Sea Songs & Shanties

Sea songs didn't start out as music to be heard. They were songs to sing, songs to help with the work, songs to pass the time. These songs were spread by the oral tradition, resulting in many variations. Singers Nils Brown, Michiel Schrey, and Clayton Kennedy join Seán Dagher and La Nef in performing these songs with a new twist, while preserving their specific character and original appeal. Our goal here is to present these songs, not only as they have always been sung, but also as music to be listened to. It is no small challenge to drag these pieces, tar-stained and tattered, into a concert hall and onto a recording. We hope to give you something new to listen to in these pieces. We also hope to have retained what is essential to them, their character and appeal. What is certain is that we put our backs into making this music and into singing it. We will have been successful if you find yourself humming these tunes in the coming days, or if you find yourself wishing there were a gang of sailors around to sing them with. A special thanks to David Gossage for his help in researching the repertoire. Join the crew ! All aboard !