February 6th - The Shifty Sailors Lead Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center!


The Shifty Sailors are a male singing group from Whidbey Island, Washington, well known in the Pacific Northwest for their enthusiastic singing and crowd-pleasing presentations. They are unique in that they are one of the only large groups in the U.S. dedicated to a nautical repertoire.

Their main mission is to make sure the surrounding maritime communities understand their own nautical history, by singing where ever they are invited to have fun with the public. The Shifty Sailors consider themselves Ambassadors of Whidbey Island, the State of Washington and the United States when traveling here and abroad.
Save the Date! On February 6 from 6-8 p.m., the Shifty Sailors will be here in Port Townsend to lead a rousing and entertaining Sing Shanties Song Circle!



This is a free, family-friendly community event. Invite your friends. Come early to get a seat. You are welcome to bring a snack. Coffee, tea, cookies and songbooks provided.

The Port Townsend Pizza Factory will also deliver pizzas to the NWMC shanty sing, and give a 10% discount (menus available).

We meet on this first Thursday of February upstairs at the Northwest Maritime Center in the Maritime Meeting Room West, above the Chandlery and across from the office, library and restrooms.