Folk News
Vol. 27 No 1 World Folk Music Association Winter 2013
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW! On June 1, 2013, WFMA will present a very special benefit concert for THE MADISON HOUSE AUTISM FOUNDATION and Conference Center, located just This concert will differ from a short distance from the Clarice our past benefit concerts in sevSmith Center. eral ways. First, proceeds from Joining us to help raise money ticket sales will go to The Madifor Madison House will be some of son House Autism Foundation, the most well known artists in folk an organization that specializes in music, including (at this support for adults with autime) Tom Paxton, Noel tism. And second, we plan Paul Stookey and Mack to present fewer performBailey. But be sure to keep ers, so that you may enjoy an eye on our website—we more music from each of will soon announce more the artists participating in performers and additional the show. details. The concert will be held We hope you will be at the Clarice Smith PerPhoto by Joanne Nanna Photo by Sally Farr Photo by Chuck Morse able to join us for this very forming Arts Center, on special evening of music for a very Benefit Concert, in April of 2011. the campus of the University of good cause. Our headquarters hotel for the event Maryland, in College Park. This continued top page 2 will once again be the Marriott Inn was the site of our 25th Annual
SHOWCASES RETURN! by Doris Justis
WFMA will kick off a new showcase series in Silver Spring, MD on Sunday, January 13, 2013 at 8:00 pm. WFMA has taken a break from the showcase format for several years. With the success of our farewell to Ireland’s Four Provinces showcase in March, 2012 (home of monthly showcases in the 1980s), we decided to bring back the showcases! So starting this month, we will have a “second Sunday” showcase at the El Golfo Restaurant, in Silver Spring for the next several months.
The performers for the first showcase will be Side by Side (Doris Justis and Sean McGhee) returning as the “houseband,” along with Kevin James (who frequently performed at our showcases in the past) and a new group with nine members, 1
Shenandoah Run. Please call El Golfo at (301) 608-2121 for reservations and be sure to tell them you are coming for the performance at 8:00 pm so you can be seated in our room. This will be a pay at the door event (cash or credit card) - $10 for WFMA members and $15 for non members. El Golfo features a full menu of delicious Latin American cuisine (yes, we have been there and we recommend it!) and has full bar service, so plan on dinner and drinks. The room seats 75 so please continued middle page 2
continued from page 1 The Madison House Autism Foundation is honored and excited to team up with WFMA to help bring great folk music to new audiences and at the same time promote awareness and appreciation of the opportunities and challenges of living with autism. “Of all the arts, folk music has a unique ability to bring artistic expression to the lives and stories of people from all walks of life,” notes MHAF Founder and President JaLynn Prince. “Because most of us understand so little about the talents and challenges faced by adults with autism, this is a beautiful op-
portunity not only to appreciate great folk music but at the same time celebrate the diversity of our shared human existence.” One in 88 children are diagnosed with autism today. Like most individuals, they will live the majority of their lifetimes as adults. Their future however, will be dramatically different, with little hope for jobs, moving out of their parents’ homes, social engagement and basic quality of life opportunities. Madison House Autism Foundation is among the first and few organizations in the nation to focus exclusively on addressing the social, educational, and economic
challenges impacting adults with autism and their families. “We are deeply moved by the willingness of WFMA to dedicate proceeds of its folk music performances to benefit Madison House programs on behalf of adults with autism who struggle to find a way to navigate our world,” added Prince. “We welcome your ideas, invite you to share your stories, and encourage you to contact us at www.madisonhouseautism.org to let us know how we can reach others who share the goals of bringing hope and possibility to adults with autism.”
SHOWCASE continued from page 1
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lena and favorite, Kensington Station to be reserve early. Parking is available in Sanford Markley, Danny Doyle, at the next showcase, on Sunday, the lot adjacent to the restaurant. Bob Gibson, John Stewart….and the February 10. WFMA began the original showlist goes on and on. I will be coor El Golfo Restaurant is located case series in February of 1984 at dinating the showcases at El Golfo at 8739 Flower Ave, Silver Spring, the Birchmere Music MD, 20901. You can Hall in Alexandria, VA find directions to the and later expanded the restaurant, information series to other locaabout the performers, tions in DC, Maryland and much more about and Virginia. Each Kensington Station - by Mary Ledford the showcase series on Sied by Side - by Mary Ledford showcase featured the our website at www. houseband, Side by Side and three (as I did for the original showcase wfma.net/egshowcase.htm. other acts. During the 15 year series) and in the coming months I If you are a performer interested showcase run, we had a “who’s who will bring you many of your favorin participating in a future showcase, of folk” on our showcase stages, inites and some new folks too. The or just know of a performer you cluding Christine Lavin, Noel Paul showcase evenings are always full of would like to see at one of these Stookey, Schooner Fare, Kevin, of wonderful surprises and memorable shows, please email me at DorisJuscourse, Steve Gillette, Bill Danoff, moments. You can look for local tis@yahoo.com.
