Neighbourhood Folk - Jun 1 - 2025 06 02

 

What a time we had yesterday, gathered in our livingroom to share songs, stories and poems. 

1. Jenny - Water is Wide
2. Matt
3. Michel - If Knew What You Were After
4. Moira - Teaching Recorder
5. Virginia - requested Northwest Passage
6. Kathy - Jackson
7. Cherlyn - Ang Buhay Nga Naman (Oh Life)
8. Stephen - The Flowers of Peace, Will You Go Lassie Go?, Hummingbird
9. Laurence - Raising the Dead
10. Patti - Come On Up to the House
11. DJ
12. Lucien - Alberta
13. Isa - Turning Toward the Morning
14. Nat
15. Baby Elizabeth

We played our instruments - guitars, drums, bass, ukulele. We shared original songs, new songs to us, and old favourite songs. We took time to make sure we knew what key we were in, and that we had words and chords for singing and playing along. 

I ran the printer to making copies on the fly. Virginia served as Librarian, keeping our crate of charts organized and cataloguing the new ones.

We sang songs that made us laugh, and songs that made us cry. We piled harmonies on top of each other like laundry folded in a basket. 

Matt kept us organized with solid rhythm and colour from his drums and sticks. 

We started with a familiar classic, "The Water is Wide". This was a great way to get us on the same page, to warm up our voices and build our confidence that there is no perfect way to play music, other than the moment we are playing in, right now.

Moira told us the story of her experience playing in a recorder group and how that influenced her career as an elementary school teacher, eventually creating a full class collection of recorders for her young students to learn to read music and play together.

Cherlyn shared a haunting Filipino song in her family's first language, Tagalog. It is titled, "Ang Buhay Nga Naman (Oh Life)" by Noel Capangon. She provided the translation of the lyrics as well, so we could appreciate the depth of feeling and thought of the lyrics. Most of us hummed in the background, some of us attempted to sing the foreign words. Our experience of humanity is baffling across culture and language. There really is no divide.

Stephen shared Pete Seeger's song, "The Flowers of Peace" set to the melody, "Will You Go, Lassie, Go?". Then we sang "Will You Go, Lassie, Go?" itself. Later, we played "Hummingbird". Each time we play a song that we have played, even once before, we elevate - our sound, our understanding, our synthesis. Transporting us to new places of knowledge and understanding.

Laurence introduced us to a new song, but it seemed, after playing it with him, it was a song we already knew, somewhere deep in our musical DNA. It was a Johnny Flynn song, "Raising the Dead". We also got a start on the theme song from the tv show, "The Detectorists". We will get that one ready for the next Neighbourhood Folk session the first Sunday in July.

Patti shared a Kathleen Brennan / Thomas Alan Waits song, "Come On up to the House". This is exactly the feeling we hope to inspire with our Neighbourhood Folk project, that, across Canada, our family traditions of gathering to play music, sing, dance and share stories continues in every livingroom.

Lucien brought the Dylan version of "Alberta" to the group. Lucien also got us started on our 'Cash Only' project with a start on "Jackson". We are excited to bring the music of Johnny Cash to our songlist and our playing ability. 

Isa introduced us to a song new to us, "Turning Toward the Morning" by Gordon Bok. This is a song about winter coming, we will add it to our songs for the time of year when days grow shorter and colder. It is a song of hope, knowing that spring follows winter, and life springs anew.

Matt led us into our first attempt at Stan Rogers' song, "Northwest Passage". We were singing from the Stan Rogers songbook and realized that we need to make our own chart and figure what key will suit our voices. It is a rousing song of hope and courage, exploration and indomitable will. What we need right now in this time.

Michel shared one of his original songs, "If You Knew What You Were After (you wouldn't be after me)". A wonderful country shuffle with a wry twist on the game of courtship and young love. Michel also led us in a rousing edition of "C'est La Vie". 

We played for three hours and still had songs on the waitlist. But we were hungry and it was time to eat.

Michel, Kathy, Virginia, DJ and Jenny sat down to dinner of poached chicken / tofu, salad, and rice, with strawberries, cake and whipped cream for desert. 

A lovely way to spend a Sunday and get the month off to a good start.