Ottawa Folk Festival

Subject: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: C. Ham
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:38 PM

I'm off to the Ottawa Folk Festival beginning Thursday evening and continuing through Sunday night. I started going five or six years ago and it's now my favorite Ontario festival.

Mudcatter Mike Regenstreif has hosted stellar workshops at many festivals and his line-up for "How Can I Keep From Singing" on Sunday afternoon at Ottawa is Odetta, Finest Kind and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger. Should be something special to get all those folks singing together.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Beer
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:50 PM

Have a great time C. Ham. Wish I was here to go. topical tom and his better half are thinking of going. If you see them say hello.
He!, he!.
(private joke for those who wonder what it means He!, he!.)

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: C. Ham
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:53 PM

I do know what you mean Adrien. On the same token, I have no idea who Topical Tom really is.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Beer
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:53 PM

He will be looking for you.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: C. Ham
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 05:58 PM

Tell him I'll be the one wearing a t-shirt and hat.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Beer
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 06:30 PM

lol
Does the tee shirt say Branches and Roots and is yellow?

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 12 Aug 08 - 11:25 PM

And there will be a UK contingent for I shall be there, Wearing a Dragon 's Breath T-shirt from Kingston,ON

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Beer
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 08:00 AM

Hope you and your contingent are haveing a great time.
adrien

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: bankley
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 06:14 PM

yeah, Ottawa,,,,, just look for someone wearing a Tilley hat and Birkenstock sandals....

Mike's doing something with Odetta this year.... on a professional level of course

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: C. Ham
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 02:24 PM

The Ottawa Folk Festival was great. There was lots of amazing music, the food was excellent, the site was beautiful, the volunteers were welcoming and the new emphasis on enviornmentalism was much appreciated.

Among my favorite artists were Odetta, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Colin Linden, Michael Jerome Browne, Tao Rodriguez Seeger, Finest Kind, Radoslav Lorkovic and the Duhks.

The highlight of the whole festival had to have been Odetta's incredible mainstage performance and the "How Can I Keep From Singing" workshop animated by Mike Regenstreif with Odetta, Finest Kind and Tao Rodriguez Seeger. Singing from her wheelchair, Odetta doesn't play guitar anymore, but had a wonderful pianist named David keys to back her up.

The workshop, in front of hundreds of fans jammed into the indoor hall, was a 2 hour tour de force, originally scheduled for 1 hour. It started on time at 2:45 with Mike announcing that Odetta was delayed due to a dental emergency. He said that she still wanted to be part ofthe workshop and would try and make it. Mike and Finest Kind and Tao began without Odetta and rose to the occasion with great songs, lots of artist participation and astute commentary and questions from Mike to the artists.

At one point, while Tao was singing, Mike was called off the stage by festival officials. He came back and called a brief time-out for a quick huddle with Tao and Finest Kind. Then Mike announced that Odetta would only be able to make it for 4:00, 15 minutes after the workshop was scheduled to end.

Then came the good news.

Mike said that what was scheduled from 4:00-5:00 in the hall would be moved elesewhere and that the workshop would continue until 3:45 as scheduled, there'd be a short break, and would then continue with everyone including Odetta.

And that's what happened. At 4:00, the hall was still packed. I don't think anyone left. Mike, Tao and Finest Kind took their places and Odetta was brought out to a standing ovation. Then they carried on for another hour with more of the same quality of performance from all.

When it was time for the last go-round, Mike made a special request of the artists that they each choose a song that everyone on stage, and everyone in the audience could all sing together. Finest Kind led us in "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," the old rock and roll song, Tao led us in "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and Odetta was the finale leading us in "Rock Island Line." It ended with a well deserved, long standing ovation. An amazing 2 hours.

Later that night, Odetta was simply amazing earning encores and more standing ovations. As she was wheeled off the stage following the encore we (the thousands of us in the audience) kept on singing the chorus to "This Little Light Of Mine" to her. A perfect folk festival moment.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: C. Ham
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 02:28 PM

I meant to mention the duo of Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus in my list of favorite artists.

One complaint. The music from the dance tent was too loud on occasion and interfered with the workshops on the nearby Loeb Glebe stage.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: john f weldon
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 02:39 PM

That sounds great! The trouble with life is not being able to be everywhere and do everything. Pfui.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: bankley
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 03:08 PM

thanx for the report C. I couldn't get away.. but I was sure thinking on it...

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 03:34 PM

Odetta in a wheel chair? I saw her in concert two or three years ago and she was walking on her own.
Sounds like there were some magic moments.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Folkiedave
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 06:36 PM

I was also there and agree about everything posted. Finestkind were great throughout the festival and in over 40 years of concert-going that was one of the most memorable I have ever been to. Odetta was just as good on the main stage later that night. I also echo the comments about Riley Bagus.

It would be great to see Tao Rodriguez-Seeger over in the UK - he has that special summat . Finestkind and Riley Baugus are due over in October/November.

Subject: RE: Ottawa Folk Festival
From: Beer
Date: 19 Aug 08 - 04:24 PM

Thanks for the info C. Sounds like it was a great time. Even though I missed it I'm still having a great time in St. Thomas.