Subject: RE: Mudcat Gathering at Eisteddfod-NY
From:
GUEST,Jerry
Date: 23 Nov 08 - 12:08 AM
It is heartening to read a lot of the posts above from people who were there both musicians and audience. It is, however, discouraging that so many who would have been wild for it did not get there. Taking into account that I am obviously prejudiced, I don't remember when I have ever seen such an event for people who are really into the traditional material done in the old way and for the old reasons.
I always try to put together people in a session who will bounce off each other in a way to make sparks fly. When the musicians are really really turned on and blown away. . . . well you get it. Obviously I could not see all the sessions, or even parts of them, so I welcome any who will post about sessions not yet mentioned.
Before I give some of my own highlights, I will say that we do have digital recordings of all of the main concerts and of all the workshop sessions that took place in the auditorium. Don Wade of course has no time to do much with this, but if there is a particular session that lots of folks ask for (like "I Love New York"), I can prod him to do something toward making it available online. I will certainly try.
I will take the liberty at the bottom of this to say something of the frustration at the staggering difficulty of getting people to attend such a truly incredible event.
By a wide margin, the music that got the most raves (and damned near everything got raves from both performers and audience) was Discanto. People kept asking "Where did you find them?" Actually, they found us, since they were coming to the East coast of the US anyway. They were absolutely stunning, instrumentally, vocally, and folklorically (is that a word?). Just brought down the house at every session from an audience that is very highly sophisticated and has no interest in glitz. From the East coast of Italy, a lot of the material from shepherds, a fabulous double-chanter bagpipe (the Zampogna), powerful vocals (their American contact checked with me because they were a little worried that their singing might not be polished or refined enough. . . . . "Oy vay, have I got a festival for you", said I). A tremendous thing to have gotten them, a once in a lifetime experience, some said.
Only George has mentioned so far Len Graham. I have no doubt that he is among the finest or perhaps the finest Irish traditional singer of the current generation. I first heard Len on a recording in 1979 in my first UK tour from a host of mine in Birmingham. I said "This is a young Joe Heaney".
Pat Conte is indeed a treasure. He asked me after his Friday night concert set, "Was it too esoteric?". . . Oy vay, have I got a festival for you. . . . I thought it was spot on. . . Well ok, it was not easy to understand the words. . . just like his sources. . . . .
The session that I think BrooklynRose mentioned, which I called "Black and White in Color", was exactly what I had wanted when I put together three acts that had never met and never heard each other. Norris Bennet is a black singer and instrumentalist, born in Florida, but the bulk of his material is Southern Mountain (white) ballad and string band stuff. Pat Conte, white boy that he is, most of his material is from Black traditions which he has soaked himself in inside and out, and Bill and Livia Vanaver do a bunch of similar type things (but different) from the Georgia Sea Islands and other places. How can it lose? It was nothing short of magic.
We had two big ballad sessions, one on North America and one on over the ocean. I was in the first, but not in great shape since I managed about 2 hours sleep Friday night. But the second was a complete knock out. Too many performers for the stage, and all of it fabulous.
A session that I really regretted missing was "Irish at Home and Away", with stuff as diverse is Len Graham and Barry O'Neill. widely divergent repertoires but I knew it couldn't be anything but great. I would be happy to see a comment from any that saw that session.
The "Voices in Harmony" session that someone mentioned above, with Michele and Sara from Discanto, Dave and Anni, and John and Tony was also fabulous, and what was so moving about it (this always gets me) was how much the performers were totally loving what they were hearing from the other performers. Just the "wow" look on people's faces -- well ok, I admit a lot of the 'wows' were for the pair from Discanto.
And finally I have to mention that giving the Eisteddfod Award to John and Tony was I think quite moving at the concert on Saturday night. I think I handled this one well, which has not always been the case, and it had a good touch of humor (some from the fact that the first making of the plaque had "Tony Barrano" -- like big Tony with the concrete shoes. . . . ), and also I think a special warmth from the amount of dedication to the real tradition and the amount of inspiration provided to so many, especially the next generation.
Now the frustration and the future. We know there will be a festival next year; we do not know where. The problems of bringing people to New York are simply insurmountable. The amount of feedback from so many people trying to tell their friends saying that as soon as people hear that it is in NEw York, they simply flatly refuse to consider coming. This really stabs me in the gut, first because it is so utterly stupid, and second because it is in my city where I was born and that I think is a fabulous place. I tried this year (as did others) to strongly make the point wherever I could that it was not necessary to drive into the center city at all to get there, and when you left the Interstate from any direction you were 5 minutes from the school. No effect as far as I could see. Jackson Heights is easy to get to, relatively easy to park (vastly easier than say Cambridge), has as fabulous an array of restaurants as can be found anywhere. . . OK The motels are a bit more expensive than in rural areas. . . . (but a lot cheaper than Manhattan). It just makes no sense to me that people find NY so terrifying that they wom't even think about it. But we cannot pretend that this is not the case.
But it is real rough when at the Friday night concert, with George Ward, Dave Ruch, Pat Conte, and David Jones, we had an audience, after subtracting the other performers and volunteers, of maybe 40 tops. Blows me away.
There is no point in my being negative, it is what it is. I think this problem is unlikely to improve to any significant degree, and we are beginning discussions on what to do for the future. . . yes, there will definitely be a festival. . . . somewhere. . . .
But it was a truly fabulous, memorable event. . . . And that part is amazingly gratifying. I know the committee will welcome any communication from those who care about this stuff, either via this board or directly by email. Dave Ruch has already volunteered to be helpful in any way he can.
My email address is jerepst@att.net
Jerry Epstein
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