Meet Koen Miller A Folk Fan at 11 Years Old
by Chuck Morse I would like you to meet the newest and youngest (that I know of) WFMA folk fan. His name is Koen Miller. Koen is an 11 year old autistic boy in Richmond, CA (north of Berkeley). His introduction to folk music was seeing the movie A Mighty Wind (at
the age of 2), and he was totally obsessed with it. He wore out the first copy and his family had to buy him a second copy. The family got a bit tired of seeing that movie over and over, so his mother bought him the PBS DVD This Land is Your Land. That soon became his favorite and introduced him to real folk musicians for the first time. He now has all of the WFMA DVDs, Let’s Get Together, Kingston Trio 45th Anniversary and the Tom Paxton Celebration, and he is working on adding all of the WFMA CDs to his collection. He spends most of his free time thinking about, listening to, 2
playing and researching folk music. He’s writing a “set list” of his favorite songs to play. (He plays ukulele and tenor guitar.) He and some of his friends recently produced their own backyard “benefit concert,” playing and singing many of their favorite folk songs. WFMA is delighted to be able to help Koen enjoy his favorite kind of music. If you are aware of any other young folk music fans that you would like to see featured in Folk News, just send us an email (webmaster@wfma.net) or a letter and we will follow up with you to get more details.
“Wasn’t That A Party!”
Tom Paxton Celebrates his 75th Article & Photo by Joanne Nanna
Tom Paxton celebrated his 75th birthday with several of his musical friends and a capacity crowd at the Birchmere on Oct. 27. An informal party atmosphere was evident throughout the evening, as the audience clapped and sang along with many songs. Multi-instrumentalist Robin Bullock and bassist Ron Greenstein accompanied Paxton throughout the evening while Marcy Marxer added her vocals
and expert guitar, banjo, and mandolin on most songs. Bullock, Cathy Fink, Debi Smith, and Anne Hills, among others, provided additional harmonies. There was a strong sense of camaraderie among all the artists and between them and their audience. The set list included classics “Ramblin’ Boy,” “Peace Will Come,” and “The Last Thing On My Mind.” There were also cuts from Comedians and Angels, Paxton’s most recent recording, including the title song and “How Beautiful Upon The Mountain.” Additionally, most of the artists took star turns on lead vocals for particular Paxton songs that held particular meaning for them. One of the evening’s highlights came when Paxton’s grandson, Sean Silvia, joined him on stage as guest vocalist. The young man sang along
on “Marvelous Toy,” showing the self-assurance of a veteran performer. An emotional moment came when longtime duo Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer gave a beautiful rendition of the love song, “You are Love.” They introduced the song as one of the most beautiful they knew, and spoke of it being played at their recent wedding. Marxer joked that after 30 years together, people wondered if it would last. With his long and distinguished career, Tom Paxton has become an American icon in the folk music world. My memories of him and his music go back as far as I can recall and his influence on both contemporary and traditional artists is obvious. Here’s hoping we have the privilege of attending many more of his birthday parties in the future.
Jack had delighted audiences at our 15th Annual Benefit Weekend in 2000, and our 18th Annual Benefit Weekend in 2003. Being able to enjoy a full evening of Jack’s songs, stories and amazing guitar playing in the intimate atmosphere of a house concert was a real treat. Jack’s concert reflected his experiences during his 50+-year career of playing folk, rock, jazz, R&B, classical and the popular music of the 30s, 40s and 50s. The hot weather did not seem to bother him a bit. He performed two long sets that included many fan favorites, including “Mama Lou,” “The Old Buckdancer’s Gone,” “The High Road Home,” his tribute
to Josh White, “A Natural Man,” and Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain.” As always, the songs were interspersed with moving stories of growing up, his early musical career and dealing with aging parents. Perhaps the highlight of the evening came when he closed the show with his amazing, right-brain, stream-of-consciousness, “That’s All” Medley, which lasted over 30 minutes. As the fans left the show, the smiles on their faces were a sure sign that everyone had enjoyed the show, despite the extreme heat. And as an added bonus, Ryan Eicher, a Silver Spring artist, exhibited his intricate and colorful pendants of blown glass. Ryan also brought his glass blowing equipment, and gave a demonstration of his skills on the front porch during intermission. We are very grateful to Bruce and Rose for their hospitality, not only for allowing us to use their beautiful, historic house for this concert, but also for providing snacks and beverages for the evening. We look forward to doing more house concerts at this wonderful location.
WFMA’s First House Concert Featured Jack Williams by Chuck Morse
Our first WFMA “House Concert,” at the home of Bruce Cohen, in Silver Spring, MD, was a wonderful evening of music. A capacity crowd of over 50 fans braved the 100+ degree temperature on July 7 to enjoy the music of the very talented Jack Williams.
