Trade Winds

Trade Winds, the story of the songs, ballads and sea shanties of the sailors of the South Wales coal ports, was originally conceived as a CD by Welsh Celtic musicians Calennig and released on the Sain label (SCD 2091).

The story, which traces the life of the men of Barry Docks through the words of Rees Baldwin, is also available for arts centres and festivals as a workshop or as a theatre performance, in which Calennig are joined by David Ambrose of the Beyond The Border story-telling team.

Rees Baldwin, born in 1862, ran away to sea when he was 17 and made his last voyage under canvas in 1908. In 1928 he was one of a group of Barry sailors whose songs were recorded by the American folklorist James Madison Carpenter, and Trade Winds tells the story of how the voices of the Welsh seamen vanished in America for many years... and how they have now come home to Wales again.

More details

For details of the show and of the research project which has led to it, e-mail calennig@folkwales.org.uk or contact Mick Tems and Pat Smith of Calennig at 01443 226892 (phone or fax).

Page last updated 08 March 2010