BILL BLACK'S "CAPEIRISH"
NEWS/INFO PAGE

A LISTING OF EVENTS AND RESOURCES RELATING TO IRISH TRADITIONAL MUSIC
IN THE CAPE COD AND NEARBY S.E. NEW ENGLAND AREA

email:bill@capeirish.com


updated: 1/6/23

Sorry to take the Christmas tree down (from this page, that is!)
For those of you who love Christmas decorations and can't bear to
part with them, remember that Candlemas (or Feast of the Presentation)
is February 2nd this year - that's the "official" end of the Christmas season.
So you have another month or so to enjoy them!

In meantime I hope your Christmas was a great one. My best
wishes for a happy and peaceful 2023 to you and yours.

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I'll be happy to include your SE New England traditional event if you send me an email with the details - try to include as much information as possible, including ticket prices, relevant websites, etc.

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NEWS, NOTES, & COMMENTS

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MATTAPOISETT LIBRARY SESSION - UPDATE
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From Colin Everett:


Our first of the month Irish session at the Mattapoisett Public Library has been moved to next week because the Library is closed on New Years Day. It will take place on Sunday January 8th at 2:00 PM.

We had a great turnout of musicians and listeners at Davoll’s in South Dartmouth and we are planning on heading back on January 22nd at 2:30-4:30. .  www.davolls.com

Hope to see you all in 2023. Happy New Year!

 

BB note: I attended this session and can attest to the fact that it's a really nice venue
that reminded me of some places in Ireland where I have played. I look forward to it conitnuing!

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PASSING OF THE "CAPE COD CEILI WEEKEND"
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Most of you should by now be aware of the fact that the wonderful event
known as "The Cape Cod Ceili Weekend", hosted since 2004 by the Northeast
Ceili Band (NECB), has for reasons still mostly unclear to me been cancelled,
and will evidently be replaced by a similarly-named function featuring a hitherto-
unknown (at least to me) "ceili band".

This all came as news to me, since I was neither consulted nor advised by those responsible for this change. One would have thought it a matter of simple respect
to have done so, but evidently it never occurred to anyone.

On behalf of the NECB I want to emphasize to all those who helped us make
this a great affair over the years - dancers, guest musicians, hotel staff -
that this new arrangement was not our choice. As many of you know, I originally
started this event with Jack Hynes at the "old" Irish Village. Naturally it
took a few years to gather steam, but once it did, it became a great weekend
that we as musicians looked forward to as much as you the dancers did.

So I'm taking this opportunity - with a heavy heart - to thank all you who have
supported us in the past, and also to give a final "shout out" to our great musicians - band members (at various time) Pat Reynolds, Kevin Killeen, Rose Flanagan, Mike Reynolds, Larry Reynolds Jr., Seán Reynolds, and Keith O'Neill (RIP), plus guests
Tara Lynch, Tommy Sheridan, John Whelan, Willy and Siobhán Kelly, Jerry O'Sullivan, Kieran Flanagan, Connie Patten. . .if there are names I've forgotten, I apologize. After all, I'm not getting any younger. . .

Bill Black

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IRISH MUSIC INSTITUTE
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I have received an announcement from piper Seán Gavin about the formation of a new entity called the "Irish Music Institute", which has been created to provide online traditional music training. Quoting from the announcement:

"It is my great pleasure to announce the launch of a new non-profit organization, the Irish Music Institute. Its purpose is to encourage people of all ages to explore the traditional music and song of Ireland. Based in Southeast Michigan, IMI connects a broad network of players, learners, and enthusiasts worldwide. We offer private, online lessons from a top notch faculty with instructors throughout North America and Ireland."

A complete copy of Seán's announcement is here. This sounds like a most worthy endeavor and I wish them the best of luck going forward!

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CHATHAM FIDDLE ACTIVITIES
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Ongoing Sessions

The Red Nun, Dennisport, Saturdays 6-8PM
The Chatham Squire, Sundays 4-6:30PM

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SESSION RE-OPENINGS
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As musical life slowly returns to normal, I've tried to keep the session list updated. But I strongly recommend contacting the venues before you venture out - some places are having staffing issues that are affecting their hours of operation. And masks etc. are still in the background somewhere.

Click here for the current session list (and PLEASE email me if there are any changes that you know of).

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Please take advantage of our links to other websites to keep current on what these and other local musicians are doing these days!

Check out my Goods and Services area - let me know if you want me to list something for you. My commissions are negotiable - or should I say negligible?

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ONGOING CONCERT SERIES
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As we slowly emerge from the darkest days of the pandemic, we might be seeing some life again the the various concert series that have gone dormant for the past 18 months or so. Slowly but surely . . .

In the meantime, some shout-outs for folks in the area who in better times have produced these concerts, not always involving "Celtic" acts but always presenting quality performers regardless of genre. I know from personal experience that putting these things together is not easy, so I would appreciate your support for their efforts once we're past the worst of the pandemic.

Sara Piazza's occasional summer sessions in Edgartown (Martha's Vineyard)
Rose Clancy's Chatham Fiddle concerts
 

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GOODS AND SERVICES DEPT.
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Various friends have asked me over the years to post information about goods and services they have to offer, which I am happy to do free of charge for anyone who provides me a short description of what's involved and a website or email contact where potential clients can find out more.

Disclaimers:
(1) I reserve the right to decide what goes on this website
(2) I'd like to think these folks know what they're doing, but no guarantees of any kind are implied.

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