Bluegrass Red Hook

Click on the image below and enjoy the music.  Come out and hear this traditional American music by the Paradise Mountain Boys–and stories about the port of New York history this coming Thursday night in Red Hook.  Details here.

I hope you listened to the song above.  Here’s the kicker:  the band is from Norway.  Here’s their take on “Man of constant sorrow,” one of my favorites.

For the Red Hook connection, here’s Lars Nilsen, co-chairman of the Norwegian Immigrant Association, “One hundred plus years ago, Red Hook ( including what is now Carroll Gardens ) was the center of a hard-working maritime-related Norwegian speaking community of about 10,000 people.”  And here’s a thought from John Weaver, son-in-law of Alf Dryland, deceased Captain of PortSide NewYork’s flagship  Mary A. Whalen “Norwegians in America playing Blue Grass music! If Alf Dyrland were still with us, he would be smiling. Every new adventure is the continuation of his dream come true. He would be proud of the heritage celebrated and future welcomed aboard his Mary Whalen. Thank you PortSide NewYork.”

Click here for Rick “old salt” blog’s take on this event.

Here are a few of the many posts I’ve done on PortSide NewYork.

Unrelated, here’s another unlikely interpretation of American bluegrass performed at South by Southwest.