Gordon Bok – Photo by Chris Koldewy
If you are fond of songs of ships and the sea, you may already know Gordon Bok’s music. If not, you should definitely make his acquaintance. Bok is a particular favorite of mine — a sailor, songwriter, singer and a master wood carver from Down East Maine. He was recently interviewed by Rick Landers in Guitar International. Landers writes:
The roots of the many songs by master songwriter, Gordon Bok, stir a cauldron of mystery, wonder, fear and joy that are never far away when one sails the sea along the coast of his native Maine. Gordon has the deep rough-hewn gravitas of a man who not only thrives by the sea, but in many ways is of the sea.
His tunes cast a net that gathers us up in his songs and his tales of life where laborious skills are honored, when some are notable for their beauty and others held dear, as they may be relied upon when life and death slip beyond the philosophical and dip into the harsh realities of the sea. Click here to read the full interview.
Rather than describe Bok’s music, here are two of my favorites – Jericho and The Hills of Isle Au Haut.