Folk News
Vol. 27 No. 1 The Newsletter of the World Folk Music Association PO Box 83583 • Gaithersburg, MD 20883 Contributors:
Fred Cherney • Chuck Morse Doris Justis • Joanne Nanna • Sally Farr WFMA is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the promotion of contemporary and traditional folk music.
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Tom Rowe, A Celebration of Song Concert
In the early years of WFMA, we sponsored several annual trips to attend Schooner Fare concerts in their home state of Maine. WFMA is considering reinstating the “WFMA Travel Program” with another trip to Maine for the Ninth Annual “Tom Rowe, A Celebration of Song Concert.” For the past eight years, Dave Rowe has organized an annual concert in honor of his dad, Tom Rowe, who passed away on January 17, 2004 after a courageous battle with cancer. Tom was best known as a member of Schooner Fare, but from 1992-1998 he also performed with his son Dave, as Rowe by Rowe, and in 1998, they added a third member, Denny Breau, and renamed the group to Turkey Hollow Consort. The concert is being planned for May 11, 2013 (Mother’s Day Weekend) in Auburn, ME. Artists scheduled to appear include Schooner Fare, Dave Rowe’s duo the Squid Jiggers, Denny Breau and our own Side by Side. Many of those interested in the trip have indicated that they would prefer a method of transportation to/from Auburn that would allow them to make personal stops along the way. So we are working towards providing concert tickets, a group hotel rate and some special activities with the performers. More information will be available near the end of January.
and Girlyman came back with their beautiful 3 part harmonies. Two of the by Joanne Nanna newer bands to appear were Spuyten The 2012 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Duyvil and Baltimore’s own ilyAIMY. took place on July 26-28. Once again the Tracy Grammer, who has played at weather was a main topic of conversathe festival every year since 2000, protion. The temperatures were vided some of the weekend’s more moderate compared to highlights. At a solo worklast year’s scorching highs, shop and then during a prime but the seeming summer main stage slot on Saturday monsoons of the Berkshires evening, she dedicated her returned with a vengeance. performances to celebrating Several hours of steady rain the memory of Dave Carter, most of the weekend kept who died suddenly of a heart Photos by Joanne Nanna attendance down and turned attack the week before Falcon parts of the campgrounds, Ridge ten years ago. It was stage area and the midway just her and her guitar during into mud baths. the workshop, playing music Though fewer than avercomposed by Carter and perage, the attendees were a typical Falcon formed by them as a duo. In between Ridge crowd. A small city sprang up songs she spoke of meeting Carter, and overnight in the campgrounds complete gave insight into his personality and with outdoor kitchens and residents who how many of the songs were written formed an instant family. Daily necessiand what they were about. The main ties such as snacks and sunscreen were stage show featured guest appearances freely shared and you could hear song from many of her and Carter’s musical circles at all hours of the day and night friends, including the Nields sisters, under shade tarps during periods of Rod McDonald, percussionist Cheryl rainfall. Prashker, and Brother Sun. She was Whenever the weather is less than supported by new band mates Michael ideal the dance tent takes on added sigKurman and Rob Schnell. Some of the nificance. During last year’s heat wave same artists were on stage 10 years ago people flocked there to take advantage standing in for Dave and Tracy during of the shaded 8,000 square foot floor and what would have been their set. It was the many cooling fans set up inside. This all about deep sorrow and loss back year it gave them shelter from the rains. then, but this year it became a big celBands such as The Clayfoot Strutters, ebration of Carter’s life and music and The Grand Slambovians, Jubal’s Kin, Grammer’s talent and perseverance in and the Falcon Ridge House Band prokeeping it alive. vided entertainment in a variety of musi Despite the less than ideal weather, I cal styles. Many of the dance sessions found the 2012 Falcon Ridge Folk Festiwere led by callers, and some functioned val to be a thoroughly satisfying experias instructional workshops for those ence. There is so much that is good about wishing to improve their footwork. it which can’t be negated by a little rain. The main stage was graced by old FalAttendees still get to spend 3 or 4 days con Ridge favorites plus some new to in the mountains of Columbia County, the festival. Eddie From Ohio returned NY, as part of a unified community being after a one year absence as did Katryna entertained by some of the best the folk and Nerissa Nields. Holly Near pergenre has to offer. In 2013 it’s scheduled formed for the first time in many years, for Aug. 2-4. I plan to be there.
Falcon Ridge 2012
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Now Available
A DVD of highlights from our Tom Paxton Celebration on May 3, 2008 Featuring
Peter Yarrow • Noel Paul Stookey • Christine Lavin The Chad Mitchell Trio • Anne Hills The Limeliters • Carolyn Hester • Side by Side
Visit www.wfma.net for details. 5
PO Box 83583 PO Box 40553 Gaithersburg, MD, 20883 Washington DC 20016
First Class
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