Kerville FolkFest Report: Jeffty

Subject: Kerville FolkFest Report: Jeffty
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 31 May 01 - 09:33 PM

Actually, this is from friend and Musician "Jeffty" from Austin, Texas; He has given his permission for me to post this as I think it is something most fellow Mudcatters will enjoy.
We are working on getting Jeffty aboard the Ol' Mudcat Express here, and I think that he will fit in famously. He is both a fine Musician and articulate writer, and I can assure you that I will be looking forward to his future interaction within this unique cyber-community; no doubt you will join me in making him welcome!

"Uncle Jaque"

Subject: K'ville

The Kerrville Folk Festival - Spring '01

Last year I didn't quite get it, this year it "took"...rather, it took me for a wonderful ride and I'm still reflecting in the afterglow. I like how I came to see myself in the light of the Kerrville Folk Festival http://www.kerrville-music.com/ this past weekend. It was like glimpsing into a living scrapbook from a time decades ago when nothing much mattered but music and friends. I didn't realize how much I really liked it there until my ride into work this morning. I was agitated and I didn't understand why. I figured it out soon enough.

I just left behind a taste of times past during this most glorious Memorial Day weekend. The Kerrville Folk Festival is an annual 3-week long celebration of music, kinship and community and for the three opening days I felt like a real human being again...a feeling that has faded so slowly that I didn't even realize its loss until I felt its return, however briefly. A soothing salve for my soul, a time of easy belonging and feeling truly welcome wherever my aching feet took me.

Kerrville is about 120 miles west-southwest of Austin in the Texas hill country and the festival takes place in a year-round campground that accommodates thousands of Kerfolk. As you drive up to the entrance gate you are greeted by a person who says "welcome home". And you can tell that they really mean it too. When you leave the last thing you see is a sign that says "it can be like this always". How I wish. Those of you who might dismiss all this as a bunch of hippie claptrap simply do not and will not get it and believe me - it's your loss.

And yes, it does look and feel like a gigantic tribal gathering, no doubt about it. Of course, scattered among the majority of tent campers and daytime visitors are lines of Winnebago's and trailer camps and you just know that there are almost as many yuppies reconnecting with their roots as there are full-time gypsies and musicians all drawn together for one main reason - to sing, share and listen to their songs and connect with each other in a unique (these days) and sometimes wondrous way. I detected the scent of BBQ far more often than anything else and nearly everybody was smiling - really smiling like they were happy to be there and happy that you were there too - what a concept. Folks looked you in the eye and greeted you as you or they passed by and everyone was welcomed into most anyone's campsite anytime, in fact this behavior is highly encouraged here. I can't possibly find the words to adequately describe this entire scenario save that those of you who know me well will also know that I am truly sad to be gone from that place.

You see my life these days is somewhat insular. Sure, I have acquaintances and a few new friends but I still feel like I'm a bit of an island unto myself and real connection remains elusive and there's little in my day-to-day to alleviate this. My oldest and dearest friends are still far away and are missed. But for a few days I felt surrounded by acceptance, warmth and appreciation and devoid of completion, isolation and the usual family of stressors that seem to make up business as usual these days. Can you blame me for wanting to stay there? Or for lamenting the change of being thrust back into my life "already in progress"?

I was invited to join some friends in a central area and set up camp there with them. These new tents they make are great - so easy to set up. Mine was too big for just one person but that beats too small, no? There was a large tarp nearby with many chairs and tables where we kept our coolers in the shade and often sat in a circle to talk or pick and get to know each other. Many folks are long-time veterans of this festival and knew the things necessary to enhance comfort without going overboard. A central meeting place in a campsite is a necessity and ours was visited by many although we didn't enjoy the cachet of such notable sites as Camp Stupid, Camp Cuisine, Camp Nashville and others, each a legend in Kerhistory.

Every night on the main stage, a large amphitheatre with the best sound system I've heard in a long time, 5 or 6 name acts perform a set each. I didn't see them all but I thoroughly enjoyed the ones I did see, especially Poco which was a surprise in an otherwise lighter acoustic setting. But I was especially anxious to hear the finalists in the annual New Folk competition where 32 get picked out of about 600 to appear on the Kerrville main stage during the afternoon and sing 2 songs each in a contest environment where the winners get lotsa perks, not least of which a great reference on their musical bio's and a shot at an evening appearance next year.

I entered but did not make the cut. However a few of my friends did make the cut, 2 from here (Karen Irwin and Jeff Talmadge - also members of the Austin Songwriters Conspiracy) and 1 from Maine (Curt Bessette). One of the three judges was Anne Clark, another friend from Maine. I was able to meet up and connect with these Maine friends and it was good to catch up with them. I also met and befriended a couple of new "new folk" artists and I was just in peer group heaven. There were 6 finalists chosen from the 32, none of my friends made that cut although the vast majority of the chosen were frightfully good at their craft.

