Chantey Night Benefit - April 27

The Morgans

In addition to their extensive repertoire of Irish and folk music, The Morgans have an affinity for the sea, and things nautical. Their presentation of sea chanteys (work songs), done in powerful multi-part harmonies, punctuated by the primal sound of bodhrans (traditional Celtic frame drums), recalls the days of wooden ships and iron men.

Ballads and songs about the endangered plight of the world's whales bring out The Morgans' more sensitive side. Instrumentally, they play a variety of traditional conventional and non-conventional instruments from the wind, string, and percussion families.

The Ancient Mariners Chanteymen

The Ancient Mariners Fife and Drum Corps, formed in 1959, has always been a group of musicians whose skills reached beyond the world of fife and drum. From the beginning, Mariners have serenaded the public at pubs with fifes and drums and an occasional drinking song. It is no surprised that a group dedicated to singing sea music evolved. 

With the help of Cliff Haslem, the Ancient Mariners Chanteymen were formed in the early 80’s. The goal of the group is to perpetuate the genre of sea music that we so enjoy.

Marc Bernier

Marc Bernier is a Chanteyman, Musician, Chef, and Sailor with a diverse musical and professional background. 

No stranger to sea music audiences, he spent over 5 years as a Mystic Seaport Chanteyman. As part of the Seaport Interpretation Department, he presented music programs for both educational and social functions. He has worked as a musician and educator for the Clearwater program on the Hudson River, and has sailed as cook, deck hand, and entertainer on numerous traditional sailing vessels from the coast of Maine to Chesapeake Bay. 

As an accomplished percussionist, he is much in demand to play Frottoir (rubboard) with many of the Northeast's most highly respected Cajun and Zydeco bands, and he has played the Bodhran with several prominent Irish music performers. 

When accompanying himself on songs he is equally at home with Guitar, Mandolin, and Tenor Banjo. Marc has also been active in Connecticut's Fife & Drum community since his teenage years, when he began playing in various traditional and progressive ensembles. His notoriety as a fifer has brought him invitations to perform throughout North America and Europe.

The Johnson Girls

The Johnson Girls have been a force on the folk and maritime music scene for over two decades as the leading all-woman, a cappella maritime group in the world. Believing that sea chanteys and songs of the sea were the first real “World Music”, Joy Bennett, Alison Kelley, Bonnie Milner, and Deirdre Murtha each bring a special influence to the group. Whether performing at packed international folk festivals, intimate venues, workshops, or presenting school or library programs, The Johnson Girls remain true to their mission of keeping chantey singing and its history alive, bringing women’s voices to the fore, and encouraging everyone to join in the revelry. Widely acclaimed for their powerhouse performances of rousing work songs, sensitive renderings of haunting ballads and laments, and hair-raising harmonies, they sweep their audiences along in a tidal fervor. 

"The Johnson Girls, chantey singers from America, took the place by storm…  Those who thought a chantey singer had to be male, bearded, and with a beer gut, needed to think again.”  - Cornwall Guardian (UK)

Dan Milner - our emcee for the evening

Dan Milner is an assistant professor of geography and history at St. John's University, New York City, and the producer of the Smithsonian Folkways CD Irish Pirate Ballads and Other Songs of the Sea, which received 2 Indie nominations. His latest book is The Unstoppable Irish: Songs and Integration of the New York Irish, 1783-1883.