Oldies and Newbies make for good ceilidhs!

A lovely ceilidh was had Thursday night, though there was a smaller crowd, we had lots of fun. Eight couples wanted to dance and dance we did!

Friday we had more tunes with Helen MacDonald, Scott MacKenzie and Susan MacLean. Welcome back, folks!!

Though last year was the first year for Helen and Scott on the lineup, Susan has been a Ceilidh mainstay for probably 10 years.

Here's hoping you didn't miss Saturday night!! Wonderful music, dance and fun with Chrissy Crowley and Hilda Chiasson. And who should join us by surprise but Colin Grant and our own Rachel Davis! Colin has just formed a new group called The Colin Grant Band. You can check them out here. All our visitors leave so happy they've found us!

Sunday was Leanne Aucoin on fiddle who is old favorite from way back, and Buddy MacDonald, a singer/song-writer/story teller. It was another great spell of music, leaving all in attendance smiling, happy and wanting more, all thanks to Buddy and Leanne, as well as Rachel Davis who dropped in.

Tonight we introduce Douglas Cameron to the ceilidh stage in Baddeck; with Jennifer at the keys, we'll have a party!

See you at the ceilidh!

Standing-O

Another great night!

Jennifer Bowman and Joel Chiasson brought the tunes and stories tonight, and it mustn't have been too bad- they got a standing ovation!

One patron commented, "You had better watch out. These guys are hot- they're going to get stolen from you!"

Another added, "It was so enthralling. It just kept me in rapt attention. Thank you so much! You guys are amazing. "

And still another, "How do you do it? You make it look so easy!"

Adam joined in on a march/strathspey/reel set on guitar. Clearly, he has done this before! Thanks for sharing your talents, Adam!

In the crew tonight were 2 different couples from London area (one from 14 miles north of London, he was sure to specify) and a woman from India.

Maybe next time you will be among us? Come say hello if you are!

See you at the ceilidh!

Guess what?

It's ceilidh season and we are having a ball!

We had a great time again Saturday night. There were lots of visitors from far and wide; many who know nothing about our wonderful Cape Breton music, but leave with big smiles and glowing, happy faces!

Usually we dance one square set in the course of the night, but Sunday night a group of 8 German folks requested instruction, so we danced a second time! Lots of good tunes and fun were at hand with Rachel Davis, a fine young fiddler from our area, and Donnie Campbell.

Great tunes and times Monday night with Mike Hall and Jennifer Bowman. Famed teacher Stan Chapman was among the crowd and played some lovely Irish jigs which were especially appreciated by a family from Ireland.

And tonight? Well! It's Tuesday, and of course that means that it's Shelly Campbell's night with Allan Dewar on piano. We can't wait. Fiddle music is so heavenly!

See you at the ceilidh!

Great Canadian Ceilidhs

The Baddeck Gathering Ceilidh SOLD OUT on our opening night! Wee-hoo! Welcome, folks from around the globe! We had lots of Canadians, Americans (glad to see you all back!), and on top of that were folks from England, Switzerland and even Argentina. Imagine!

Great entertainment was provided by Melody and Derrick Cameron, a husband and wife team living in Mabou who have a number of cds to their credit as well as being continuously active in performing and educating about the Cape Breton music traditions and history.

Friday the 2nd, we welcomed the lively combo of Mike Hall and Jennifer Bowman to our well-worn ceilidh stage. Visitors from all across the USA and Canada, and beyond including London, England and Sweden were treated to Mike's driving tunes.

Kevin from Boston sat in on guitar for a couple traditional Cape Breton sets, and accompanied Mike while Jennifer danced a step solo, and while Mike and Jennifer played twin fiddles as a finale. Kevin has a background in classical, jazz and some bluegrass. He fit in wonderfully though for his first Cape Breton session! Great job, Kevin! Come back again! Keep plugging, keep listening, you're full of music. We enjoyed a bit of his solo jazz as well. Lovely stuff.

And we've only just begun...

See you at the ceilidh!

Gearin' up!

I hear a fiddler in the next room polishing a few new tunes she gleaned over the winter;

I hear the *ting ting ting* of the piano tuner, making certain every string of the piano is tuned and ready for action;

I hear the clickety clickety of a dancer rehearsing a new step;

without a doubt, it is almost time for the start of the 2010 Ceilidh season!

