Incredible! For decades, I've looked everywhere Phil Cunningham. I went several times in Scotland ... And while I was in Ireland, Phil Cunningham was at home in Brittany for this video. But God who had made fun of me for so long, finally made me meet him a few days after the filming of this video (by chance, on a street in Galway, Ireland). We spent a warm evening in the pub "Tig Coili" where Phil had to do a concert with Sharon Shannon. What memories for me and my family! Great Guy !

The documentary is called "The World Accordion to Phil", I believe

the melody of these songs ,the choruses and the accordion playing all remind me of La Bottine Souriante - anyone know if the original French Canadian settlers in Quebec came from Brittany ?

Any chance the rest of this series could be uploaded....pretty please? :-)

Any more link to the other episodes? Does he then go to Cornwall?

very nice :-) I don't understand any french (unfortunately), but the melody and singing of the second song moves me. Is the second part of this documentary on YT as well? I really wanted to here the last tune of the video continue - I know it's called "Leaving Brittany", I think John Cunningham wrote it. Very intriguing tune as well. :-) thanks for the upload!

Doesn't the salt in the air effect the reeds ?

super fanch

Brittany is the Newfoundland of Europe.

Playing accordion. On a boat. In saltwater. Oh how I cringe! Moisture on its own kills accordions. Add salt to that equation, and you are either going to turn a serviceable instrument into junk, or rack up a very expensive repair bill within relatively short order. Ask any accordion repair person. ...Or ask anyone who came into possession of an accordion subjected to moisture. ...like myself. And to answer your question, despite a significant repair bill, the keyboard STILL isn't quite right, and it still needs a good tuning which is going to be another significant repair bill! (Eh, what can I say! When you love an instrument, you bleed for it!) Now, as far as I know, historically it was the concertina or the fiddle that were more common among mariners at sea. The concertina being significantly more compact, it would be easier to store and easier to maintain than an accordion. Of course accordions were transported and brought on board ships, but they were not regularly played at sea...because again, moisture and humidity kill accordions. Accordions are complex and rather fragile instruments with surprisingly low tolerances.