A MUSIC CD BY HOOLIE (PIRATE WEASEL RECORDS; 2003; $15.00)
REVIEWED BY MICHAEL HEWITT
I don’t even know what some of Hoolie’s instruments are . . . bodrhan and bazouki, for instance, but any musical group that uses a performer in tap shoes for primary percussion is guaranteed to create a unique sound. Fair Winds is the third recording by the duo group, Hoolie. Now a quartet, Jerry Casault (lead vocals and guitar) and Katherine Morris (vocals and banjo) have teamed with Nick Garreiss (foot percussion) and Jon Potarykus (vocals, fiddle and mandolin). The product of their collaboration is a collection of 14 traditional and not-so-traditional jigs and reels, all with a Celtic flavor and midwest Great Lakes seasoning.
“Load ’em and Stack ’em,” is the story of lead singer Jerry Casault’s summer loading Japanese freighters with 100-pound bags of Michigan navy beans. The liner notes describe the backbreaking and dangerous work and the ultimate payoff for a very fit songwriter who used the money saved to backpack through Europe. “Powder Monkey” is a musical account of the real sea battle between the U.S.S. Constitution and the British ship, Guerriere, in the War of 1812, sung from the point of view of a young powder monkey. Hoolie’s songwriters researched the song in the U.S. Naval Archives.
None of the Fair Winds tunes has the mainstream appeal of a “Sloop John B,” “Southern Cross,” or “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” but if you’re a fan of Celtic sound or favor sea shanties, Hoolie will be one of your favorites. It’s hard not to tap your foot when listening to Fair Winds, but Hoolie is a group that crys out to be experienced live. Unless I had seen them in person, I would be unlikely to play Fair Winds more than a few times. On the other hand, I wouldn’t hesitate to attend a performance and afterward thoroughly enjoy the recording. Hoolie is the perfect group to perform at Mystic Seaport or in concert on the grounds of Old Ironsides’ berth in Boston. Heck, I’d go just to find out what a bodrhan and bazouki are!
