Cape Breton's Magazine

So we went down in the rec room and I dug out all kinds of records that he hadn't even heard because he's gone since so long. In the middle of Grade 12 he was gone to New York, he did part of his Grade 12 in New York. So a lot of music that I have here that he didn't even hear. And he went, "Oh my, that's beautiful," he says. "Oh, that's nice. I think I'll put that on." And he just listened to it two or three times, played it through, and he had it like that. Oh, he's very, very sharp for picking up. (Now is that the truth? You feel he didn't have the shape on that traditional album-- "Fine, Thank You Very Much"--until those few days before?) Two days before. Carmeli- ia: Yeah. 'Cause he was really busy, he didn't get a chance to rehearse a lot. Angus: Different fiddlers play the same times, but they play them with individual? ism. They're all different. You put the mu? sic on there and I can tell you if it's Joe MacLean's music--if it was him that record? ed that, and what year. Or if it's Winston Scotty Fitzgerald, or if it is Angus Chi? sholm, or who else. You can put any music you want on of the old recordings and I'll tell you without looking at it who's play? ing it. So they were all individual, they all played tunes different. The same tunes, but played them different.... Carmelita: At Christmas time Ashley came home and, I guess it was a couple of days before Christmas this older couple came in, and they just think Ashley's just-- they just love him so. He was having a shower at the time and he jumped out of the shower and dried himself off, and he played out in the kitchen for about an hour straight for them. And, I mean, just the old, old tunes. I mean, if the old fiddlers were here listening to that they'd certainly know that--Ashley will never, ever, no matter how many interviews he does, he always has that, you know-- Cape Breton is his place and that's where he'll always, you know, tunes will always come from there. Angus: What he really set out to do, he accom? plished. What he set out to do was to get all these young people that wouldn't even think of going to a dance in Glencoe Mills, a square- dance, and lis? ten to the old-time fiddlers --they wouldn't even think of going until he started them on this new style. And it went right crazy, and they loved it. And now they're even buying his traditional music, his last tape, and they're running to West Mabou. They're driving from town to West Mabou. The town people didn't normally go to these dances as much as the country people and now they're going. And if he's playing there you can depend that you're not even going to get in. THE END For an Up-to-Date List of SUMMER MI'KMAQ ACTIVITIES Eskasoni Mawio'Mi (POWWOW) CONCERTS DISPLAYS and Other SPECIAL EVENTS Contact Your Local Tourist Information Centre ESKASONI IS THE LARGEST NATIVE COMMUNITY EAST OF MONTREAL. Nestled between steep, rolling hills on one side and the wide expanse of the Bras d'Or Lakes on the other, Eskasoni provides a beautiful setting for nature-based tourism activities. Guided tours for hiking, canoe? ing/kayaking, eagle observation, arts and crafts, as well as cultural and educational exercises, can be arranged. Fabulous photo- opportunities. Eskasoni's rich Mi'kmaq culture is cele? brated each summer at the Eskasoni Maw? io'Mi (PowWow), the foremost one of its kind in Atlantic Canada. Shop for unique crafts, feast on traditional Mi'kmaq cuisine and enjoy the finest in traditional perfor? mances of dance and drum. Located on Route 16: 50 kms from Sydney. ESKASONI ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Eskasoni, Nova Scotia Canada BOA IHO 902-379-2758 FAX: 902-379-2586 To arrange for activities or tours, contact Cape Breton Tours 24 King's Road Sydney, N.S. BIS lAl (902) 564-6000