Mahvelous, Mahk, simply mahvelous!!

I didn't see many official performances, Mudcatters or otherwise, but I did catch Stewart's gig and most of John Bartlett's Child Ballads workshop. Both were very good. This year there was a venue (Intiman Courtyard) dedicated to participatory singing sessions and workshops--of many sorts-- in addition to several participatory dancing venues. It was more accessible and could hold more folks than the little Mercer Forum rooms usually can. Lots of folks joined in those sessions.

I can't testify about the whole shebang, of course, because ya can't take it all in.

One performance I found absolutely mesmerizing was a duo called Musicantica (Enzo Fina and Roberto whose last name I can't recall), in the Italian Show. The two guys are from the villages of southern Italy and sang and played a variety of mountain instruments, producing sounds with Middle Eastern and Balkan overtones, quite unlike most folks' image of "Italian music." The energy in their music was spellbinding. Their CD sold out right after the gig, and I highly recommend hearing them if you get the chance. (They live in LA now.)

The participant party seemed to go well, and a bunch of us did a lot of spontaneous singing, but we were slow in getting it going because the dance band downstairs had their amps really cranked. Reggie Miles came by and added his amazing musical saw to the mix rather late in the party.

I didn't make it to the sea chantey venue, but lots of folks did.

The weather was pretty cooperative -- not too hot, and only a few sprinkles until after 8:00P on Monday.

The other neat thing was that, partly due to the construction and dearth of space, several venues were open after 11:00PM--the Liquid Lounge at the EMP running folklife shows until about 1:00PM.