Thank you, Mr Penguin Egg, and also Mr Dave the Gnome, for your generous response.I got onto the thread because of Kenneth's obit, but yes, I am passionately interested in music of all kinds. I am afraid, though, that I am ignorant about what you would categorise as "folk music"? Do you mean traditional music, or are you asking me what is being generated in this part of the world nowadays?

I can tell you, for what it is worth, that there is an absolute explosion of creativity in this country and elsewhere on this continent (particularly Senegal) right now, a fusion mostly of traditional rhythms and instruments with New Age influences like hip-hop and House, and also - magically, wonderfully! - a fusion with classical Western forms. I would love to know whether you are familiar at all with SA music nowadays? Do you listen to any of it? And do you know of an artist called Ismael Lo (Senegalese)?

Please tell me more about your discussion? When I think of "folk music", I am not sure where the boundaries are - or whether there should be any, in fact. I think also a lot about Bert Jansch, whom I always respected a great deal, and the other members of Pentangle.

Am I completely off track?

Thank you again, all, for your generosity and warm welcome.