Tag Archives: Music

In the rearview mirror…figuratively.

17 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Discovery, Fish, Photography

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A sportscaster once said of his departure from ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut studio that the best thing about working there was seeing it in his rearview mirror. That is exactly the opposite of how I felt as I prepared to return home after two incredible weeks in Newfoundland. I wished it were still before me through the car’s windshield.

Those two weeks of traveling and photographing the people and the land had been an unbelievably transformative experience for me. As I got ready to leave, I was filled with joy, sadness, laughter, music, new knowledge and wisdom, cod and scrunchions, caribou, and the anticipation of seeing what I had photographed. Since this was shot on black and white film, I didn’t have the immediate luxury and instant gratification of digital photography. I had much work in front of me and several months in the darkroom before I knew what I had.

As I write this, looking at my notes, I see that I was already feeling a need to return…and I hadn’t even left yet. I was leaving new friends and a place that felt more like home than any other place I’d ever been. If I could, I would most definitely return. Maybe Thomas Wolfe had it wrong: maybe you can go home again.

“If the devil will take her…”

09 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in Culture, Discovery, Humor, Music, Newfoundland, Observations, Uncategorized

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Living Planet, St. Johns, NFLD  It’s all about the music – the only “weapons” in this picture are musical instruments.

Imagine driving around for several thousand miles in silence. You could sing to yourself – that’s an option but one that runs out of novelty real fast. You could also play license plates by yourself -either you’ll always win or always lose; it’s your choice. Or you could go get some CD’s of local music. In Newfoundland, there is a wealth of musical ability. Newfoundlanders love to make music even if it’s just for themselves.

Newfoundland music is perhaps some of the best I’ve found for driving (and partying). Take your choice of upbeat, funny, rousing, sad, tender, raucous, historical, whatever. Largely based on a folk idiom with a strong Celtic influence, it’s almost impossible to sit still while listening. That said, it can sometimes make you drive a little faster, OK a lot faster, than you or the RCMP* would like.

But like any movie, a trip must, absolutely must, have it’s own soundtrack. And whether or not you sing along, and I admit I did, it has to reflect the trip. So much so that when you later hear a particular piece of music, it transports you right back there to that very time and spot.

There is no shortage of very talented groups recording in Newfoundland. The most popular and famous group is Great Big Sea who tours frequently in the US and Europe. But that’s only scratching the surface. Musicians like Amelia Curran and Ron Hynes speak with their own unique voice. Groups like Shanneyganock, The Navigators, The Once, The Dardanelles, The Fables, and Eventide helped make the miles go by so much easier and are a wonderful backdrop to the land and the road.

Being folk music, everything is fair game for a song. From “Cod Liver Oil” to “The Fellow from Fortune” to “The Scolding Wife” and so much more, it’s all there. To quote “The Scolding Wife” a favorite of mine and the ringtone on my phone for my wife (much to her dismay):

“And if the devil will take her, I’ll thank him for his pain, I swear to God I’ll hang meself, if I get married again.” Love you sweetie! I think I’m going to have to buy some flowers for this one!

* – RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police or Mounties.

St. John’s Time, diddly music, the ballet, and more…

29 Saturday Oct 2011

Posted by in Culture, Discovery, Music, Newfoundland

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Night life is a bit different in St. John’s, Newfoundland. It starts late and ends in mid-early morning – 3-4 AM. (And that doesn’t even begin to describe kitchen parties which are a whole other thing.) Bands usually play until at least 3:00 AM, music seems to be coming out from every doorway, and people are out on the streets even later and safely so. Usually a wonderful time is had by all, save for those who indulged too much in Screech or some such other libation.There are also wonderful food trucks for the late-night munchies zombies.

So, I found myself in a pub that first evening talking with a local named Oscar. Oscar was a treasure trove of info all things Newfoundland. I had hit pay dirt already. Since St. John’s was to be my starting and finishing place for this trip and I would be there for about 4-5 nights, I wanted to know which places might be of interest and which were not worth walking into.

Oscar told me all about them: this place over here is a good one if you want to go dancing – the women will come up and ask you to dance!; that place has good music; that place has diddly music (his term for Newfoundland folk music which is really very good); that’s a good restaurant but a bit over-priced; that’s a hockey bar; that’s the ballet; etc. Whoa! The ballet? It didn’t look like any ballet I knew… not with Pink in the name. I was about to ask Oscar for clarification when he excused himself to go outside for a smoke.

When he returned, I pressed him on the ballet issue. I said, “Oscar, I’m not sure I understand about the ballet. It looks like something entirely different than that.”

His response, “Oh it is. We have only one or two and that’s what we call them.” Golden lakes in the early evening notwithstanding: with lady’s choice dance bars; diddly music and more; I had the feeling I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. I was now in Newfoundland.