Seafarer's Festival - Dinner & Stories
Join us on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm for our annual Seafarer's Festival. An evening of Dinner & Stories.
Meet The Presenters 2022
Chris Gilbert
Sea Chanty Moderator:
After spending his professional career in healthcare IT in both the UK and the US, “CJ” returned to his creative passions as an artist, singer, and storyteller splitting his time between Port Townsend and Gloucestershire, England. He was born in the East End of London and often lets his Cockney accent shine through. He cut his “folk teeth” on the traditional English pursuit of Morris Dancing and learned to sing folk songs the hard way - in front of rough-and-tough British pub audiences.
CJ’s repertoire contains an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary folk songs from across the British Isles. He sings soft lilting ballads, dramatic story songs, upbeat drinking songs, maritime songs, rollicking roaring shanties, and more. Being an inveterate storyteller, he often introduces his songs with background stories that he finds audiences really appreciate.
CJ has played at many venues in the Puget Sound area, including the Wooden Boat Festival, the Port Gamble Maritime Festival, the Port Angeles Maritime Festival, and the Northwest Folklife festival. He was the leader of the Irish band “Happenstance,” one part of the duo “Gilbert and McHagar,” and a member of the shanty band “Nelson’s Blood”. He will be performing at the Candlelight Concert at the Trinity Church on November 17, 2022.
Mike & Val James
Live Music:
​Mike and Val James have performed to a variety of audiences in concerts, festivals, and private venues in the northwest and beyond for over 25 years. They accompany themselves on guitar (s) or enjoy performing with a jazz trio in the Port Townsend area. Their broad musical styles range from the traditional 1940s, through 1980s. Much of their music has “American Songbook”, folk, jazz, maritime, originals, songs for kids, or “bluesy” influences.
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