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Dreadnought Shanty Crew – Come all ye!

Thanks to traditional arts award from Tasgadh storyteller Jan Bee Brown and musician Toby Hawks are sharing sea shanties with locals in Leith this spring 2020. Meeting in the relaxed atmosphere of The Dreadnought Pub in Leith every Tuesday evening from 6-7pm.

Jan sailed with The Tall Ships Race in Norway last summer and was inspired by hearing The Storm Weather Shanty Choir sing in Bergen. As a keen sailor and a coastal rower Jan was ‘Telling Tales on Ten Tall Ships’ in Norway whilst gathering stories that link Scottish coasts and waters with our friends in Scandinavia.

Jan also collaborated with Citizen Curator in 2019 to deliver a series of story walks around Leith with a focus on Leith’s unsung women. The response to these walks and the diversity of the stories made Jan want to hear and share more stories and songs linked to Leith’s maritime history in 2020 – The Year of Scottish Coasts & Waters.

Jan would like to thank Tasgadh for their vital contribution to fund this project that will run for 3 months leading up to The Leith Festival. The spirit of the project is Come All Ye! Whilst there is no charge for the shanty sessions donations will be welcomed towards song-sheets and the hope is that the Dreadnought Shanty Crew become eventually become self-supporting.

As curator of The Thrive Archive Jan is keen to work with and learn from local musicians and singers during this project so bring a story of the sea, share a shanty and Come All Ye!

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