Bruce and Liz Rouse, the purveyors of the renowned Rouse House concerts here in Austin were nearby and started each day with coffee and bagels 4 all and roundtable singing that attracted much of the best in the camp and for a couple of hours we would alternately listen and perform in a warm and intimate setting that felt like a family reunion every day. Of course, we were all very tired each morning. After the main stage show ends around midnight all the camping performers would start wandering to all the different campsites to share the omnipresent musical roundtables and we would all be up until 5-6 AM listening and playing every night. We would then get a few hours of sleep (if we were lucky) and start all over again. Good thing this is only a weekend for many of us. I got no sleep the first night and an average of 4 hours on the next two. Maybe this is why so many walk around in the Texas heat with a permanent smile on their faces...we're all too tired to feel otherwise.

The New Folk presentations took place from noon to 3 PM Sat & Sun and that's where all the true believers could be found seated under the sparse shade trees 'cause let's face it, 94 degrees in the shade feels like the French fry holding tray at McDonalds under the blazing midday sun - especially when you're all greasy from 30 SPF and sweaty all around. Afterwards it was off to the camp to re-hydrate and rest, perhaps visit a bit and get ready for the evening show. I can't remember when simple cold water tasted so damn good! There was also an organized song circle called the Ballad Tree in a secluded part of the campground called Chapel Hill at this time but I was far too hot and tired to partake of this. I got in enough playing at night to more than make up for missing this.

Initially I was hesitant about just sidling up to someone's campfire and just sit down and start playing when the turn came around but I was told by all the experienced Kervites that this was not only acceptable, it was expected. Still I felt better when I was invited to join the circle. Time and time again I also heard folks mention the Kerrville curse and I came under a bit of it myself. There are simply so many excellent singer/songwriters here that you tend to feel like the Anytown, USA hometown flash entering Yankee Stadium or Carnegie Hall for the first time. Your ego takes many hits and reassessment of one's future path becomes an all-too-common concern. But since an event like this usually attracts those who are very committed (or are about to be) realizing that you can hold your own in this company straightens out your back in pretty short order. You're a fool if you don't experience the curse and double if you let it get the better of you.

I didn't meet any fools there.

I did hear all too many songs excellent in craft and structure, performed by artists with resonant guitars and supple voices unafraid of eye contact, or better yet, heart contact. Man they really got to me this year. The aging of the artists was most evident in the choice of subject most heard this year. The ubiquitous lovelorn songs took a real backseat to songs about looking back and the loss of one's parent(s) - usually the father. They we're killing me with this stuff. I wasn't able to get the plaintive memories of my own loss out of my mind for long. I swear half of the New Folk contestants did a song about this subject. Even in that blazing heat my eyes seldom felt dry for long. I felt like I was emotionally overloaded several times over the weekend. I haven't felt that much emotional intensity in a long time.

The other overload came when the response to my own songs was long and loud. Acceptance and applause from so many that you admire is the greatest feeling. And most everyone was quite generous and supportive and that brought out the best in all the participants. I fear I was getting quite intoxicated from the boisterous responses to my original offerings. Except for some jams (usually in the wee small hours), there was virtually no cover music played. This festival is truly a celebration of original songwriter craftsmanship and many times I wished I had more songs to perform than I currently do. My muse has been pretty much a dry well for the past few years but I can feel that the drought is coming to an end. I wrote (and finished) my first new good song in 3 years last week and I can feel that the words are starting to come again. I got tired of drilling empty wells so I just stopped for a while and got by on what I'd already done. It's time for this to change.

I made some new friendships and strengthened others. I got sunburned, bug-bit, pan-fried, dog-eared and world-weary. I suffered from lack of sleep but I reveled in the nighttime song rituals that kept touching me in places that don't get touched very much these days. I ate less food, drank more water, walked more miles, sweat more sweat, sang more songs, heard more good ones than I could stand and felt more welcome than I have in a very long time. The only thing that would make this experience better would be to share it with someone who took a liking to sharing things with me. Well...let's not cross over into fantasy, shall we?

Happy post-Memorial day to you all and BTW - if you haven't done so already go see "SHREK" - I haven't laughed so much in a movie in a long time.

Jeffty The inquisitive in pursuit of the inconceivable

Subject: RE: Kerville FolkFest Report: Jeffty
From: Jeffty
Date: 31 May 01 - 10:31 PM

I'm glad that Jaque saw fit to post this message I had sent out to my distant friends. I hope you enjoyed a taste of the Texas hill country music and hospitality suite. Despite the obvious discomforts this will be an annual event for me, that's for sure. BCNU there...