Today, I'd like to share a lovely but somewhat unusual item from our archives, a tape I found in the late Willie Methot's collection, courtesy of his wife Myrna. It features a 1989 broadcast on Radio-Gaspésie hosted by Chester Cotton (from the station's former "English Hour" program), CBC Radio's Louise Penney (now a world-renowned mystery … Continue reading April 15, 1989: “Community Radio Awareness Day” on Radio-Gaspésie
playlists
Songs of Wilbert Coffin – Article in Canadian Folk Music
Dear readers, It's been a while! I'm deep in the writing phase of my PhD dissertation on music, media, and memory in the English-speaking communities of the eastern Gaspé. This—along with car troubles and extensive travelling since last May—is largely why things have been so silent lately. A while back, some of you will remember I … Continue reading Songs of Wilbert Coffin – Article in Canadian Folk Music
Old Songs From MaryEllen
Here's a lovely recording that I digitized last year from one of Joseph Drody's tapes, labelled simply, "Old Songs From MaryEllen." It features Joseph's sister MaryEllen Drody-Savidant singing a selection of of old folk, country, and sentimental songs as well as picking a few lively fiddle tunes on the mandolin. MaryEllen is joined by her daughter Debbie … Continue reading Old Songs From MaryEllen
GCSA at the Barachois Farmers’ Market (and the Barachois Wellness Centre CD Sampler)
This morning Cheryl Henry-Leggo (Executive Director of Vision Gaspé-Percé) and I headed down to the market put on by the Barachois and Area Development Committee outside the Rec Centre to share the recordings we have archived and information about our project and Vision's other activities. There were about a dozen stalls featuring crafts, baked goods, … Continue reading GCSA at the Barachois Farmers’ Market (and the Barachois Wellness Centre CD Sampler)
From the ABBA Tribute at Gaspé Elementary School
In today's post, I'm sharing a few recordings and pictures from the ABBA tribute show directed by Karen Briand at Gaspé Elementary School in June. I won't say much about the show because, judging by the attendance, it's not too much an exaggeration to claim that a good percentage of Gaspé's English-speaking community was there that night. … Continue reading From the ABBA Tribute at Gaspé Elementary School
Erskine and Brian Morris – 1985 Cambridge Tape
Back in 2010, Brian Morris and I started a project documenting the fiddle music of his father, the late Erskine Morris (1913-1997) from Douglastown. Erskine's music was my introduction to Gaspesian culture and has been my main source of musical inspiration for the past six years. Since we began working together, Brian has transferred about … Continue reading Erskine and Brian Morris – 1985 Cambridge Tape
Tammy Adams: Interview and Concert Recordings
Context On October 31, 2015, Tammy Adams performed at the Gaspé Legion for their annual Halloween Party. The hall was packed with costumed revellers whom Tammy kept on the dance floor all night with her voice, guitar, and laptop containing her library of mp3 backing tracks. I was amazed at Tammy’s endless energy on stage and … Continue reading Tammy Adams: Interview and Concert Recordings
Merry Christmas from the Leo Fitzpatrick fonds
In archival terminology, a "fonds" describes a collection of unique documents created by an individual or organization through their regular activities. Modern archival practice largely traces itself to post-revolutionary France and the conscious effort to safeguard the records of the new republic; the idea of an archival "fonds" has its roots here and we still … Continue reading Merry Christmas from the Leo Fitzpatrick fonds
Gaspé Wellness Centre – CD Sampler Now Available for Online Streaming
On October 7, I was invited by Vision to their monthly Wellness Centre at the Legion in Gaspé to give a presentation about our collaboration to share archival recordings with the community. I arrived with my laptop and boombox to a room of about twenty women chatting as they finished their lunch and proceeded to set up. … Continue reading Gaspé Wellness Centre – CD Sampler Now Available for Online Streaming
Gaspesian Community Sound 