Hello, everyone. This is just a quick update to say that Stars in the Rafters will be going on pause for a couple weeks while I deal with a situation. Unfortunately my apartment was flooded recently, and I have to relocate on short notice. Once life settles down back to normal and I can set up my home recording studio again, Stars in the Rafters will be back! Take care, everyone. - Julie
1. Ruth’s Waltz - Dave Wiesler (Newark, DE). This original waltz is on Dave’s 2001 album Cracks and Shadows. https://davewiesler.com
2. An excerpt from The Once and Future King, by T. H. White. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Kilcommon / The Volunteer - Airdance (MA, VT). This set of tunes is from the 2000 album Rodney Miller’s Airdance. https://greatmeadowmusic.com/miller.html
4. When this is over, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
5. Tide and the River Rising (Oars) - Cindy Kallet (IN). Cindy composed this song for a memorial service held for a close friend of her father. It seems to fit occasions of birth, marriage, despair and hope just as well. Cindy recorded ‘Oars’ on Dreaming Down a Quiet Line. www.cindykallet.com
6. The winter bird, by Jones Very. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Snowmelt - Owen Morrison (Washington, DC). Owen plays this original waltz with Naomi Morse, Anna Patton, and Dave Haughey on Daybreak, his album of original waltzes. https://owenmorrison.com/
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Irish Girl - Lissa Schneckenburger (Brattleboro, VT). This song is from Lissa’s 2005 eponymous album. https://lissafiddle.com/
2. My worst habit, by Rumi. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. All That You Ask Me - Airdance (VT, MA). This is from the 2000 album Rodney Miller’s Airdance. https://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/
4. 1888, by Rumi. Read by Charis Boke (Springfield, VT).
5. The Discharged Drummer - Nightingale (VT). From Nightingale’s album Sometimes When the Moon is High. Nightingale is Becky Tracy, Keith Murphy, and Jeremiah McLane. https://www.nightingalevt.org/
6. Never Love Thee More - Alchemy (MA, VT). Alchemy performs this English Country Dance tune on their album Turning of the Hour. Alchemy is Eric Martin, Rachel Bell, and Karen Axelrod. https://rachelbellmusic.com/
7. Like the moon, by Susan Reid. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
8. None So Lovely - Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand (NY, NC). This song is on their album A Certain Tree. https://www.andrewandnoah.com/andrewandnoah/dev/music/
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Great Falls - lydia ievins (Montague, MA). A cheerful polska. Someday lydia’s town will reclaim this name, first bestowed on her area (in a variety of languages) when it was known as a peaceful gathering spot for the Native tribes who congregated here. Recorded on Koivu, lydia's duo album with Helsinki-based pianist Juha Kujanpää. www.lydiamusic.org
2. Now winter nights enlarge, by Thomas Campion. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
3. The Stormy Scenes of Winter - Keith Murphy (Brattleboro, VT). Keith sings this traditional song on his 2005 solo album, Bound for Caanan. https://keithmurphy.bandcamp.com/
4. Bright star, by John Keats. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
5. Morag’s Waltz - George Wilson and Friends (NY). This track is on the Great Meadow compilation album Contra Roots and Branches. https://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/crb.html
6. An excerpt from For one who is exhausted, a blessing, from To Bless the Space Between Us, by John O’Donohue. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. La Gueussinette - Tidal Wave (QC) - This mazurka by Stephen Jones is on Tidal Wave’s eponymous debut album. http://home.total.net/~j.saintcyr/index\_eng.html
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Wherever You Go When You Sleep - Wild Asparagus (MA and VT). This song, with words by Keith Murphy and music by David Cantieni, is on Wherever You Go. Wild Asparagus is Becky Tracy, David Cantieni, George Marshall, Ann Percival, and Stuart Kenney. http://band.wildasparagus.com
