History
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Former band members are an important part of the band "family." Each year, often in March or April, anyone who has ever played with the GH&CS is invited to join us on stage for the band's Annual Reunion Concert. 2019 marked the band's 32nd reunion, performed as a benefit for the Friends of the Jamaica Plain branch of the Boston Public Library, with members traveling from as far away as Colorado.
Band Alumni
Diane Taraz
Diane Taraz has a silken, crystal-clear voice perfectly suited for beautiful traditional and original songs. Her clarity ensures that listeners can understand every word, a luxury that audiences appreciate. She can also belt out a sea chantey or a millworker's song, leading other band members in rich harmonies. Diane is an award-winning songwriter who loves to create songs about fascinating historic events, particularly those that involve women. Visit her website, Raisin Pie Music, at dianetaraz.com.
Paul Harty
Paul Harty sings and plays fiddle, guitar, bouzouki, and mandolin. Paul has been with a number of great bands in the New England area including Quarter Moon, Jug o' Punch, The Old Brigade, The Maritime Travelers, The Griffins, and Boston's original St. James Gate, the Squeezebox Stompers and The Jolly Rogues.
Owen Hartford
Owen Hartford, co-founder of the Gloucester Hornpipe & Clog Society, lives in Milton, MA. For many years he was a member of the Providence Mandolin Orchestra, and an international award-winning composer for mandolin ensembles and orchestras. He is also a photographer and videographer. His photography, video, graphic design and publications appear at bluehillsmedia.com
John Berger
John Berger's vigorous fiddling sets hearts a-thumping, his banjo settings of old-timey tunes ring with joy, and he can play anything on guitar, from ragtime to hornpipes. The band often plays his "Castle Island Waltz," inspired by walks near his South Boston home, and audiences love his energetic singing.
Jonathan Gilbert
Jonathan Gilbert's wooden flute dates from the 1830s: it's the Irish flute's 19th-century ancestor! With a background in historical music and years of experience locally as a dance musician, he can also switch to mandolin or fiddle, whistle or recorder, guitar, bass, or bodhrán—and fill out a song with baritone harmony.
Andrea Mori
Andrea Mori is an active musician for Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, teaching at their Boston Music School at Harvard and Boston College. She also teaches Tin Whistle classes at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England. She co-leads an Irish session at The Snug in Hingham Center on Monday nights from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, and she is the founder and director of The New Boston Ceili Band, a group of a dozen talented teenagers who perform in the greater Boston area.
Gareth Hedges
Gareth is a UK fingerstyle guitarist whose repertoire ranges over raw delta blues, sweet jazz classics, lighthearted American music hall gems and original compositions. His CD release 'Candy Man' with Lance Bennett captures the magic of live performance, which intrigues and delights our listeners. See http://www.westernweb.co.uk/garethhedges/.
Jeremy Sykes
In Memorium
After returning from several years living in Taiwan, Jeremy attended the 2019 Reunion concert and sang two terrific songs.
Kevin O'Brien
Kevin teaches Uilllean (Irish) pipes at the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Boston Music School at Harvard University.
Laura Neher Leech
Laura plays the flute in Tinton Falls, NJ. She is also a member of the Greater Shore Concert Band of Monmouth County, NJ
Lynn Cadwallader
Lynn has been an educator at Lesley University and is a documentary film maker.
Ralph Tufo
Ralph plays accordion and concertina, and hails from Winthrop, MA. Formerly with the Boogaloo Swamis, now with the Squeezebox Stompers.
Susan Worgaftik
Susan is a soapmaker extraordinaire from Greenfield, MA.
Tim Murphy
In Memorium
Fiddler Tim and his wife Patty founded Denver's oldest continuously running traditional Irish music sesiun (time and place at thesession.org). They were 2/5ths of "Last Night's Fun," a premier Denver traditional Irish band.
Betsy Gerber Hartford
In Memorium
Betsey Gerber was an original member of the band, married to Owen Hartford in Milton, MA. Betsy wrote the libretto for the mini-opera, The Frog Prince.
Jim Gleason
In Memorium
Flutist Jim Gleason from Holliston, MA led a session Tuesday nights at Stone's Public House in Ashland, MA. He also played and recorded as a member of the Stoneybatter band.
Louise Kennedy
In Memorium
Louise (1923 - 2008) was the person who managed the unmanageable (the band) and booked us for many years. She was a folk music and folk dancing fan, and loved Irish music and all things French. She was a person with a mind of her own, and not afraid to take risks, which is why she was perfectly suited for the Gloucester Hornpipe and Clog Society.
Patty Shinehouse
In Memorium
Patty died of cancer on July 27, 2000, at the age of 43. From Bryn Mawr, PA, Patty was a professor of flute at Drake University, PA. Obituary
Susan Zimelis
In Memorium
In 1996 we lost our dear friend and superb hammered-dulcimer player, Susan Zimelis, to leukemia. Throughout her illness, music was a comfort to her, a soothing balm to her family and friends, and an inspiration to the many musicians who filled her hospital room day and night, playing the tunes she loved most.
Vincent Vito
In Memorium
Vinny Vito was an original band member, in 1976.