The Gloucester Hornpipe & Clog Society is the musical equivalent of an egg cream (no egg, no cream), the Barenaked Ladies (not ladies, not naked), or the Holy Roman Empire (not an empire, not Roman, of questionable holiness). Not one of the 20-odd members over the 30-odd years of the band's existence has hailed from the seaport of Gloucester, Massachusetts, though the group does favor songs of the sea. And although we play tunes made for dancing the hornpipe or clog, we do not dance, although our feet tend to tap vigorously.
The group was co-founded in 1971 by percussionist David "Doc" Rosen. Through many changes in personnel, the band has twice been invited to the International Folk Festival in Letterkenny, Ireland, and the current configuration performs at coffeehouses, festivals, parks, museums, and other venues throughout New England.
From lively dance tunes to rich vocal harmonies, the band specializes in creating a good time! It celebrates New England's maritime heritage with sea chanteys, hornpipes, and dramatic ballads of adventure on the high seas. It explores the region's Colonial roots with songs and melodies from England, Ireland and Scotland, sometimes wearing period clothing. And it delights in Celtic melodies, and tunes beloved by immigrants from other coutnries, as well.
Instruments include guitar, banjo, fiddle, flute, accordion, dulcimer, mandolin, whistle,and the age-old delights of spoons, bones, and the Irish drum or bodhran. David Rosen also plays the pogo-cello, a combination rhythm instrument and pogo stick, that never fails to intrigue.
Much more information is available at the band's website.