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“Airs piqués” – A New Album of Guitar Duets from Guy Bouchard and Mathieu Fournier

/ Glenn Patterson / Leave a comment

Earlier this month I opened my mailbox to find a CD copy of the latest project from Gaspé musicians Guy Bouchard and Mathieu Fournier. Both excellent fiddlers whom I've gotten to know over the years, they also enjoy playing Gaspesian fiddle music on the guitar in the flatpicking style. My friend Brian Morris and I … Continue reading “Airs piqués” – A New Album of Guitar Duets from Guy Bouchard and Mathieu Fournier

The Shigawake Fair Presents: Thirsty Thursdays 2020 (Facebook Edition)

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Since October 2019, I have been working for the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network on a Canadian Heritage-funded called "A Different Tune: Musical Heritage in English-Speaking Quebec." It's a survey of the diverse grassroots musical cultures across Quebec's English-speaking communities, both rural and urban. This past March, I was en route to Shigawake and Gaspé when … Continue reading The Shigawake Fair Presents: Thirsty Thursdays 2020 (Facebook Edition)

The Douglastown Detour – Available for Download Today

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At long last, the day has arrived. The Douglastown Detour app for Apple and Android phones is now available for download. This is a self-guided audio walking tour of the Douglastown village core (from the present-day community centre down to the tracks on the beach and all important sites and places between - e.g. the … Continue reading The Douglastown Detour – Available for Download Today

Sneak Preview of the Douglastown Detour – Thursday, July 26 (3-4 pm)

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It's been a quiet couple months here but I'm very excited to announce that an audio project I've been involved in for the past two years is just about ready for the public. Join Kathy Kennedy and I at the Douglastown Community Centre tomorrow (Thursday, July 26, from 3 to 4 pm) as we unveil … Continue reading Sneak Preview of the Douglastown Detour – Thursday, July 26 (3-4 pm)

Songs of Wilbert Coffin – Article in Canadian Folk Music

/ Glenn Patterson / Leave a comment

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

Gérard Durette at the Wakeham-York Homecoming Fiddle Contest

/ Glenn Patterson / 7 Comments

... perhaps the most significant phenomenon in the English-speaking community was the 10-day Wakeham-York Homecoming Festival which ran for 25 years starting in 1978. I'll say more about the festival in future posts but for now, I want to note that it has been both interesting but also very complicated trying to write about something I never experienced myself (I began coming to Gaspé about six years after the festival folded). Still, many people talk about the festival and I want to give it its due when I write about it. I'll return to this topic at the end of the post.

“It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” – St. Patrick’s Day With Leo Fitzpatrick (1981 & 2007)

/ Glenn Patterson / 4 Comments

Happy St. Patrick's Day dear readers, As much as this is a day for celebration for many in Gaspé and beyond, today I would like to pay a little homage to one of the longest supporters of Irish culture around Gaspé, Leo Fitzpatrick, who passed away last month. I'll try not to make this too … Continue reading “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” – St. Patrick’s Day With Leo Fitzpatrick (1981 & 2007)