RIP Chris Caswell, Bard

Chris Caswell's Facebook album, At the Gypsy Glen

Tuesday morning, I had a nagging feeling that someone I knew, a friend had died. I had a purple ribbon, a lost streamer from someone's funeral wreath I found blowing across a lawn, in my car for ages. I'm partial to purple. I had tossed it into the recycle box weeks ago, but it kept finding its way back out onto the floor.

So I picked the ribbon up off the floor and washed the mud off of it, trying not to think of graveyards, and hung it to dry on my Celtic music CD rack. it's just a ribbon, I said. Maybe I can reuse it. I felt a shock. Death wants it back. Stupid. Don't be superstitious, I said to myself. Someone walking on a grave, my inner voice said. It's just a purple satin ribbon, I said aloud. Nothing more. I will repurpose it, I said.

The day before, while at work, I felt suddenly and inexplicably sad. Body blows. Like a freight train had hit me. I was weak-kneed. I could barely get through my shift. I looked at the clock: 3 PM. 4 PM. I blamed a virus.

I remembered the dead: Boschka Layton came to mind. I told a co-worker how we shared the hospice and right before she died, and how I got so sick, so fast—bronchitis. Death can do that. Something about the past was haunting me. I didn't feel good, I went home early and cancelled my Tuesday morning class.

A restless night. I slept in late—something I never do. I was haunted by dreams I couldn't remember. I didn't get the news until Tuesday that Chris Caswell died at his home on Monday, during the same time I was feeling the weight of death upon me, wondering who had died.

My grandmother always heard knocks at the door when someone died. Not me. Mercifully. Don't let birds come into the house, she said. It invites death in.

Last time I talked to Chris Caswell, Celtic harpmaker and musician, about 2 or 3 years ago, was at the Irish Christmas Revels performance with his mother, Helen. Time telescoped. In 2004, Chris was the resident bardic harper for the Christmas Revels production—a role he had been born into. He wasn't some diamond in the rough, he was a bard of the first water. A flawless gem. He had come into his own.

I have photos of him at the 2004 Christmas Revels performance somewhere, but I can't find them. I lost some work when a hard drive died. I fear my photos of Chris were on that drive, lost to the ephemeral vagaries of cyberspace. I will check my Picasa site to see if I uploaded some there.

We kept in touch fleetingly at various Celtic events and via Facebook—but that was cyberspace. Also, FB severely throttled my newsfeed in July so I didn't notice the silence. I always thought there'd be another time.

I knew that Chris had colon cancer about 15 years ago. He was supposed to be cancer-free—I guess there's no such thing. I suspect that it metastasized—like my aunt's colon cancer. Traveled to her liver. It did.

I suspect he'd been fighting cancer (again) for a couple of years. I just didn't see the signs. He always looked gaunt. There was a farewell concert in December in Occidental. I saw it out of the corner of my eye, knowing that I couldn't go, but again, I didn't pay attention. I didn't get it. And now he's gone. I can't believe it.

I've sort of known Chris for most of my life. I heard him play music at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire with Robin Williamson and his Merry Band, and as a solo piper. We both volunteered for the Bread & Roses benefit concerts at The Greek during the late 70s. I did the backstage calligraphy and signage. I still have all the teeshirts.

Chris was one of the first musicians I met in Sonoma County. Even then, it was always fleeting and ephemeral. Spheres orbiting but never quite making contact. Yet our outside lives connected early and often. I taught his kids poetry at Monte Rio School a very long time ago.

I also wrote an article on Caswell harps for Jim Tarbell's Mendocino Ridge Review (anyone have a copy of it?) so I got to spend quality time with Chris and Theresa (Terry Hallowes) in Monte Rio.

I was never sure of the odd (dis)connection we seemed to have. I loved seeing Terry and him together—an incredible couple. I didn't trust myself with my heart on my sleeve like that so I kept my distance. I think it puzzled him. But so many people were in his life. I was merely someone on the periphery.

