Morris Dance - a dangerous sport

Candlelight Concert

Chris on guitar

CJ's Songs

I was born in London and later spent several years in two English seaside towns not unlike Port Townsend, each with strong folk traditions. It's been thirty years since I emigrated to the US, finally landing in Port Townsend in 2014. The town is ideal for developing creative skills.

I cut my teeth on the traditional English pursuit of Morris Dancing and later learned to sing folk songs in front of rough-and-tough British pub audiences. ​In all that I do I feel my British heritage pushing to the surface. That is why I sing traditional and contemporary songs from the British Isles, especially...England, Scotland and Ireland.

I sing soft ballads, dramatic story songs, upbeat drinking songs, maritime songs, rollicking roaring shanties, and more. I particularly enjoy singing songs made famous by giants of the folk revival such as the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, the Dubliners, and Ewan MacColl.

Invariably at the heart of each of my songs is a story, and I introduce my songs with background information that I find audiences really appreciate. 

Which, brings me to my story telling.
I write short stories, and have been known to tell them in front of audiences, often illustrating and punctuating them with related folk songs.

I promise not to play it!

Let me tell you a story