The website administrator (Fiona) was remiss in not posting in advance about Rosaleen and Dave's appearance at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival (August 19 to 21) this year, but they did go and had a very successful concert, without the technical problems that had plagued Dave's clarinet the previous year. Thus he was able to play his arrangement of Chinese folk songs "Spring Winds on Tea Mountain". Rosa and Dave also did "Know ye the land?" (collected by Phil Thomas), "Wild Rippling Water", "Golden Apples of the Sun"(W.B.Yeats), and "The Last Battle" (about Louis Riel's last stand).
Rosaleen also participated in a ballad workshop: 'There were only four of us, but there was a really good variety of songs. I did "Lord Bateman" (for the first time at Princeton, I think) and then went out on a limb and did Bobby Gentry's ""Ode to Billie Joe" - not traditional! but to my mind definitely a ballad, and a tragic one too. I've been wanting to do it for years but haven't previously had the nerve. Someone came up afterwards and said they'd always considered it a ballad too and they were really glad I did it. For my third I did "The Water is Wide" - also cheating, although it is apparently part of a longer Scottish ballad called "Lord Jamie Douglas". Anyway, people liked it because many knew the verses and sang along.'
'There were many good acts at the festival including Lyn Pinkerton and her singing partner Stoney Bird, who always do really unusual historical/political songs. Unique material well presented and right up Dave's street! Also a group called Digital Do's, who played old English country dances, and an extended family of five grownup sons and a daughter plus Mum and Dad who played and sang a variety of their own songs about life. They were called the McKentys and had been home-schooled and lived a true hippy communal life-style.'
It was extremely hot, 39 in the shade, and Rosa and Dave were glad to retreat in the evening to an air-conditioned ranchhouse with their wonderful hosts - Jerome and Thomasina. Dave and Rosa were flattered by the request for a final extra gig - a relaxed Sunday brunch set at Thomasina's cafe.
Rosaleen also participated in a ballad workshop: 'There were only four of us, but there was a really good variety of songs. I did "Lord Bateman" (for the first time at Princeton, I think) and then went out on a limb and did Bobby Gentry's ""Ode to Billie Joe" - not traditional! but to my mind definitely a ballad, and a tragic one too. I've been wanting to do it for years but haven't previously had the nerve. Someone came up afterwards and said they'd always considered it a ballad too and they were really glad I did it. For my third I did "The Water is Wide" - also cheating, although it is apparently part of a longer Scottish ballad called "Lord Jamie Douglas". Anyway, people liked it because many knew the verses and sang along.'
'There were many good acts at the festival including Lyn Pinkerton and her singing partner Stoney Bird, who always do really unusual historical/political songs. Unique material well presented and right up Dave's street! Also a group called Digital Do's, who played old English country dances, and an extended family of five grownup sons and a daughter plus Mum and Dad who played and sang a variety of their own songs about life. They were called the McKentys and had been home-schooled and lived a true hippy communal life-style.'
It was extremely hot, 39 in the shade, and Rosa and Dave were glad to retreat in the evening to an air-conditioned ranchhouse with their wonderful hosts - Jerome and Thomasina. Dave and Rosa were flattered by the request for a final extra gig - a relaxed Sunday brunch set at Thomasina's cafe.
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