Hey everyone. How goes it? Well, this is about music in Newfoundland. I believe my family and I are going there on holiday this summer. First off, we're going through Nova Scotia to get there, and I know that Nova Scotia is primarly scottish and scottish music, right? Alright, well, my main question is, is Newfoundland primarily Irish or, just what? This might be a dumb question, but I really want to know. Has anyone out there ever been to Newfoundland? Any information about Newfie would really help! Thanks!
I've never been there, but I've found quite a few samples on the web which are mostly Irish stuff. From the amount I found it seems to be pretty popular! Have a great time - and bring us back a couple of tunes.
From what I know, you are mostly correct in saying that Newfoundland music is primarily Irish in its origins. Many of the people there are of British and Irish origin but there are also Scottish and French influences. Still, settlers have reworked the traditional music to create new songs to tell their stories. Music is by far the most popular form of art on the rock. I am of Newfie descent and have visited once many years ago.
Newfoundland is probably most known for its kitchen parties! The kitchen was usually the warmest room in the house (because of the stove) so family and friends would gather in there to play music throughout the evening.
i've been to st john's, newfoundland, but i was sick on all the nights there was live traditional music. (sigh) but i did have a bunch of great breakfasts, and i know know what fish & brewis and cod cheeks & scrunchions are. and i did pick up a fair amount of recorded traditional music (check out fred's records on duckworth street) , and it is indeed largely irish-based.
a friend in canada, though, was in newfoundland a month or so before i arrived and she speaks really highly of the music scene in newfoundland. you might want to check out the st john's folk arts council website for info: http://www.sjfac.nf.net/
if your heading to that general part of canada, definitely check out cape breton island in nova scotia. that's the heart of scottish-style music, and i'm counting my pennies until i have enough of them to go back. and i heard a lot of cool music in prince edward island, too -- if you have time, PEI is well worth a visit. the charlottetown newspaper lists ceilidhs and other traditional music events in its calendar.
Ireland is the main origin of the music - you'll recognize many of the tunes and the instruments - but the style has evolved into something all its own. Wild, fun, very much tied to dancing.
Professional musicians to check out include:
Christina Smith - fiddle
Jean Hewson - voice, guitar
Anita Best - voice
Pamela Morgan - voice
Jim Payne - voice, guitar, accordion
Fergus O'Byrne - voice
Crowd of Bold Sharemen - band
Also on PEI is the band Bertasois (probably spelled wrong., I'm not an expert in French). Their style is very interesting--the fiddler provides a tap dance accompaniment while fiddling at the same time!
jdave: the PEI band you're thinking of is 'barachois,' and they're quite good.
richard wood is also someone to look out for on PEI,. i heard him playing at a benefit for kevin chaisson, and he was amazing. as was a cape breton fiddler, andrea beaton, who also played that night. i'd also recommend wendy macisaac and maire rankin, fiddlers who play in the band 'beolach.'
back to newfoundland, i secon d gary's recommendation of christina smith & jean hewson. while i missed them on their home grounds, i've heard them twice at the vancouver folk festival. they're amazing ... and i also recommend the group 'maher's bahers' (try saying it out loud & you'll get it) which they're in with box player frank maher,
Hello Johnathan, I live in St.John's Newfoundland. I run two of our three regular sessions. Our music is derived from various sources, in various degrees depending on which part of the Island you find yourself in. In the south-east of the Island, St John's area, you'll find a stronger Irish influence. On the west coast, more English, Scottish feel. There is a peninsula that is predominantly French as well. The best thing to do is to visit Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. About 3 hours from St. John's. There is a regular traditional Newfoundland dance there. The music is by a fiddler called Kelly Russell. He's a great hand on the fiddle. The event is called Dance Up(that's a figure in one of the sets). I think it takes place in a pub called Rocky's. Hope you njoy your stay with us. Oh, and don;t forget to hit the sessions.
Re: Description of Newfoundland:
I second everything that Buck said - but I think that he was being modest! Newfoundland is a musical adventure NOT to be missed ... I've been to Newfoundland twice (the first time stayed at Kelly Russel's B&B - is it still going?) and the second time went to the west coast / Gros Mourne / Rocky Harbour ... after doing some classes with Christina Smith and Jean Hewson here in Ontario, and hearing them rave about Emile Benoit's style on the west, just HAD to check out the west - WELL worth it! ... the music was fabulous all across the island, the people fantastic and more hospitable than anywhere else I've been .. and even the guys running the whale-watching boat tour had a few shanties to sing!
The pubs in St. John's are not to be missed, and I really enjoyed the music festival at Ferryland ('Celtic Connection' were a fun bunch to hear sing and banter about on stage)
I would go back anytime, anywhere on the island - not to be missed for music or scenery or people!)
(and as an aside - horseback riding at Deer Lake is a 'must do', as well - where else can you see caribou AND moose on one ride!)
Newfoundland
Newfoundland
Hey everyone. How goes it? Well, this is about music in Newfoundland. I believe my family and I are going there on holiday this summer. First off, we're going through Nova Scotia to get there, and I know that Nova Scotia is primarly scottish and scottish music, right? Alright, well, my main question is, is Newfoundland primarily Irish or, just what? This might be a dumb question, but I really want to know. Has anyone out there ever been to Newfoundland? Any information about Newfie would really help! Thanks!
Johnathan
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by Harper_Lad
Re: Newfoundland
Hi Johnathan,
I've never been there, but I've found quite a few samples on the web which are mostly Irish stuff. From the amount I found it seems to be pretty popular! Have a great time - and bring us back a couple of tunes.
