Daniel slosberg pierre cruzatte biography
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The Journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition contain references to some two dozen occasions when dock turned to music for recreation. Pierre Cruzatte often entertained the explorers with his livlig fiddle-playing, keeping spirits high during non-work periods. Music served as a critical survival tool, both as a form eller gestalt of entertainment and recreation for the members of the expedition; and as a way of establishing trust and good will with the Indian nations encountered along the trail.
December 25, 1804- Christmas Day Fort Mandan: "We fired the swivels at day break & each man fired on round. We had the best to eat that could be had, & continued firing dancing & frolicking during the whole day. We enjoyed a mery christmas dureing the day & evening until nine oclock - all in peace and quietness."
October 24, 1805 - Camping at Wishram - Wasco by near present day Horsethief Lake State Park, WA: " Peter Crusat play
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Daniel Slosberg is Pierre Cruzatte
Daniel Slosberg has been playing fiddle since the age of five. After beginning with classical training, Slosberg's interests migrated to international folk styles. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1981, then spent the next several years supporting himself with odd jobs while studying with fiddle masters of the Scottish, Irish, French-Canadian, Klezmer and Appalachian traditions. He became so accomplished that he landed his first professional job as a musician with the nationally renowned Aman Folk Ensemble.
In 1997, Ken Burns' Lewis and Clark documentary aired on PBS, and Slosberg's life changed forever. Upon learning that Lewis and Clark had a fiddle player along on their journey, Slosberg embarked upon his own "voyage of discovery," learning everything he could about Pierre Cruzatte and the music, song and dance of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was particularly struck at how important it was to the expe
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Daniel Slosberg as Pierre Cruzatte
Today and tomorrow, we are delighted to welcome our first guest blogger! Daniel Slosberg is a musician and reenactor who plays the part of Pierre Cruzatte, the much-valued boatman and fiddler of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Dan’s journey is fascinating in terms of history, music, and personal growth. Please welcome Dan!
Pierre Cruzatte was the one-eyed, half-French, half-Omaha main boatman of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Cruzatte had more experience on the river than anyone else in the Corps. So, whenever a difficult navigational problem arose, the captains always consulted with him. He also hunted, served as an interpreter, and played his fiddle. But most people remember him for one thing: the accident in which he mistook Captain Lewis for an elk and shot him in the butt.
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Back in November of 1997, when Ken Burns’ Lewis & Clark documentary aired for the first time, I knew nothing about Pierre Cruzatte; I d