beforethemastseashanties.com

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-Latest News-

Where the River Meets the Sea -
BEFORE THE MAST and RIVERSONG
will be presenting two joint concerts. The first will be at the Empress Theatre (Capital Theatre) in Moncton on Friday, May 25th starting at 8:00 pm. The second will be the following evening, May 26th at the Saint John Arts Centre in Saint John starting at 7:30 pm.
Seating for both shows is limited, so reservations are recommended.
Tickets for the May 25th show at the Empress are on sale now at the Capitol Theatre box office.
http://www.capitol.nb.ca/show_id.php?id=282
Tickets for the May 26th concert at the SJAC are $10.00 and will be sold at the door or by contacting info@beforethemastseashanties.com

Before the Mast's CD 'Rolling down' was nominated this year for an
East Coast Music Award-
Roots / Traditional Group Recording of the Year
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The name 'Before the Mast' refers to the fact that ordinary sailors (often referred to as foremast jacks) on board sailing ships were berthed in the forecastle (fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) which was forward of the foremast or before the mast.

Before the Mast was formed in 2007 and since then has performed extensively throughout New Brunswick in venues ranging from church halls and historic inns to community stages and lively bistros. The group was especially pleased to be asked to sing twice at the Miramichi Folksong Festival. In addition, we have sung on board HMS Bounty when she visited St. Andrews, as well as a number of times for the Carleton Martello Tower Music Series. Before the Mast was also invited to sing at a Canada Day concert in the outdoor amphitheatre at Fundy National Park. Recently, the group traveled to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for a joint concert with the Yarmouth Shantymen.

Before the Mast is composed of nine men, from a wide range of backgrounds, who all have ties to the Saint John area. We sing for our enjoyment, to create an appreciation for our rich Maritime heritage and to showcase the wonderful tradition of sailors singing shanties to create a rhythm and pulse for their work.

Shanties were shipboard work songs with calls and responses between a shantyman and sailors sung to create and maintain a rhythm that would coordinate and give impulse to the job at hand whether it was heaving, hauling, pushing, pumping or turning. Before the Mast has an extensive repertoire of these shanties that includes traditional halyard, short-haul, pump and capstan shanties. The group also sings a number of beautiful fo’c’s’le songs (forebitters) and ballads, as well as a number of French and Acadian sea songs. We often sing songs written by contemporary song writers such as Tom Lewis, Archie Fisher, Jim Stewart and Donat LaCroix. We strive for a clear, crisp, authentic sound along with some rich harmonies. Establishing a close rapport with our audience, through words and song, is always important.

Music columnist Gerry Taylor wrote in the Telegraph-Journal:

"... the Saint John area's premier folk act Before the Mast makes shanties and other sea songs an art form. An a cappella group that varies the lead and harmony voices, Before the Mast pays homage to our maritime heritage....Before the Mast is just about as energetic as a traditional sea-song singing chorus can get without busting a barnacle. They’re witty too and wrapped-in-canvas entertainers all.....whose seafaring tales, fact and fiction, will astound you."

Before the Mast is based in the Saint John area which was once home to one of the largest ocean-going sailing fleets in the British Empire and a major ship-building centre.

-Newspaper Article from 1912-

SCARCITY OF HANDS TO MAN THE COASTERS
St. John Shipping Merchants Say it is Hard to Get Good Crew

WAGES REACH RECORD
Inducement of Higher Pay for Shore Work is a Reason –
Same Statements Apply to Ports on North Shore and in Nova Scotia

The scarcity of able seamen is very noticeable at present, not only about the port of St. John, but through Nova Scotia, and along the North Shore of the province, and it is out of memory, when the signing of men before the mast was so difficult as is now the case, or necessitated the payment of such a scale of wages....

....it is mentioned with regret by older mariners that the ranks of the followers of the sea are not being filled to any appreciable extent by younger blood.

"To face the elements is, to be sure, no light matter when the sea is in its grandest mood. You must then know the sea, and know that you know it, and not forget that it was made to be sailed over." - Joshua Slocum