2. Nocturne, by Sir Charles Douglas George Roberts. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Middle of Night - Elixir. Kate Barnes wrote this waltz when she was experiencing insomnia. This track is from Elixir’s second album, Rampant. https://elixirband.bandcamp.com
4. Darkness, by John Crowe Ransom. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
5. Lady Night - Eloise & Co. (Brattleboro, VT). Eloise & Co. is Becky Tracy and Rachel Bell. This song, by Noah VanNorstrand and Kailyn Wright, is on More, Please! https://eloiseandco.bandcamp.com
6. Night and sleep, by Rumi. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Cold is the Night - Kallet, Epstein, & Cicone (MA and IN). Ellen Epstein & Michael Cicone requested that Cindy write a song for the trio to sing. One bitterly cold winter night, stopped by the side of the road, and atop the hood of her car on the drive from Amherst to Boston, Massachusetts, she obliged. www.cindykallet.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Jamestown Homeword Bound - Jeff Warner (Portsmouth, NH). Jeff notes, “Jeff Davis, my music partner for twenty years, found this song in Joanna Colcord’s 1938 book, Songs of American Sailormen.” It can be found on his most recent album, Roam the Country Through. www.jeffwarner.com
2. Pray, by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Buonaparte - Keith Murphy (Brattleboro, VT). Keith wrote some additional lyrics for this traditional song he recorded on Bound For Caanan, his 2005 solo album. https://keithmurphy.bandcamp.com/
4. After sunset, by Grace Hazard Conkling. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
5. Joy After Sorrow - Bare Necessities (MA and VT). Bare Necessities is Jacqueline Schwab, Mary Lea, Earl Gaddis, and Kate Barnes. This tune is on their album Nightcap. https://barenecessities.bandcamp.com
6. Making peace, by Denise Levertov. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Ring Out, Wild Bells - Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (Middletown, CT). Rani’s original setting of text by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, is on their 2016 album Wintersong. https://raniarboanddaisymayhem.bandcamp.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Winter Snow / Never Go Astray / Lion’s Mane - Jeremiah McLane (Sharon, VT). This track is on Jeremiah’s most recent solo album, The Grinding Stone. The first tune is a traditional English carol; the others are original tunes by Jeremiah. www.jeremiahmclane.com
2. The art of winter, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Courage - Cindy Kallet (Bloomington, IN). Cindy Kallet wrote the verses to this song, but the words to the chorus came directly from an e-mail sent to her by Grey Larsen, at a time when life was especially challenging for both of them. It was recorded on their duo album, Cross the Water. www.cindykallet.com
4. I taste a liquor never brewed, by Emily Dickinson. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
5. Chili and Chocolate - Eloise & Co. (Brattleboro, VT). Eloise & Co. is Becky Tracy and Rachel Bell. Becky played the beginning of this melody as an air for her sister Ruth's wedding. She dedicates the tune to Ruth and her husband Dave. This track is on More, Please! https://eloiseandco.bandcamp.com
6. I taught myself to live simply, by Anna Akhmatova. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
7. O Successores Fortissimi Leonis - Cardamom Quartet (Boston, MA). Cardamom Quartet is Lisa Goddard, Rachel Panitch, Gillian Gallagher, and Ariel Friedman. Rachel writes, “This ancient song by Hildegard von Bingen was arranged for string quartet by Lisa Goddard. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, each member of Cardamom Quartet recorded their part separately from home - and this special arrangement allowed them to play "together" without the use of a click track.” Check out the video Lisa produced. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xumOD3tdkR0 http://www.cardamomquartet.com/
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Villagers All - Andy, Robin, Arthur, and Emma Davis; and Emma Schneider (Brattleboro, VT). Andy writes, “Here is a song that we have sung at the Brattleboro Christmas Eve pub sing over the years. Our family created this virtual performance this year. Words by Kenneth Grahame from The Wind in the Willows, music by me.”
