Songs sung by sailors during the heyday of commercial sailing. Learn about the origins of shanties and the use of song aboard ship for work and entertainment. (Mike James and friends)
Poetry written by Cicely Fox Smith, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and others, about the sea and sailing have been set to music by a variety of artists. Learn a little about the poets, the poems and hear some of the songs that bear their words. (Chuck Lentz)
Award-winning singer/songwriter David Pablo Cohn and recording artist Emily Groff delight audiences with their original, contemporary maritime music, based on true stories and tall tales, with catchy melodies and soaring harmonies.
Quimper’s Watch, from Port Townsend, sing songs of the sea, both traditional and modern. The six members collectively bring together decades of knowledge and experience in maritime music and transform it into a rich, dynamic musical experience.
Have you wanted to attend the very popular evening shanty singing sessions at the Festival but hesitated because singing in public is something you have never, ever done? All of us have had this experience at one point or another. Come to this workshop and get introduced to how a shanty session works, how you might participate and, most importantly of all, pick up some tips about delivering a song. Oh, and practice out loud right in the workshop ! (Chuck Lentz)
Two of the most popular events at the WBF every year are the Friday and Saturday evening Shanty Sessions that get going in the Marina Room at 7:00 p.m. A crowded and friendly hall full of people singing with enthusiasm is an experience you don’t forget easily! We call these “Shanty” sessions but the songs that get sung go well beyond the simple work songs that are true shanties. There are also traditional songs sung by sailors for entertainment in the days of sail and there are more recently composed songs that evoke all aspects of the maritime life. All of these songs and music fall under the umbrella of Maritime Music and the WBF, in conjunction with Maritime Folknet, is proud to present programs and performances of Maritime Music as a part of the culture and history of the sea.
