Bob & Jen Strom ’round the bend

  I met Bob & Jen Strom at The Landing in Manchester-by-the-Sea MA where they regularly host a song and tune session on alternate Sundays, along with singer Michael O’Leary. It’s one of the most pleasant sessions in which I’ve participated: attentive, engaged audience, good acoustics, hospitable staff and a welcoming crew of fine musicians and … Read more

Tony Giblin’s CD Launch – A Promise Kept

Last night at Rory O’Connor’s Pub in Georgetown, a good number of musical friends gathered to help Tony Giblin launch A Promise Kept.       Tony kindly let me play bouzouki and guitar on this one:      

Summer re-cap: Natalie McMaster, Joan Osborne, Joe Deleault and more…

Finally getting around to a chronicle of some of this summer’s activities, one of which was my adventure into the musical world of Manchester NH’s composer/songwriter/pianist extraordinaire Joe Deleault. NH Screenwriter/director Ernest Thompson (‘On Golden Pond’, etc.) is just finishing a new film (headed for Sundance Film Festival) called Heavenly Angle, for which Joe has … Read more

Pilgrims from London

The new year got off to a great musical    start when a group of lads from London called ‘Pilgrims’ made their first trip to Portsmouth to record the first half of  their debut CD. The three excellent guitarist/vocalists/songwriters Harry, James and Luca were joined by ‘Mersey Beat’ specialist Dave from Liverpool on drums and yours … Read more

Makem and Spain Brothers New Christmas Song/Video

  A lively night at MPM Studio! Mick and Liam Spain festooned the Live Room with Christmas lights. Rory Makem brought a little portable Christmas tree, and with his banjo intro, accompanied by seasonally appropriate sleigh bells, the lads launched into a great new Christmas sing-along ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Morn’. Conor Makem … Read more

New Randy Miller Fiddle CD

When I was leaving Nashville for my move to New England, my good friend and colleague Old Time/Irish fiddler David Coe told me to make sure to meet Randy Miller, renowned for his expert contradance and Irish fiddling, compositions and tune books. To my delight, within a week or two of my move, I found … Read more