2. Joy and sorrow, an excerpt from The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
3. North: Northern Air - Crowfoot (VT and QC). Crowfoot is Jaige Trudel, Adam Broome, and Nicholas Williams. This track is from their 2005 album Nadajai. www.crowfootmusic.com
4. Kindness, by Naomi Shihab Nye. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
5. El Sueño de la Muñaquita - Mary Lea (Brattleboro, VT). Steve Proctor, Keith Murphy, and Ralph Gordon play this waltz by Paraguayan composer Augustin Barrios Mangore on Mary Lea’s album Between Two Worlds. https://dancefiddler.com
6. For the raindrop, by Ghalib. Read by Charis Boke (Springfield, VT).
7. Evergreen - Becky Tracy (Brattleboro, VT). Becky plays this Keith Murphy waltz on her eponymous solo album. https://blackislemusic.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: _www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Bright Wings - Bright Wings Chorus (VT). This song by Brendan Taaffe is on the 2013 Bright Wings Chorus album Signs and Wonders. https://brendantaaffe.bandcamp.com/
2. The word, by Tony Hoagland. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Soul of the Limestone Rock - Nightingale (VT). This waltz by Jeremiah McLane is on Nightingale’s 1996 album Sometimes When the Moon is High. www.nightingalevt.org
4. I dwell in possibility, by Emily Dickinson. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
5. The Star of Bethlehem - Tim Eriksen (Amherst, MA). Tim’s setting of this hymn text is on his 2011 album Star In The East. https://timeriksen.bandcamp.com
6. When you must start again, by Sarah Hirsch (RI). Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
7. Spark in the Dark - Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT). Julie plays this original tune with Noah VanNorstrand on her solo album, Dark Sky, Bright Stars. https://julievallimont.com/
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Singing in the Land - Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (Middletown, CT). This traditional Appalachian song is on their 2016 album Wintersong. https://raniarboanddaisymayhem.bandcamp.com
2. In between the sun and moon, by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Winter Blossom Waltz - Owen Morrison (Washington, DC). Owen wrote this waltz for the wedding of Kent Gilbert and Diana Hultgren. It’s on Daybreak, his album of original waltzes. https://owenmorrison.com/
4. Sure on this shining night, by James Agee. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
5. Silent Night - Tim Eriksen (Amherst, MA). Tim’s version of this traditional carol is on his 2011 album Star In The East. https://timeriksen.bandcamp.com
6. The shortest day, by Susan Cooper. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming - Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (Middletown, CT). This traditional German carol, accompanied by clawhammer banjo, is also on Wintersong. https://raniarboanddaisymayhem.bandcamp.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Heart of the World - Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (Middletown, CT). This song by Rani Arbo is from their 2015 album Violets are Blue. https://raniarboanddaisymayhem.bandcamp.com
2. For my morning mirror, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Piper on the Hill - Dave Wiesler (Newark, DE). Dave, Susan Brandt, and Earl Gaddis play this original tune on Cracks and Shadows. https://davewiesler.com
4. An excerpt from The old astronomer, by Sarah Williams. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
5. Îles de la Madeleine - Mary Cay Brass (Athens, VT). This waltz is on Green Mountain, an album featuring women musicians from the Connecticut Valley in Vermont and Massachusetts. https://marycaybrass.com/
6. Blackberries, by Margaret Atwood. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Sally in our Alley - Bare Necessities (MA and VT). Bare Necessities is Jacqueline Schwab, Mary Lea, Earl Gaddis, and Kate Barnes. https://barenecessities.bandcamp.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Time Will End - Nightingale (MA and VT). Nightingale is Keith Murphy, Becky Tracy, and Jeremiah McLane. This tune by Jeremiah can be found on The Coming Dawn, Nightingale’s first album. https://www.nightingalevt.org