Eno
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by bc_box_player
Re: Newfoundland
From what I know, you are mostly correct in saying that Newfoundland music is primarily Irish in its origins. Many of the people there are of British and Irish origin but there are also Scottish and French influences. Still, settlers have reworked the traditional music to create new songs to tell their stories. Music is by far the most popular form of art on the rock. I am of Newfie descent and have visited once many years ago.
Newfoundland is probably most known for its kitchen parties! The kitchen was usually the warmest room in the house (because of the stove) so family and friends would gather in there to play music throughout the evening.
I hope this helps
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by natharious
Re: Newfoundland
Well, I enjoyed Annie Proulx's (sp?) book The Shipping News. It had a lot of info on the place that I don't think came out in the movie.
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by xyz
Re: Newfoundland
i've been to st john's, newfoundland, but i was sick on all the nights there was live traditional music. (sigh) but i did have a bunch of great breakfasts, and i know know what fish & brewis and cod cheeks & scrunchions are. and i did pick up a fair amount of recorded traditional music (check out fred's records on duckworth street) , and it is indeed largely irish-based.
a friend in canada, though, was in newfoundland a month or so before i arrived and she speaks really highly of the music scene in newfoundland. you might want to check out the st john's folk arts council website for info: http://www.sjfac.nf.net/
if your heading to that general part of canada, definitely check out cape breton island in nova scotia. that's the heart of scottish-style music, and i'm counting my pennies until i have enough of them to go back. and i heard a lot of cool music in prince edward island, too -- if you have time, PEI is well worth a visit. the charlottetown newspaper lists ceilidhs and other traditional music events in its calendar.
sarah in portland
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by eleyne
Re: Newfoundland
Ireland is the main origin of the music - you'll recognize many of the tunes and the instruments - but the style has evolved into something all its own. Wild, fun, very much tied to dancing.
Professional musicians to check out include:
Christina Smith - fiddle
Jean Hewson - voice, guitar
Anita Best - voice
Pamela Morgan - voice
Jim Payne - voice, guitar, accordion
Fergus O'Byrne - voice
Crowd of Bold Sharemen - band
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by GaryAMartin
Re: Newfoundland
As it should be,
# Posted on May 19th 2004 by Pied Piper
Re: Newfoundland
I've heard that fiddle music on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and PEI generally has piano accomp., whereas in Newfoundland guitar accomp. is more common.
Paul
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by Paul Brennan
Re: Newfoundland
Forgot to mention: If you do go to PEI, there are lots of great fiddlers: Cynthia McLeod I would particularly recommend, and the Chaissons.
Paul
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by Paul Brennan
Re: Newfoundland
Also on PEI is the band Bertasois (probably spelled wrong., I'm not an expert in French). Their style is very interesting--the fiddler provides a tap dance accompaniment while fiddling at the same time!
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by jdave
Re: Newfoundland
jdave: the PEI band you're thinking of is 'barachois,' and they're quite good.
richard wood is also someone to look out for on PEI,. i heard him playing at a benefit for kevin chaisson, and he was amazing. as was a cape breton fiddler, andrea beaton, who also played that night. i'd also recommend wendy macisaac and maire rankin, fiddlers who play in the band 'beolach.'
back to newfoundland, i secon d gary's recommendation of christina smith & jean hewson. while i missed them on their home grounds, i've heard them twice at the vancouver folk festival. they're amazing ... and i also recommend the group 'maher's bahers' (try saying it out loud & you'll get it) which they're in with box player frank maher,
sarah in portland
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by eleyne
Re: Newfoundland
I've been to Newfoundland, and plan to get back there some time. You can see my comments at http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/3355/comments#comment66620
There also seem to be quite a few people from Newfoundland here on The Session, judging by a quick search of the Members section.
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by Orson Carte
Re: Newfoundland
Hello Johnathan, I live in St.John's Newfoundland. I run two of our three regular sessions. Our music is derived from various sources, in various degrees depending on which part of the Island you find yourself in. In the south-east of the Island, St John's area, you'll find a stronger Irish influence. On the west coast, more English, Scottish feel. There is a peninsula that is predominantly French as well. The best thing to do is to visit Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. About 3 hours from St. John's. There is a regular traditional Newfoundland dance there. The music is by a fiddler called Kelly Russell. He's a great hand on the fiddle. The event is called Dance Up(that's a figure in one of the sets). I think it takes place in a pub called Rocky's. Hope you njoy your stay with us. Oh, and don;t forget to hit the sessions.
# Posted on May 20th 2004 by Buck
Re: Newfoundland
Re: Description of Newfoundland:
I second everything that Buck said - but I think that he was being modest! Newfoundland is a musical adventure NOT to be missed ... I've been to Newfoundland twice (the first time stayed at Kelly Russel's B&B - is it still going?) and the second time went to the west coast / Gros Mourne / Rocky Harbour ... after doing some classes with Christina Smith and Jean Hewson here in Ontario, and hearing them rave about Emile Benoit's style on the west, just HAD to check out the west - WELL worth it! ... the music was fabulous all across the island, the people fantastic and more hospitable than anywhere else I've been .. and even the guys running the whale-watching boat tour had a few shanties to sing!
The pubs in St. John's are not to be missed, and I really enjoyed the music festival at Ferryland ('Celtic Connection' were a fun bunch to hear sing and banter about on stage)
I would go back anytime, anywhere on the island - not to be missed for music or scenery or people!)
(and as an aside - horseback riding at Deer Lake is a 'must do', as well - where else can you see caribou AND moose on one ride!)
# Posted on May 23rd 2004 by IJ Shelton