Playing for the Pure Joy and Love of Traditional Music
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER - Here's one for you...and you don't have to be Celtic to answer it. What do sessions, craic and Guinness all have in common? Answer: one big impromptu party with lots of music, song, fun and plenty of the black foamy stuff. And the next question... where will you find all this? Answer: At the Wolf and Hound on West Broadway.
PICTURED at the Wednesday night trad session at the Wolf and Hound (far right) is well-known fiddle player Mary Brunner surrounded by fellow musicians.
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The Wolf and Hound has quickly become the hotbed for traditional Celtic sessions with one on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday nights. On Sunday nights it is Michael Pratt on fiddle, concertina and vocals with Lynn McGowan on vocals and bodhran and Craig MacGregor on guitar. They play an evening of lively and beautiful songs and tunes. The songs are a mixture of harmony and chorus that are greatly loved by those who come to listen and sing.
On the Monday night session, Michael Pratt of Celtic Woollens and Craig MacGregor attract between 20 to 35 players who come out on a regular basis to enjoy an evening of playing music from Ireland, Scotland and other wonderful places. There are a number of singers in the group and during the evening they always include songs that people can sing in the chorus.
On the Wednesday night sessions, the well-known fiddler Mary Brunner hosts the evening. 𠇊ll the participants enjoy playing a wide variety of traditional music, whether it’s Irish jigs and reels or music from Eastern Canada,” said Mary. “The structure of the session is very informal. Each musician is invited to play their favourite or newly learned tune and those of us who know it, will immediately join in.”
As well as contributing to the session, musicians have an opportunity to learn new material from the wide variety of other talented musicians and instruments present at a session. Wolf and Hound owner, Jacquie Metzler said, “every Monday and Wednesday night, the Wolf and Hound is alive with the sounds of traditional music. The exchange of tunes is what keeps traditional Irish music alive. Some tunes are well-known and some more obscure but it’s this mixture of the familiar and new that makes for a good session.”
Everyone is invited to bring along their voice, instrument or their desire to just sit back with a pint and listen to some great traditional music. The music is played for the pure joy and love of traditional music. The Wolf and Hound is located in Vancouver at: 3617 West Broadway at Alma.
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