I've not joined the Folk Alliance so far, but I believe I will this year. I think Susette and I will attend one or both of the conferences. I commend the efforts of Mr. Cohen and others who work to preserve our traditions in music. When I have attended a workshop such as is discussed here and seen the general tone of the conferences, I'll be able to comment with more merit, perhaps.

In the meantime, I would like to say that I am in sympathy with Mr. Cohen for focusing the workshop with an arbitrary date. For years I ran open mikes for 'traditional music' in DC and my efforts to 'limit', 'define', or focus the music performed were constantly in review and discussion, if not argument.

It is tempting to form our personal definitions of genres and sub-genres and discriminate based one's assumptions and then point the finger of disagreement. But this can soon miss the mark, for the value of the workshop is in the sharing of the music, not the discrimination that will inevitably take place. We should not mistake the finger pointing for the music.

Let me know how his workshop goes. I wish I could be there.