2. Memory of Cape Cod, by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Great Memories - New England Tradition. This waltz is the final track on Farewell to the Hollow. New England Tradition is Bob McQuillen, April Limber, and Peter Colby. https://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/mcquillen.html
4. A valediction: Forbidding mourning, by John Donne. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
5. All the Salt - Arrowsmith:Robb Trio (Ottawa, ON and Sheffield, UK). The Arrowsmith:Robb Trio is Jess Arrowsmith, Richard Arrrowsmith, and Ian Robb. Jess wrote this song and describes it as “a non-religious spiritual—a Humanist hymn perhaps.” https://www.artrio.co.uk/
6. Old tunes, by Sara Teasdale. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
7. Portsmouth - Bare Necessities (MA and VT). Bare Necessities is Jacqueline Schwab, Mary Lea, Earl Gaddis, and Kate Barnes. This Playford tune from 1701 is on their album Nightcap. https://barenecessities.bandcamp.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Högtidsmarsch (Ceremonial march) - lydia ievins (Montague, MA). A traditional Swedish bridal march from Västmanland, played here on 5-string fiddle and harmonium. The majesty of this tune perfectly suits the grand sound of the harmonium. Recorded on Koivu, lydia's duo album with Helsinki-based pianist Juha Kujanpää. www.lydiamusic.org
2. An excerpt from If a tree could wander, by Rumi. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. The Setting - Wild Asparagus (MA and VT). This song by Ralph McTell is on Wild Asparagus’s album From the Floor Up. Wild Asparagus is Becky Tracy, David Cantieni, George Marshall, Ann Percival, and Stuart Kenney. http://band.wildasparagus.com
4. Wild swans, by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA). Ben writes, “For me, like many I have a close personal connection with the poem Wild geese by Mary Oliver—the parallels to this poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay were intriguing to me, and speak also of the longing for freedom evoked in seeing wild birds overhead.”
5. Dininha - Mary Lea (Brattleboro, VT). This Brazilian choro waltz is on Between Two Worlds, by Mary Lea and Friends. https://dancefiddler.com
6. Landscape, by Charles Baudelaire. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Aida - Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand (NY and NC). This original tune, with Andrew, Noah, and friends, is on The Waltz Album from 2015. https://andrewandnoah.bandcamp.com/
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Soaring High - Crowfoot (VT and QC). Crowfoot is Jaige Trudel, Adam Broome, and Nicholas Williams. This track is from their 2006 album As the Crow Flies. www.crowfootmusic.com
2. Thank you, by Ross Gay. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
3. Beautiful Life - Jeff Warner (Portsmouth, NH). Jeff learned this song, a country and bluegrass standard, from Jeff Goering, an Ohio fiddler. It can be found on his most recent album, Roam the Country Through. www.jeffwarner.com
4. And the people stayed home, by Kitty O’Meara. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA). Ben writes, “Kitty O'Meara is a retired teacher, hospice chaplain, and lifelong writer in Wisconsin. Previously unpublished, she has been called the poet laureate of the pandemic for this poem that perfectly encapsulates the moment we find ourselves in.”
5. The Coming Spring - Andrew VanNorstrand (Manlius, NY). Kailyn Wright and Andrew sing this song on Andrew’s solo album, That We Could Find a Way to Be. https://andrewvannorstrandmusic.bandcamp.com
6. Rain, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Over the Ice - Becky Tracy, Keith Murphy, and Andy Davis (Brattleboro, VT). This Keith Murphy tune is from the New England Dancing Masters series album Any Jig or Reel. https://dancingmasters.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Margaret Mary Robinson / The Sweetness of Mary - Tim Ball and Sophie Orzechowski (Ithaca, NY). This set of Cape Breton tunes is from Tim and Sophie’s album Life of their Own. https://timandsophie.bandcamp.com/releases
2. I walk the unfrequented road, text of the hymn by Frederick Hosmer. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
3. Valse por Pélé / Early - Wild Asparagus (MA and VT). This waltz set, with a song by Greg Brown, is from Wild Asparagus’s album Wherever You Go. Wild Asparagus is Becky Tracy, David Cantieni, George Marshall, Ann Percival, and Stuart Kenney. www.wildasparagus.com
