Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu

Subject: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: blt
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 05:42 PM

This is a question I've been asking myself for more than a few years, and since I've answered myself several times over, thought I'd throw it out to the general public. My question is, how useful are organizations such as the Folk Alliance or publications like Dirty Linen? Is it worth paying money to be included in such organizations? What are the benefits? Pros/cons?

I've personally found the 2 I listed as not particularly useful. I've never been to the conference, and Dirty Linen seemed to be aimed more at the business side of things, which I'm not exactly deeply interested in. Maybe if I was, I would find this stuff more compelling. Maybe I was looking for Mudcat all along and didn't know it. Anyway, your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

blt

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 09:17 PM

I belong to the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. My membership gives me 9 free concerts a year (the likes of Jean Ritchie, Helen Schneyer, Double Decker String Band), discounts on a batch of other concerts, and a publication--the monthly Newsletter that tells me what's going on in the folk scene in my area. Well worth the investment.

I subscribe to Sing Out! magazine, too. Quarterly, it gives me ideas about CDs I need to check out, and the lyrics and sheet music for a dozen and half songs, at least one of which I want ot learn.

Maybe you need to ask yourself what you're after, and join and subscribe accordingly to publications and organizations that meet those needs.

Of course, Mudcat might well meet many of those needs...

-Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 05:53 AM

We don't have a formal folk music organization in Sacramento, but we have a loose network that comes up with lots of activities. Some of us belong to the San Francisco Folk Music Club, which is a hundred miles away. There are a few of these large regional clubs in the U.S. that do a lot to foster traditional music, and I think they're essential. Since it's "folk" music, I think it's important that it isn't only centered in the recording industry.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 11:08 AM

Charlie makes an excellent point. There are lots of organizations and publications and they are all different. I personally have found that the larger the organization and the broader the audience, the less interesting to me. Another personal rule is if the organization is doing something I think is worth doing, I'll support it.

For example, IMHO the Folk Alliance tries to be too many things to too many people. My own interests are much more focused. So I don't support them.

My affiliation with the Philly Folksong Society is an onagain offagain thing. I join if at least three of the upcoming free-to-members concerts look good, otherwise I pass for the year.

The Old Time Herald drives me nuts, but I cannot fault its focus. I keep my subscription current.

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 08:17 PM

I subscribe to two folk mags - the German 'Folker!', and the Scottish 'Living Tradition'. There are issues where I hardly read any item because it's outside my interests. There are others where I find a lot to interest me. Still, if I bought only those issues I'm interested in, and everybody else did the same, before long I'd be left without anything because the mags would fold.
Same with the folk music association I belong to. I'm not a musician, but I end up doing a lot of the work, e.g. bringing out a newsletter every two months, now starting to look after our homepage. You could ask what I get out of it apart form work, but that's not my viewpoint. One, I get together with people with interests similar to my own. You could say that through my work I buy my way into a community that wouod otherwise be fairly closed to me - musicians. Two, I do get personal satisfaction from the work I do. I know it's good and I know it's important to (at least some) other people. And three, what did Kennedy say? Don't ask what your country does for you - ask what you can do for your country. Put 'organisation' instead of 'country' and it fits. This attitude used to be called 'solidarity', I believe. It's gone out of fashion a bit.

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: blt
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 12:21 AM

Thanks for responding. Now I'm curious about what publications and organizations exist--is there a list somewhere on Mudcat already?

blt

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Gypsy
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 12:47 AM

Well, I don't know about a formal list, but....I subscribe to: Dulcimer Players News, which gives tab and dots for both hammer and fretted dulcimer. Guild of American Luthiers, good advice on mantainance of instruments, as well as building. Sing Out, good for tunes, and leads to other publications. I'm particularly fond of specialty magazines, so perhaps I am biased. For organizations: Mudcat, which you can donate either money or labor to, and Victory Music, which is an organization in Washington State, and helps out aucostic musicians.

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: sian, west wales
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 08:07 AM

I like the historical aspects of folk song, so I'm a member of the Welsh Folk Song Society and get the annual journal - even the articles I don't expect to be interesting end up interesting me!

There are a lot of people who think the soc. is too research oriented / academic, but at least that shows that the membership and 'mission' are focused. And what most of the critics tend to forget is that most of the Welsh folk music which is known today is a result of the society finding, and publishing, songs - and often publishing with detailed background notes.

As Susanne says, I support it (warts and all!) because it mustn't be lost, and I get very good value for money. And people who don't support it (financially) get even better value!

sian

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Naemanson
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 08:21 AM

I have read Dirty Linen and find it is of little interest to me. I am not all that interested in the lives of the musicians but in the music they make and their next tour stops. I'd rather talk to people myself than read interviews.

I do subscribe to Sing Out! and I buy back issues when I can find them. This is largely because of the tunes. It is rare that there is not at least one or two that I've always wanted to know more about. I also enjoy Pete Seeger's insight on things and the list of festivals, camps, and other celebrations of music and folklife listed in the back.

Subject: RE: Do you find folk orgs/publications usefu
From: Wotcha
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 10:11 AM

In the Chicago area, try the "Common Times." This publication has just about every Chicagoland venue for singarounds, coffee houses, open mics, songwriter collectives (sounds subversive!), and folklore societies. It took me 6 months to find a copy of this gem but it is comprehensive and I commend it to anyone visiting the area.
The contributing folk clubs include The Fox Valley, Lake County, and Downers Grove/Plank Road Folklore Societies. A couple of Mudcatters seem to be mentioned (Jim Bartholemew springs to mind)
Check it out.
Cheers,
Brian