1. Fathers Jig/Sweeney's Buttermilk/Jean Denny's(© M Dugger, Glen Road Music, BMI)
A Newfoundland jig from the playing of Rufus Guinchard, an esteemed Newfoundland fiddler. We added an Irish reel associated with fiddler Brendan McGlinchey, and a composition of Mike's honouring a dancer friend.
Greg - fiddle |Turlach - flute |Mike - guitar |Joe - piano
2. Slipping Into Gods Embrace(© M Dugger, Glen Road Music, BMI)
/Louis Beaulieu's
Mike wrote this song in appreciation of the people in the American Midwest and their resilience in the face of adversity. We paired it with a French Canadian reel that we already knew.
Greg - fiddle, backing vocals |Turlach - banjo |Mike - guitar, vocals |Joe - piano |Yann - feet
3. Ship in Full Sail/Pay The Reckoning/Scatter The Mud
These are three well-known Irish jigs that we often play at sessions.
Greg - fiddle |Turlach - flute |Mike - mandola
4. Tender Mercies/The Mountain Man(© M Dugger, Glen Road Music, BMI)
Mike wrote this song in appreciation of his wife Sharon and her patience and love for him. The Mountain man is a reel for fiddler Dan Grotewohl, now married to Jean Denny.
Greg - guitar |Turlach - low whistle |Mike - vocals |Joe - piano
5. The Circus/The Wonder
Greg learned The Circus from his friend Nathan Curry. The Wonder is a favourite of our fiddler friend Brendan Bulger, who occasionally plays gigs with us.
Greg - concertina |Turlach - whistle |Mike - mandola
6. The Willow(© EJ Jones, Tidy Cottage Music, ASCAP)/Wedding Waltz (© Emile Benoit)
The Willow was composed by piper EJ Jones and is also the title of his first solo CD. Emile Benoit was an eminent Newfoundland fiddler and composer.
Greg - viola |Turlach - low whistle |Mike - guitar
7. Rakish Paddy/Toss The Feathers/Langton's
These reels gave our talented friend Yann from Montreal the opportunity to stomp in a fancy Quebecois accent.
Greg - fiddle |Turlach - banjo |Mike - mandola, guitar |Yann - feet
8. Rosemary's Sister (© Huw Williams)
This song recounts a World War II tragedy when a German flying bomb overshot London and landed in Wales. Mike learned it from Huw several years ago when they performed at the same venue.
Greg - fiddle, backing vocals |Turlach - whistles |Mike - vocals |Joe - piano
9. The Coolea Jig /The Star Jig/The Rollicking Skipper
This set is our tribute to the great old wild ceili bands.The middle jig is a version of the Star of Munster reel. The Rollicking Skipper comes from Rufus Guinchard. Greg learned many of his Newfoundland tunes in childhood lessons with fiddler Christina Smith.
Greg - concertina |Turlach - flute |Mike - guitar |Joe - piano
10. Queen Amongst The Heather/Morning Dew
This song extols the good fortune of a young man who found the love of his life in a remote setting.
Greg - fiddle |Turlach - flute |Mike - guitar, vocals
11. Young Chambers/The Good Catch(© T Boylan, Glen Road Music, BMI)
Young Chambers is a song about rum running from Saint Pierre, a French colony off the coast of Newfoundland. (An occupation practiced by some of Greg's relatives). We put it with a jig that celebrates the fortunately successful courtship of Turlach's grandparents.
Greg - concertina |Turlach - low whistle |Mike - guitar
12. Uncle Manuel Milks a Cow/Fly By Night/Breakwater Boys Breakdown(© Emile Benoit)
Uncle Manuel is another tune from Rufus Guinchard. The hornpipe in the middle is associated with New York fiddler Andy McGann. The Breakwater Boys were a band featuring Emile, Kelly Russell and Jim Payne.
Greg - fiddle |Turlach - banjo |Mike - guitar
13. Winter White(© M Dugger, Glen Road Music, BMI)
This is the tune to a song Mike wrote a while back. Apparently we forgot the words.
Greg - concertina, backing vocals |Turlach - mandolin |Mike - guitar, backing vocals | Martha - backing vocals
