Join us for our June 6 Song Circle with Helen Gilbert!

 We will meet at the Uptown Community Center from 6-8:30 p.m. Bring your family, invite your friends! Coffee and tea provided. Snacks welcome! This is a free, fun, family-friendly community gathering. Songbooks available. Singin' is encouraged, but knot required."

A wee bit about Dreg Songs

This morning, my friend Bob Walser, posted a photo to his Facebook feed with a picture of some artifacts from last summer, with the caption "Remembering Scotland last June, and the wonderful people who brought Dreg Songs back to life."

Of course I had to inquire what Dreg Songs were and I thought you might like to know too.

Until the late 1800s the Firth of Forth was well known for it's Oysters, Dreg Songs were the songs that were sung to Charm the Oysters into the nets. It was thought these songs were lost until the day when a collection of early recordings were handed in to the Library of Congress here in America.

The following video is a must see and will tell you much more than I could ever hope to. It can be found on the Caledonia Mercury site.

For more information you can visit Bob Walser's site and follow a few other links to learn more about these fabulous songs! Enjoy :)

Join Us on May 3 to *Snap the Line Tight!* with Helen Gilbert

Snapshots from our April gathering with the Shifty Sailors.

Good time had by all... sixty men, women and children gathered at our April Song Circle led by the Shifty Sailors of Whidbey Island. Mike James, Helen Gilbert and Tugboat Bromberg sang some of their favorite shanties too.

Folks havin' fun at our February song circle and sing-along!

February 2 Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along

Another fun night of singing maritime songs at the Northwest Maritime Center Cafe! Eighty men, women and children came out on a cold winter's night to warm themselves singing songs, sitting about the Song Circle lead by local musician Mike James. Videos courtesy of Luane Hanson, student at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding.

Helen Gilbert leading General Taylor

Rollin' Home Across the Sea... Rollin' Home to Whidbey Island lead by the Shift Sailors

John Kanaka-naka tu-lai-e (too-lie-ay) lead by the Shifty Sailors

Off to a good start!

The feedback we're getting from our first Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along has been great! Here are some of the comments I've received via email and read on Facebook:

Last night was incredible! - Jake Beattie, Executive Director of the Northwest Maritime Center

Last night in Port Towsend was fun! The Northwest Maritime Center down on Water Street hosted their first-ever "sea shanty" song circle. More than 100 people turned out. Matthew Moeller, Tugboat Bromberg and Mark Iler joined in. Mike James was the host/MC. And unexpected delight came when Shauna, former cook of the Lady Washington, gave us a rollicking rendition of "Government Ship", aka "Ten Thousand Miles Away." It looks like this shanty-sing is off to a good start! -  Hank Cramer

We Shifties really enjoyed the musical gathering last eve in P.T. There were tunes new for some of us and methinks roundly loved by ALL of us. See you next month... an excellent experience it was. - Wylie of the Shifty Sailors

The chantey sing was great! I hope we have as great a turnout next month. I, for one, will be there. - Tug Bromberg

What a great way to start the year and a joy to be with everyone – and to make many of your acquaintance – for the first time - in song and sound if not yet in conversation. Looking forward to the next ones, which I hope to be able to regularly attend.  - Judith-Kate Friedman, Director of Songwriting Works

A hearty and heartfelt AAAAARGH!, and many, many thanks to all of you who traveled from afar to help us PT-ites kickoff our shantey song circle at the Maritime Center. Your interpretations of traditional numbers… or your parodies, as well as your originals, and willingness to include the crowd, added real flavor to the program. I've heard nothing but positives about the experience. All of you helped to tap into a spirit of musical community that seems to have been overlooked in our modern times. The room was at least as full at the end of the evening as it was at the start… Wonderful! - Mike James

And read what Helen Gilbert has to say on our Sing Shanties blog post TheRafters resounded!

More fun than expected! Easy to participate even for non-singers. Looking forward to next month.  - Susan
 This was one of the funnest events in my time in PT – truly! And I can’t wait till next month.  - Lynn

I had a blast! A foot-stomping good time. Looking forward to February! - Sheila

Join us for the first time or join us again on Thursday, February 2, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., at the Northwest Maritime Center Cafe for another free, "foot-stomping" good time!

The rafters resounded!

Anchors were firmly aweigh at the inaugural gathering of the Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle, when an estimated 90 shanty loving folk filled the Northwest Maritime Center Café to bursting. For two rousing hours the rafters resounded with the echo of sea songs past and present as the community shared their passion for maritime music.

The event was attended by many well-known local and regional singers including Matthew Moeller of the Whateverly Brothers, The Shifty Sailors from Whidbey Island, Tugboat Bromberg and Hank Cramer. The evening also brought to light many fantastic voices from the local community as the song circle format ensured that nearly everyone had the opportunity to sing, request a song or pass along to the next in the circle before Mark Iler brought the session to an end with a delightfully moving melody.

The success of the evening was made clear not just by the sheer number that attended, but also by the camaraderie felt within the room, the old bonds renewed and new friendships that were made. I am fairly sure that the majority of folk arrived with songs they knew and left with at least one they hadn’t heard before. 

Of course, none of this would have come to pass without the stalwart organization and time put in by Lee Erickson and the fearless Mike James who did a fantastic job of keeping the circle on track.  I’m sure I speak for everyone when I offer our heartiest thank you to them for making the evening, and every one hereafter, possible. 

by Helen Gilbert

If you were at the Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along on January 5, you will remember Helen and her rich voice, as she led the song General Taylor and sang a duet with a member of the Shifty Sailors. Thank you to Helen for her wonderful support and help spreading the word.