See A Harp Maker's Photo Journal
Historic Caswell Harps

His brother Dwight used to let me use his darkroom at his parents' Sebastopol ranch near Green Hill Road. I also remember going to a party there—was that the the original Seb. Celtic Festival on the hillside overlooking the vineyards? I remember the warmth of the sun, the music floating over the vineyards.

Caswell Carnahan 1980-83

Whenever Danny Carnahan and Chris Caswell played music—I was transported in time. I attended every show they played in Sonoma County. I was am enthusiastic groupie. Chris gave me a copy of Borderlands. I think they both signed the audio cassette sleeve. Of course, now when I want to play it, I can't find it.

Album design & illustration by Danny Carnahan

I used to see Chris regularly when he worked at Copperfield's Music in Sebastopol. I suppose I was always making excuses to stop in, and say hi. He'd sell me music, guitar stings, invite me to his gigs.

I moved away. He moved away. He remarried, lived down the road from me in Oakland. Odd. We were still in each other's periphery, but not quite touching. Our friendship was a liminal borderlands affair.

The young man sat above the town
In the glow of the setting sun
With his head held cradled in his hand,
His back against a stone
Sayin, ‘Why have I so little time
In this wretched place to stand
When I can’t take the girl I love
Back home to the borderland-o’ 
© 1982 Danny Carnahan/Post-Trad Music

Remember the first Sebastopol Celtic Festival? Few know that Chris was the original producer of the Sebastopol Music Festival as well as the Kate Wolf Music Festival. I remember all of us crowded in the Main Street Saloon getting well-watered and rocking the rafters until closing.

Chris and I did a few Irish poetry and music gigs together—the most memorable event was at the old Petaluma Library. Eola Bates produced it. I was honored to read Irish poetry to his harp music. I've a photo of us performing together in the film archives. Will look for it too.

We also performed at the Blue Heron Cafe open mike and community dinner in Duncan's Mills with Chris, and that's how I met Sonoma County's other harpist, Patrick Ball. Incredible halcyon days.

Someone said Chris Caswell made a thousand Celtic harps during his lifetime. He was always trying to get me to buy one on installment plan. It was always a little too much money, and I knew that I was a mediocre musician, at best. Always just out of my reach.

I toyed with the idea for decades, always thinking that one day, maybe. A harp of mine own. But now it's too late. To say goodbye to Chris, is something I never expected to do—not at 60. Not like this. So much life in him, so much joy. His passion and talent affected the lives of so many folks. A darkness descending on the horizon of my heartsleeve.

And so I raise the parting glass to the bard and water the stars with useless tears. Adamantine sorrow of the first water. I am grateful to have known him, even if from afar, all these years.

But the Cláirseach music of the spheres is all the brighter for it.

Chris Caswell Farewell Concert Dec 16 at Occidental Hall

Dan Taylor Chris Caswell's obituary from today's Press Democrat. Dan said that his life story would make a good book.

Mudcat thread.

Chris Caswell bio

Chris Caswell's first high school band was The Celtic Trio (later The Celtic Tradition), he was a member of Robin Williamson and His Merry Band,

