Whateverly Brothers to Lead November 11th Shanty Sing. ARRGH!

Dan Roberts and Chris Glanister of the Whateverly Brothers will lead the next second Wednesday Song Circle on November 11th.

Video: "Son of a Son of a Sailor" with Pint and Dale and Jan Elliott- Glanister at the Conway Muse, October, 2014

Dan Roberts - "As the eldest brother, Dan has the most experience in music and performing. Raised in the Bay Area and coming of age in Berkeley (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 allows him to sing lead, bass, or make strange noises. He also plays a mean set of spoons and admits to being a recovering elementary school teacher."

Chris Glanister - "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, 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 and banjo to his musical lineup, and loves the Scottish and maritime influences in the music he plays."

Have another listen - "Haul Away Joe."

Welcome Chris Gilbert, our new Sing Shanties Admin!

Chris Gilbert has been a part of our Sing Shanties Song Circle for some time now, and has recently accepted the role as our Sing Shanties website administrator! We welcome Chris, not only appreciating him stepping into the task of updating our web presence and content, but for his lively folk and maritime music as a shantyman and the lead singer and musical performer of his group Happenstance.

More about Chris Gilbert here!

Sea Chantey Sing-Alongs with Wayne Palsson - Wooden Boat Festival

39th Wooden Boat Festival

Port Townsend, Washington 

September 11, 12 and 13 - 2015

Sea Chantey Sing-Alongs with Host Wayne Palsson 

in the Marina Room at Port Hudson, 

Friday and Saturday Nights at 7:00 p.m.

JW Sparrow leads August 12th Song Circle!

Lots of entertaining information here about JW Sparrow in a blog post from September 12, 2013, when John led his first Sea Shanties Song Circle here in Port Townsend. This will be John's 3rd visit to Port Townsend to lead our Sing Shanties Song Circle. Be sure to save the date and help us spread the word - invite your family and friends!

Mike James Leads May 13th Song Circle at NWMC in Port Townsend!

Co-Founder of Sing Shanties Song Circle, local shantyman Mike James leads May's Song Circle with robust rounds of singin' shanties with gusto! "Singin' is encouraged by knot required." Be sure to invite your family and friends to this free community event for a fun-filled evening.

Port Townsend Victorian Days - Shanty Sing and Pub Crawl

March 20th, some of our regulars will be singing shanties at the PT Victorian days, accompanying Dano Quinn at the Hastings Building 7pm-8pm.

Shanty Sing & Pub Crawl

The Victorian Festival rears up Friday night, March 20th, with our Victorian Pub Crawl - featuring sea shanties, saloons, "shanghai tunnels," and fine vintage cocktails throughout a staggering selection of Port Townsends (in)famous watering holes. Join us in the corner room of the historic Hastings Building at the Hastings Building (Corner of Taylor and Water Streets)) at 7pm.
No charge, just good times with great folk
7 pm - Shanty sing! We start the night off roaring out the old sea shanties led by a handful of Port Townsend's saltiest shantymen.

8-? pm After all that singing, a fellow's throat could get a little dry so it's off to a fine selection of the city's finest watering holes. Join up with the entourage or sortie out on your own!

Join Shantyman Chris Gilbert for the March 11th Shanty Sing at the NWMC

Chris hails from London, England and has participated in various folk traditions in “the old country” since his college days. He spent many a happy hour singing in folk clubs and pub song circles. He also became very active in the quintessential English frivolity known as Morris dancing. Rumor has it that he is thinking of bringing the Morris dance tradition to Port Townsend soon. Let’s face it, PT is just the place!

In '92, he emigrated to the US where he lived first in California, then Vermont and finally settled in Washington State. During this time he became steeped in the US folk scene, and is keen to highlight the parallels between the US and the UK folk song revivals of the 20th century. Both of these revivals were stoked by the traditions of Celtic music, and the sea-faring ways that led to Shanty songs.

Sounds of the Sea Resound by Robin Dudley PT Leader

I opened an email from Mike James to read: "Holy Mackerel!  Front page, section B.. Robin did a nice job."

I agree. Great article and photo. Thank you for telling our story, Robin!

Robin Dudley, reporter for the PT Leaders interviewed Mike James, Jay Hagar and friends... "Tug" Buse, Jim Scarantino and Steve Blakeslee, about our Sing Shanties Song Circle and songbook.

