2010 started off with a bang. We met Hathor, Egyptian goddess of Music, at the temple of Hatshepsut during our two week trip to Egypt in February.. . well at least we met her statue.
In July, 2010, we visited the oldest Highland games in the world outside of Scotland - at Antigonish, Nova Scotia. We then crossed over to Cape Breton and visited the Celtic Music Interpretive Center at Judique. Here we witnessed step/square dancing as it has been done for centuries, to music just as old.We also visited the Gaelic College and many a pub to hear Cape Breton fiddling, sessions musicians, and stage performers of all ilks.
We were lucky enough to meet Mami, the aunt of the great Cape Breton fiddler Natalie McMasters. Natalie had just left Cape Breton a few days earlier or we might have met her in person, too. We have heard her play, live, in the past. Mami told us many tales of the McMaster family fiddlers and of Cape Breton.
In 2009 we actually hired our friend and Pittsburgh's greatest Celtic performer, Michael Gallagher, for an event we sponsored at the Edinboro Highland Games, in conjunction with the once-in-a-lifetime Clan Gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the 9th Annual Clan Uisdean, USA meeting. Mike is simply phenomenal.
2008 was also no exception. We went to Belize, off the east coast of Mexico, in February 2008, and there we sat in with other musicians at 3 different bars. One man we got to meet was Jerry Jeff Walker, singer and songwriter whose most famous song is Mr. Bo Jangles. Oddly enough, Jerry Jeff is a friend of Celtic entertainer, Ed Miller, whom we ate supper with at the Edinboro Highland Games the previous year. Jerry was a very nice man who spent quite awhile talking with us. His other big claim to fame is that it was he who introduced Jimmy Buffett to Key West and beach living. Some say he is the "real" Jimmy Buffett" Jimmy Buffett has been trying to be for all these years. At left we are chillin' on Ambergris Caye, Belize, in between music sets.
At the 2007 Edinboro Highland Games we dined, at the evening "ceilidh" (Kay - lee), with Celtic performer, Ed Miller (extreme left), the headliner for the event. His performance includes many comedic songs and stories, as well as some heart-rending ballads. At the right, Beth is shown with Bob Carlson, pipe drummer and accomplished bagpiper, guitarist and tin whistle player. Bob shows up at our music sessions almost every week. We were also joined, for the weekend, by our friend, Ellen Paquette, an accomplished harpist, drummer and tin whistle player.
In 2006, we met Alasdair Fraser at the Edinboro Highland Games. He is one of the most talented fiddlers and Celtic musicians of our era, perhaps the best, and is known throughout the world. His interaction with the audience made this one of the best Edinboro Games ever. We spent time with him Friday and Saturday and sold his CDs at the ceilidh. He was a great person to get to know a little, and we will treasure the wee bit o' time we spent with him.
In 2005, we met and played for Ken Burns, the great PBS documentary filmmaker. His trilogy on the Civil War is one of the most watched TV shows in history. He sent us a nice letter a week later, saying how much he enjoyed our music. One condition of performing was that Jim got to speak with Mr. Burns for awhile, privately. It was a very memorable experience.
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