In just a few days, Melody and Derrick Cameron will ignite the fires of this year's series in their eloquent and driving way. Thursday July 1st marks the start, and thenceforth throughout the summer, every night at St. Michael's parish hall will be packed and bouncing with different musicians, all of them recognized and beloved, locally and beyond.

It isn't an event to missed - but don't take my word for it - see for yourself!

If you are travelling through Cape Breton, you simply have to make room in your schedule for at least one of our ceilidhs. You will leave with a smile having heard toe-tapping traditional Cape Breton fiddle and piano music, received an education in Celtic culture, seen dancers, drank tea and enjoyed local baked goods.

A must-do event if this is your first time in Cape Breton.

It is definitely an evening well spent!

There is an intermission for beverages and treats, as well as a selection of cds and other crafts for sale.

Come out and see what others are talking about, and what you may have missed if you've never been!

See you at the ceilidh!

September's chilled air, St. Michael's hot tunes

Well, we enjoyed our annual wee break before Labour Day.

We are back at it now though, and fired up after the rest!

Mike Hall and Jennifer Bowman got the autumn lineup started and we had a great night.

Winning the "Who Came the Farthest?" Prize was a woman from London, England. Author Glenn Gray gave us a few of his publications to use as giveaways at the ceilidh. They are full of local antics and humour.

The last week of August, we had a young lady grace us with an etude on the piano. Kira, of St. Catharine's Ontario, had just finished her Royal Conservatory exam on piano before leaving for her Nova Scotia vacation. Good job, Miss! Keep it up! You have many musical days ahead of you.
We have found music to be tremendously beneficial as well as simply pleasurable. Though it requires time and work to excel, it is well worth it, for the enjoyment it brings to ourselves and others, and the beauty it contributes to the human experience, not to mention how it strengthens mental fortitude, intellect, and muscle training and coordination.

Simply put, we love it, and couldn't imagine life without it. Judging by the sea of beaming faces we see every night, we are not alone in this estimation.

Maybe your face will soon be beaming at one of our ceilidhs?
Comment and let us know if you have been to Baddeck Ceilidh, and what were your thoughts?

See you at the ceilidh!

Out on the Ocean

More stories from our visitors! We love it!


As an admiral of the Canadian Navy posted in Halifax for 25 years, Gordon learned a few maritime songs. Out on the Mira, by Allister MacGillivray, is one of those songs. He is requested to sing it regularly at a session he frequents in Halifax, and as he had just been out on the Mira in his kayak, quite literally, the day before, he saw fitting to sing it for us this Wednesday night. Marion Dewar provided her ready and able accompaniment to make the presentation of the selection.


Mike Agranoff is a character of a fellow, storyteller, and musician, who was visiting our ceilidh from New Jersey. A multi-instrumentalist, he chose from his bag of tricks to tell for us the classic Irish mythological story of the Selkie. According to traditional lore, the selkie is a part-seal, part-human creature, who occasionally sheds her seal skin to visit the land of men.


In this tale, for which Mike provided emotive and often eerie accompaniment on his English concertina, a fisherman fell in love with her. In order to keep her on land, albeit against her will, he stole her seal skin, and compelled her to make a home with him. Even after having a family with the fisherman, the poor creature was never content out of the sea. Finally the day came that she found where he had hidden her skin, and without remorse or goodbyes, she fled back to her watery home. The poor fisherman was just left to his tears.


Mike also played a song of PEI origin, the Ballad of St. Anne's Reel. As if they had rehearsed all day, Jennifer and Mike played the song together in close complement, finishing off with the popular tunes, St Anne's Reel and the Mason's Apron.

We failed to mention a phenomenal storyteller last week- Bill Carrall, from Tarbot, Cape Breton. What an amazing epic poem he had composed and recited for us! If you think poetry is boring or slow, you certainly haven't heard Bill recite one of his compositions. Such witty use of language and vocabulary, one was at once on the edge of their seat, totally captivated and engaged listening, and laughing aloud at the humble and unsuspecting humour. A real treat, and a true rarity to come across a story teller of this caliber in our modern day, where most would fail to slow down long enough to learn or even enjoy such a craft as his. They are missing out!

What next? What will be tonight? Come and see!


See you at the ceilidh!