PITTSFIELD, Mass. On July 10, the Berkshire County Historical presents a program of sea shanties with old-world folklorist Alex Harvey. 

 

The program will take place in Arrowhead's historic barn at 7 pm. Come early and picnic on the grounds and step into the "tavern" and warm up those swashbuckling vocal chords with hard ciders from Berkshire Cider Project for sale during the event.  

 

Tickets are available by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org - $15 BCHS Members, $20 nonmembers. This program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

 

According to a press release: 

 

Alex Harvey performs street ballads and songs of the sea in a project he calls Shinbone Alley. At his performances listeners learn to celebrate the haunting intercultural exchange of 18th and 19th century maritime music - whose ingredients travelled from the furthest corners of the globe to be remade and stitched anew by sailors of every shade and shape in port and at sea. By teaching the audience to join in on most of the tunes in his concerts, Harvey and his Shinbone Alley builds bridges through communal singing. From Sea Shanties to Broadsheet ballads to Come-All-Ye's to Last Good Nights to Hard Luck Satires to Lovesick Dirges to Whaling Serenades - this music was meant as the earliest form of group therapy. And so it is again - a sepia-toned balm for our topsy-turvy time.