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    During the 19th Century, James “The Rooster” Corcoran emigrated from Ireland to New York City, married, became a champion of the Irish-American immigrant working class, and led an infamous gang. Now his descendent, New York City folk musician Vincent Cross, has created a new album around his life. Through narratives partly researched and partially imagined a soundscape of English concertina, bouzouki, minstrel banjo, bodhrán weave together musical elements drawn from the Irish & American folk traditions. Most of the song stories consist of newly-written original songs with nods to several public domain songs adapted for the cause. Cross took on the task of learning several new instruments (concertina, bouzouki) specifically for this project, even utilizing the talents of Irish based luthier, Brian Lofthouse to design a bouzouki used specifically for the recording.

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    Ten songs (ballads) that paint a picture that is influenced by traditional Irish and American folks song motifs and melodies. You’ll hear fragments of traditional songs throughout from both sides of the pond. The narrative is not completely linear but it does begin in Corcoran’s place of birth , Balbriggan with ‘A Man After My Own Heart’ (adapted from a New York Times article of the same title), and then briefly moves to New Orleans (‘Creole Girl’), and then on to the Five Points in New York City. Corcoran soon moves up to 40th street, and is the first to settle a shanty town on a high ridge of ground known as Goat's Hill (‘King Corcoran’). This soon becomes a home for over 100 Irish families newly immigrated. It’s where the Tudor City is today, and there’s even a Gothic inscription to Corcoran that says, “Here was Corcoran’s Roost till the year 1877.”

    Instrumentation: Mandolin, bodhran, bouzouki, chromatic concertina, and dulcimer.

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  • Full Digital Discography

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about

James did not immediately land in New York City. Cheaper passage may have been to New Orleans. This conveniently allows me to introduce a traditional favorite of mine that is well known in both Irish & American folk music circles, "The Lakes of Pontchatrain." The origins of the song, are mysterious, but the lakes are located in Louisiana, and the story might have taken place around the American Civil War period, which would be close to James' time.

lyrics

2. Creole Girl - (Trad. Arr.)

Verse One
Over swamps of alligators
I made my weary way
Over ties on railroad crossings
My weary feet did play
Till at length toward shades of evening
That higher ground I'd gain
It was there that I met with the Creole girl
On the lakes of Pontchatrain.
Verse Two
I said, “My pretty fair maiden,
My money here's no good.
If it weren't for the alligators
I'd sleep out in the wood.”
“you're welcome here, kind stranger,
Our house is very plain
But we never turn a stranger out
On the Lakes of Pontchatrain.
Verse Three
She took me into her father's house
And she treated me quite well,
The hair upon her shoulders
In jet black ringlets fell.
To try and paint her beauty
I'm sure 'twould be in vain,
So handsome was my Creole girl
On the Lakes of Pontchatrain.
Verse Four
I asked her if she'd marry me,
She'd said it could never be.
For she had got another,
And he was far at sea.
She said that she would wait for him,
And true she would remain.
'Til he returned for his Creole girl
On the Lakes of Pontchartrain
Verse Five
So it's fare thee well, my Creole girl,
I never shall see you more,
I'll ne'er forget your kindness
In the cottage by the shore.
And at each social gathering
A flowing glass I'll drain
I'll drink a health to the Creole girl
On the Lakes of Pontchatrain.

credits

from The Life & Times of James "The Rooster" Corcoran, released August 7, 2020

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Vincent Cross New York, New York

Vincent Cross is an Irish song poet whose catalogue of critically-acclaimed albums draw from various traditional folk idioms and ancient myths. Born in Ireland, raised in Australia and now living in New York City, he frequently tours globally at folk clubs and festivals, and is a staple at the Brooklyn Folk Festival, and the renowned Scratcher Sessions in Manhattan. ... more

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