It's a rainy day today here in Gaspé so I put a fire on here and decided to listen to a reel of tape that Brian Morris loaned me last spring. It features a dub of a great out-of-print vinyl of acoustic fingerstyle guitar music on side A; then, fifteen minutes into side B (which … Continue reading The Gaspé Reel
reel-to-reel
Preserving Gaspesian Musical Heritage and Leo’s First Tape (1958)
Today marks a milestone in my time as a researcher and community music advocate in the Gaspé. Over a year ago in August 2015, I approached Leo Fitzpatrick of Gaspé Harbour to express my interest in working with his massive collection of home recordings (over 440 tapes) that he made between 1958 and 2000. I … Continue reading Preserving Gaspesian Musical Heritage and Leo’s First Tape (1958)
Remembering Wilbert Coffin: “The Prospector’s Last Letter” Sung By Claude Rehel
Today marks the sombre 60th anniversary of Wilbert Coffin's execution in 1956 at Bordeaux Prison in Montreal. Wilbert Coffin was a mining prospector in the Gaspé area who had served his country in the Second World War. In 1953 he was accused of killing three American hunters in the woods near Murdochville even though he … Continue reading Remembering Wilbert Coffin: “The Prospector’s Last Letter” Sung By Claude Rehel
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
Upcoming Event – Barachois Wellness Centre: November 25, 2015
Just a quick note to let readers know that I'll be at Vision's Barachois Wellness Centre this coming Wednesday, November 25, 2015. Once again I'll be sharing music from our archives during the afternoon session to give you a sense of our collections and get your feedback. The event takes place at the Legion in … Continue reading Upcoming Event – Barachois Wellness Centre: November 25, 2015
A Monster’s Holiday – Ray McAuley and Wild Country
For this most creepy time of year, I'd like to share a recording of Ray McAuley and Wild Country singing a Buck Owen's classic, "A Monster's Holiday." These guys were one tight band, as good live as on record. Ray was from a family of country singers and guitar pickers from Douglastown, Gaspé, Quebec. His … Continue reading A Monster’s Holiday – Ray McAuley and Wild Country
Gaspesian Community Sound 