There is a grand new folk centered establishment on the far south side of Chicago (103rd St.) It is called The World Folk Music Company---and their meaning, pretty much, is that they love the music of the world. Whatever. They were nice enough to name their music/concert space for me. I was blown away! What a nice thing to have happen. ------ Mostly, it's the "using" of the ethnic and fusion things by the business---and the seemingly watering down and miseducating those fusions are accomplishing. I mistrust the nature of the change taking place. It seems unnatural to me in that it's not a natural process like the folk tradition. It's cash and hype and advertising driven. It's just so easy for good music to not be heard.

Years ago Canada put the Canadian Content laws in place. Every radio station had to devote a part of ever hour to Canadian artists.

It was obvious to me that it was a tough struggle to fight the money machine that was the U.S. entertainment biz. I fully understood what they were striving to do and I applauded the efforts.

As with the U.S.A. in Iraq, it's hard to resist the onslaught.

Again, I don't know where I'm going with this. Just a few observations from this beautiful summer day here in Peru.

Art Thieme