along with Danny Carnahan. They formed the duo Caswell Carnahan. Then there was New World Gypsy String Band. I lost count. Videos Then there was the teaching at Lark Camp, Golden Toad Camp, Dickens Faire—he tried to get me to take over a shift for him, once, to mind the booth. I never got around to it. There's a benefit performance for Chris, A Night for Chris, at Freight & Salvage Feb 4 at 8 PM to help defray his enormous medical expenses. Donations can be sent via Paypal to resolve@sonic.net - 100% goes to Roxanne Caswell. Monday, February 4, 2013, 8:00 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm) a benefit celebration of the life of Chris Caswell $24.50 advance / $26.50 at door Purchase tickets online Join us tonight at the Freight for a benefit celebration to honor Chris Caswell, who recently passed away. A masterful maker and player of the Celtic harp, rapturous performer, charming storyteller, expert musicologist, and extraordinary individual, Chris played a huge role in the Celtic Renaissance as a member of Robin Williamson and his Merry Band in the 1970s and Caswell Carnahan in the 80s, and has built more than 1,000 harps for musicians around the world. Our host tonight is Danny Carnahan, who partnered with Chris in Caswell Carnahan and currently plays in Wake the Dead, the world’s first Celtic all-star Grateful Dead jam band.  Danny will play solo as well as in tandem with some of his current band mates, covering more than 30 years of musical highlights. Golden Bough, featuring Margie Butler, Kathy Sierra, and Paul Espinoza, will play from their vast repertoire of haunting ballads, beautiful airs, and lively songs drawn from the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, French Brittany, and Spanish Galicia. Oak Ash & Thorn, the legendary a capella trio with Doug Olsen, Tom Wagner, and Dave Swan, first shared a bill with Caswell Carnahan 32 years ago. Kevin Carr of Wake the Dead, Hillbillies from Mars, and several other musical assemblages, performs with his motley band of Galician bagpipers. Panacea, with Shira Kammen, Nada Lewis, Robin Petrie, Nicole LeCorgne, and Bon Singer, uses traditional instruments from the Balkans and the Middle East to create a wildly playful musical fusion. San Francisco’s Steve Baughman is a dynamite guitarist inspired by Celtic and Appalachian traditions. Tonight Steve joins forces with his “Farewell to the House” chorale. Philip Gelb plays shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute. He began studying the instrument in 1990 and has recorded more than a dozen albums. Celia Ramsay, a warm and witty singer with a passion for Scottish ballads, joins harpist and singer Patrice Haan of Leftover Dreams for a musical collaboration sure to tug at the heartstrings. Marla Fibish, Susan Spurlock, and Peter Heelan, on mandolins and uilleann pipes, play Irish traditional music with imagination and flair. It’s a chance to be part of an unforgettable evening, with an all star lineup honoring a true Celtic bard. Note bene: I'm parking info here until I figure out what to do with it Unfortunately, last Monday the Bay Area and the folk music world lost Chris Caswell to a long illness.  Chris was a masterful maker and player of the Celtic harp, rapturous performer on harp, flute and whistle, singer of songs, charming storyteller, expert musicologist, and extraordinary individual.  Truly a present day bard in the ancient tradition.  Chris Caswell passed away peacefully at his home in Oakland after a hard-fought battle with cancer. We list many House Concerts in this publication.  Some of you have never been to a house concert, perhaps because they don't know what they are like.  Sit in at a house concert with Chris Caswell, in his prime back in May of 2010, by clicking this link: http://youtu.be/Z1oGzLLYJB4 Lead Story Tickets Still Available As Bay Area Folk Music Community Gathers To Remember Bard Chris Caswell Chris played a huge role in the Celtic Renaissance as a member of Robin Williamson and his Merry Band http://youtu.be/QuVsY1_MVEY in the 1970s and Caswell Carnahan https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/caswell-carnahan/id207633912in the 80s, and has built more than 1,000 harps for musicians around the world. There will be a memorial benefit concert 8:00pm February 4th, 2013 at the Freight & Salvage http://www.thefreight.org/concert-chris-caswell. Tickets are still available online at http://tktwb.tw/Xx0MQx and all proceeds will go directly to help defray his medical expenses.  Many of the Bay Area's premier folk musicians will perform, including Danny Carnahan, Wake the Dead, Oak Ash & Thorn, Golden Bough, Steve Baughman & the In Harmony's  Way Chorus, Shira Kammen and Pam Swan, Philip Gelb, Peter Heelan, Susan Spurlock and Marla Fibish, Nada Lewis and Jon Schreiber, Celia Ramsay & Aryeh Franklin, along with a few surprises. There will also be a Silent Auction of rare folk instruments and other items, including many from Chris' own collection.  This promises to be a unique and memorable event.  Details at http://www.thefreight.org/concert-chris-caswell Please make inquiries to: Freight & Salvage Production Manager Bob Whitfieldbobwhit@freightandsalvage.org 510-859-1123 Event Production Manager Pam Swan pjmusic2002@yahoo.com 510-219-1118 Silent Auction Manager Danese Cooper danese@gmail.com 415-518-6542.  More on Chris Caswell,http://www.myspace.com/chriscaswell