Sounds of the Sea Resound  - "The skies above Victorian seaports like Port Townsend are accustomed to loud and lusty sea shanties, which are sailors’ work songs. At the Northwest Maritime Center, 30 to 40 people meet each month to sing songs that “echoed across this waterfront like cell phone conversations do today,” said Mike James, one of the acknowledged leaders of Port Townsend’s Sing Shanties group.

People who just want to listen are also welcome at the monthly sing-alongs, and it’s free live music. Beware, matey: when surrounded by voices belting out familiar, repetitive tunes, even stalwart non-singers have been known to chime in. (Almost everybody knows the chorus to “What do you do with a drunken sailor?”)

“When it comes to shanties, you don’t have to sing well, just loud,” James said. “Number one, it’s not a talent show.”

Shanties were developed and sung by sailors who did physical labor requiring concerted effort, often lined up pulling hand-over-hand on a rope, or pushing the bars of a capstan around and around in a circle, raising the anchor.

James has sung shanties at the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, astonished that the 900-seat theater was filled to overflowing when his group took the stage. The songs are so old, people just seem to know them, and performances turn into sing-alongs.

“That’s the crazy thing,” he said. “You sing through one verse, and after the first three words, everybody knows the refrain.” For the full article click here.

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

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

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

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

First Shanty Sing of the Summer at the Northwest Maritime Center

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.

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

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

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.

Join us March 12th at the Pizza Factory in PT for a Rousing Maritime Song Circle with Mike James

Whateverly Surprise

Dan Roberts showed up to lead our November Sing Shanties Song Circle with a "little surprise"... a couple of friends, the other 2/3rds of The Whateverly Brothers - Matthew Moeller and Chris Glanister. Good time had by all!  More good news - The Whateverly Brothers will be back to lead our Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center on November 6, 2014! Thanks Dan, Matt and Chris!!!

Listen to some of their tunes at cdbaby.

JW Sparrow leads October 3rd Song Circle!

John Wesley Sparrow was born a long time ago and far, far away but quite near his mother. Shocked and surprised to find himself in bed with a woman, he immediately began singing loudly for his supper. His father heard the noise and believing he detected a nascent budding of musical genius, he swaddled the infant in an old coat and carried it straightway to the doorstep of a nearby conservatory of music.

John was taken under the wing of Professor Dieter Von Helgenringer to matriculate a classical music education. He was drilled in memorizing the first seven letters of the alphabet, how to count to four and to sit on his own stool. Further education was abruptly ended when he was told by the lunchroom overseer to eat every potato and pea on his plate and did.

Returning home, John was given a warm welcome by his family until the day his father bought him a suitcase for his 16th birthday and his mother packed him a lunch. Venturing out into the world, the boy began a long sojourn occasionally interrupting his natural proclivities for sloth and indolence by working for brief periods of time as a pearl diver, broomsman, sewing machine repairman and yellow journalist. The occupations did not secure his attention however, and he chose not to apply himself to anything much beyond storytelling.

His storytelling abilities can be traced back to his early years where he was very gifted in telling whoppers. It was his mother's fault. She was much too curious and rather than hurt her feelings, he began to elaborate and fabricate until he was quite good at it. Not good enough to fool her, of course, but still and all better than average. This gift lead him into many colorful adventures and form the basis for a truly remarkable set of songs.

John has been a married man for over 40 years. It was to four different women, but who's keeping count? He has no children and believes the secret to happiness is to have your grandkids first. There is some old man who stands on stages from time to time and tells everyone that he is John Sparrow. His songs have been sung and recorded by many artists. Most of them sound better than John but that doesn't discourage him from trying.

John is the founding member of Victory Sings at Sea, Vol 1. His songs have been recorded by Hank Cramer, Shangied on the Willamette, The Shifty Sailors, The Ferryboat Musicians and more, and is about ready to release a new CD… and will have it available at our Oct 3rd shanty sing.

Invite yer family, invite yer friends to our free, community song circle and sing-along. Some bring instruments, some dance a jig. "Singin' is encouraged, but knot required."Coffee, tea and songbooks provided.

Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: 620 Tyler Street, Port Townsend

Need a ride from and to the Whidbey Island Ferry? Pop us an email to: singshanties(at)gmail(dot)com.

See you there, mateys!