Music for sailors and ‘landlubbers’ alike

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, August 16, 2006

The town of Port Gamble has put a lot of effort into creating the appearance of the quintessential seaport. And what’s a seaport without sea chanties and boisterous maritime music?

That’s what Chris Glanister thought, too, and he had the connections to bring maritime music to Port Gamble. Glanister is the vice chairman of Puget’s Sound board of directors and the organization’s primary live sound engineer. He’s also a member of maritime band Watch the Sky!

The group works to provide live music in local communities, and it is set to stage the first Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival, 4 to 9 p.m. Aug. 20.

Mainly through Glanister’s connections in maritime music circles, the group has put together a lineup of virtual who’s whos in nautical music.

The concert features Pint n’ Dale, The Cutters, Bold Horizon, Watch the Sky! and Matthew Moeller, who will sing during band changes.

After Moeller’s introduction Watch the Sky! performs from 4:05-5 p.m., Bold Horizon performs at 5:15 p.m., The Cutters take the stage at 6:30 p.m. and Pint n’ Dale finish the concert at 7:45 p.m.

Bold Horizon promises “eclectic, slightly irreverent nautical and old timey music” with sea chanteys, ballads, British, Irish and American folk tunes, played by Dan Roberts, Steve Akerman and Tom Rawson.

The Cutters combine the musical roots of the British Isles with seafaring and North American traditions, singing songs of real people while weaving together maritime tunes and Caribbean rhythms. They are a favorite with audiences throughout the Northwest.

Watch the Sky! has been playing together for 15 years, and includes Chris Glanister, Jan Elliott-Glanister and Joe Wagner. They say they love to “bring great old songs to life and bring new ones into our world.”

What could be called the headline act on the bill is the duo of William Pint (pronounced as in “hint”) and Felicia Dale.

In addition to vocals and guitar, mandola, Irish pennywhistles and percussion, Dale adds the exotic sound of the vielle-a-roue, or hurdy gurdy.

The instrument comes naturally to her, given that her mother was a transplanted Parisian and she learned French as her first language. Even though she grew up on Vashon Island it gave her a lifelong love of songs of the French seafaring tradition.

Pint was “led astray” into the world of folk music in the ‘70s by the folk/rock sounds of Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention. He has recorded albums of Irish tunes as well as nautical songs, and with the trio Copperfield has opened for performers such as Richard Thompson, John Renbourn and David Bromberg.

Pint n’ Dale have recorded eight albums together and toured internationally, gathering musical materials from cultures they encounter along the way.

Dirty Linen, a folk music magazine, has said that Pint n’ Dale “. . . rank among North America’s most exciting interpreters of music based in the traditions of the British Isles and France.”

The Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival takes place 4 to 9 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion, Port Gamble. Following the main performers the audience is invited to join in an informal chantey sing with the performers. The concert is free, but donations for the musicians will be accepted.