4. When I heard the learn’d astronomer, by Walt Whitman. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
5. Piece of Land - Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem (Middletown, CT). This song by Rani Arbo is from her 2015 album Violets are Blue. https://raniarboanddaisymayhem.bandcamp.com
6. An excerpt from To Bless the Space Between Us, by John O’Donohue. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. High on the Hill / Full Moon Jig - Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT). These jigs by Julie are on her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. www.julievallimont.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Pacific Sunrise / The Sun Still Shines / The Reel MacGyver - Chimney Swift (Boston, MA). Chimney Swift is Cecile Leroy, Daniel Raine, Yaron Shragai, and A.Z. Madonna. “Pacific Sunrise” and “The Sun Still Shines” are by Cecile, written on a red-eye flight to New Zealand. A.Z.’s improvisations over them turned into “The Reel MacGyver.” This track appears on their album, Fly Me Home. https://chimneyswift.bandcamp.com/
2. The Mary Ellen Carter - Ian Robb (Ottawa, ON). Finest Kind (Ian, Ann Downey, and Shelley Posen) performs this Stan Rogers song as the final track on Ian’s 1994 album, From Different Angels. www.ianrobb.com
3. Ode to the fish, by Ellen Bass. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
4. Ralph’s Watch - Anadama (Portland, ME). Anadama is Amelia Mason (fiddle), Bethany Waickman (guitar), and Emily Troll (accordion). This waltz by Judy Hyman can be found on their new CD, Way Back When, available for purchase on Bandcamp and their website. www.anadamamusic.com http://anadama.bandcamp.com
5. Breath, by Kabir. Read by Charis Boke (Springfield, VT).
6. Home is the Sailor - Bright Wings Chorus. “Home is the Sailor” was composed by Brendan Taaffe, using a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was a commissioned piece to celebrate the birthday of Sophie Elkins Rolston and is performed by The Bright Wings Chorus on their album Vineyard. http://brendantaaffe.bandcamp.com
7. As the tide comes in, by Cale Young Rice. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT), with musical accompaniment by Rachel Panitch (Boston, MA).
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Praise song for the day, written by Elizabeth Alexander and read by her at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. For a video, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_vLBnFk-OFc
2. Regain / Psalm of Life / Plant Un Chou - Nightingale (VT). Nightingale is Keith Murphy, Becky Tracy, and Jeremiah McLane. “Psalm of Life” is a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem set to music by Lotus Dickey. https://www.nightingalevt.org
3. Everything is going to be all right, by Derek Mahon. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
4. Jamie Allen - Lissa Schneckenburger (Brattleboro, VT). This traditional tune is from Lissa’s 2010 album Dance. www.lissafiddle.com/
5. Let the beauty we love, by Rumi. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
6. Vignette III - This Too Shall Pass - The Teacups (Medford, MA and UK). The Teacups are Alex Cumming, Kate Locksley, Rosie Calvert, and Will Finn. From their latest album, In Which… . www.theteacups.co.uk/
7. Lullaby - Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT). This is a live performance of a tune by Julie from a CD release concert for her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Julie plays with Lissa Schneckenburger, Anna Patton, and Elise Gawler. www.julievallimont.com.
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. High Clouds - Greenfield Dance Band (MA and VT). This waltz is the title track on the album the Greenfield Dance Band recorded for Great Meadow Music. The Greenfield Dance Band is David Kaynor, Mary Cay Brass, Peter Siegel, and Stuart Kenney, with guests. https://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/kaynor.html
2. Late migration, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Lorelei Erisis (Northampton, MA).
3. C'est Aujourd'hui Grande Fête - Keith Murphy (Brattleboro, VT). This track is from Keith’s first solo album, Bound For Canaan. Becky Tracy plays fiddle. https://keithmurphy.bandcamp.com/.
