Just got back from a long and very enjoyable day at the Albuquerque Folk Fest (Alb. NM). For a quick summary, it started at 1100 am MDT and will continue until about 1100 pm or so. From 1100 until six there were: three main stages with solos or groups performing, each stage changing performers on the hour, 5 concurrent workshops going on each hour, two dance venues with with groups performing or instruction going on, and venues for children, storytelling, and three jam sessions going on each hour. Me and the Mrs. left at 500 pm so we obviously did not attend everything, but what we were able to participate in was truly wonderful. Perhaps the best for the both of us was Walt Michael and Michael Chapdelaine combining with the Hammered Dulcimer and Guitar. Walt Michael might be well known to a lot of people, but Michael Chapdelaine is the head of the guitar instruction at the University of New Mexico. They had just met the night before, and yet put on a performance that sounded like it had been rehearsed for weeks. They demonstrated what two GREAT musicians can do together.

We also listened in to several of the jam sessions, and my wife really loved an Irish step dance group (young ladies) and the barbershop workshop for women. We watched a couple of the performances by the wee folks, and they were tremendous. It was really heart warming to see the breadth of skill on so many different acoustic folk instruments by so many young people. Those who are fearing the soon and sudden demise of folk or acoustic music should have been there today.

What a day! Can't wait for next year.

an exhausted but truly enchanted,

Freightdawg