4. Song for autumn, by Mary Oliver. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
5. The Lark on the Strand / Drummond Castle - Phoenix (MA and CA). Phoenix is Nora Smith (fiddle), Corey Walters (flute), and Christopher Jacoby (guitar). This set of traditional tunes is available on their eponymous EP. https://phoenix-danceband.bandcamp.com/releases
6. Back pain, by Rumi. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. Sweettalk Darkness - Tristan Henderson (Burlington, VT). Tristan wrote this tune and recorded it at home. www.petesposse.com
8. Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah - Pete Sutherland (Burlington, VT). This track is from Pete Sutherland’s 1984 album Poor Man’s Dream. www.petesposse.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Belle of Greensboro / Till havs I motorbåt (To sea in a motorboat) - lydia ievins (Montague, MA). The first waltz, by lydia, is named for Mary Jellicorse, a gracious and graceful dancer. The second is by fiddler Sixten Engström, who lived way up in northern Sweden and held a great love for fishing. Played here on 5-string fiddle and piano. Recorded on Koivu, lydia's duo album with Helsinki-based pianist Juha Kujanpää. www.lydiamusic.org
2. Imagine that, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Sam Sanders (Montpelier, VT), with piano accompaniment by Aaron Marcus (Montpelier, VT). This poem was written by Susan Reid this summer and Aaron Marcus and Sam Sanders wrote and arranged most of the music this fall. The outro tune, "In Irene's Wake," commemorates the unbelievably blue sky and sun the day after Tropical Storm Irene slammed into central Vermont--yet another time that felt apocalyptic and changed the fabric of our communities. More of Aaron's music, including Susan's poetry (read by Sam and set to music), can be found on their Bandcamp site: https://aaronmarcus.bandcamp.com/releases
3. Lad O’Beirn’s / Ha’penny Reel - Maivish. Maivish is Adam Broome (guitar), Jaige Trudel (fiddle), and Matthew Olwell (bodhrán). This previously unreleased track includes two traditional tunes. www.maivish.com/
4. Nahant, by Sara Teasdale. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA). Ben reflects, “As always, I love Sara Teasdale's visceral description of the sea and shore. Although she was living through World War I a hundred years ago, the sea and the shore have provided me the same unchanging calm in our times of modern conflict as well.”
5. Sleepy Eyes - Lissa Schneckenburger (Brattleboro, VT). This song, written by Mark Simos and sung by Keith Murphy, is on Lissa’s album Different Game. www.lissafiddle.com
6. At nightfall, by Albert Phelps. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
7. August Lullaby - Jacob Chen (Norman, OK). Jacob wrote this waltz in 2019. He notes, “This tune came about after feeling the warm summer vibes of August evenings in Oklahoma. Initially written as a straight waltz, the tune has adopted a mazurka-like feel over time.”
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
1. Everything Will Be Alright - Echo Women's Choir (Toronto, ON). Rachel Bokhout writes, “This is a live 2014 recording of the Echo Women's Choir, performing with singer-songwriter Victoria Moon Joyce. We offer this for the podcast as a reminder to keep faith - this season too shall pass. Blue skies are coming, and we'll gather again to make music once more.” This track, with words and music by Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland, can be found on the choir’s 2018 album One Voice. www.echowomenschoir.ca
2. The Smiler - Arrowsmith:Robb Trio (Ottawa, ON and Sheffield, UK). The Arrowsmith:Robb Trio is Jess Arrowsmith, Richard Arrrowsmith, and Ian Robb. Ian writes, “Rich may have evolved this lovely upbeat tune slightly from the playing of the very smiley Steve Turner.” https://www.artrio.co.uk/
3. God’s world, by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Read by Margaret Youngberg (Greenfield, MA).
4. The Lucky Reel / Sail the Other Side - Andrew VanNorstrand (Manlius, NY). This duet with Anna Patton (clarinet) is from Andrew’s solo album That We Could Find a Way to Be. https://andrewvannorstrandmusic.bandcamp.com
5. Fly away, by Susan Reid (Montpelier, VT). Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT).
6. Ashokan Twilight - Live Wire (Philadelphia, PA). Live Wire is Tom Krumm on fiddle, Ben Kennedy on keyboard, Bill Quern on mandolin, and Sarah Gowan on concertina. Bill notes, “Tom Krumm wrote this tune for the Ashokan Music and Dance camps which have had a profound impact on his entire life.” http://livewirecontra.band/.
7. An excerpt of Beauty, from Poems of Optimism, by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA).
8. Kenema - Jeremiah McLane (Sharon, VT). This track is from Jeremiah’s album Freetown. www.jeremiahmclane.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters
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