Old Songs Festival 2001, How did it go

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Hollowfox
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 06:53 PM

Attagirl!

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: CET
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 06:57 PM

For me the highlight of the festival was Mamadou Diabate and his ensemble. I don't play an instrument, so it isn't easy for me to describe what was happening in their sets in ways that a guitar player for instance might understand. To me it seemed that they were playing African jazz. I could feel the musical conversation that was happening between Mamadou on the kora and his colleague on an instrument that looked like a vibraharp. One would give a riff and the other would reply. Everything combined to make a complete, fluid musical creation. There was a musician who played an instrument that looked something like a cross between a ukulele and a mandolin. When he picked up a guitar, he had a ringing, clear tone that was completely entrancing and unlike anything I've heard from a guitarist at a folk concert in recent years. The vocalist was stunning: a big, powerfully built man with a voice to match. Then there was their flawless jamming with other groups.

There were other highlights too, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, The Arrogant Worms (although Charmion doesn't share my enthusiasm), Harmonium, Finest Kind.

There were a few lowlights, I must admit, but that's to be expected at a folk festival. All in all, this was the best festival I have attended in years.

One thing I don't understand though. There were English musicians performing English music, Scottish singers singing Scots ballads, Irish musicians doing Irish music. American music, howeve, was represented solely by white people. Where were the African-American musicians? I don't accept the notion that you have to be ethnically pure to perform folk music (does anybody nowadays?), but would it not have added something to have at least some African-Americans playing blues or gospel?

The real highlight of the festival, though, was the friends we met and the chance to sing with people who genuinely love traditional music. That just does not happen every day. The song swaps after the concerts were well run, but not officious. I spent too much money on CDs and came away with about 1/10 of what I really wanted.

See you all next year. It will also take a major natural disaster or a declaration of war to keep us from the Getaway in Maryland in October.

Edmund

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: kendall
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 07:55 PM

Jeri, I dont think you have to worry.

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: zoogma
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 09:57 PM

Hi all,

sorry I didn't get to the festival for very long-I had a nasty cold, so I only dropped in for a little while on sunday. I didn't see any mudcat shirts. Did catch the english dancing.. enjoyed learning a few dances I hadn't done before. Question for someone out there. WHile I was wandering around, I follwed the sound of some really beautiful music- and found a guy playing glasses. I went back later, hoping that he had a CD of his music, but alas, he was gone. Does anyone know who that was, or what that music might be called to hunt for?

thanks

Teri/ piglet

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 10:38 PM

I have the CD somewhere, It's a glass harmonica, glass harp, or something with "angel" in it I think - maybe "angelica?" If I can find the CD, I'll post more info.

The group (is it a group or just him?) he was with when I bought it was called "Furry Eggs" from Albany NY.

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: bbc
Date: 27 Jun 01 - 11:20 PM

zoogma,

When I walked by, he was just finishing playing "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," I think. It sounded just beautiful! Sorry you didn't see us. Some were wearing teeshirts & some of us have Mudcat buttons w/ our names.

bbc

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Peg
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:30 AM

I heard him playing "Moon River" and thought it was great!!!!

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: kendall
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 08:01 AM

One of those "harpists" did a concert here in City Hall Auditorium, 2200 seats, and it was unbelievable! Beautiful music! See, Matt and Benjamin, I dont hate everything!

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 11:39 AM

I'm not fond of camping -- too much like work and, now that I'm a Civilian First Class, no field service allowance -- but the music and the crack made Old Songs worth the trouble. The Getaway sounds entrancing; all that music and good company, with a roof over your head to boot! I can hardly wait.

I didn't make it to the after-concert sings; too tired and too likely to wake at first light. Next year, when I possess a camp cot, may be different. I can't believe that I have actually committed myself to another *deliberate* act of camping! What would my dear old sergeant say?

Charmion

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:24 PM

Thanks Sandy, but remember I have to get my head back in the Dutch Barn next year. We also heard the Glass Harmonium doing Jesu Joy, let's hope he's Bach next year. I guess I did not know bbc at that time, it was later that day that we met. The answer to camping Charmion is to have the bloody luxury of a tent trailer, ours is through necessity as my wife can't get in and out of tents any more, me I just have to put up with the convenience. The real burning question my wife has is "is it always like that" or did we only have such a GREAT time because of the particular artists, ie. Martin C, Norma W, Finest Kind, Artisan, etc. We are great lovers of Trad English stuff, are we likely to be disapointed next year ?? Somehow I doubt it but any thoughts out there from the not so neophite OSF crowd. JohnB

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: kendall
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 12:25 PM

Crack? hell, all I got was beer and a couple of shots of Jamisons (thanks to Big Chuck)

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Jeri
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 04:42 PM

JohnB, they usually try for a mix of music, and there has been an English Trad musician there every year I can remember, Lou Killen's frequently there, for example. Last year, they also had Heather Wood, John Roberts and Tony Barrand, Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, David Jones... You probably would have had a lousy time. ;-) (And the Peter Bellamy and Young Tradition retrospective workshops were incredible!)

Terri/piglet/zoogma, I can't seem to find my Furry Eggs CD and I don't recall having seen it in a long time. If a miracle happens and it comes out from hiding, I'll post more.

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 06:00 PM

Sorry, Kendall, I wanted to be there, but wasn't. Ah well. Maybe Champlain Valley and the Getaway.

Bat Goddess

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Peg
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 06:35 PM

wow, what a great line-up last year!!!

John Roberts and Tony Barrands are doing something VERY COOL later this summer (or maybe September?) I must remember to try and get to that. (Gary if you see this; do you know when and where? I saw the flyer at your house!)

Steve Tolston is playing Johnny D's in Boston next Tuesday!

Peg

p.s. I love camping! I am off to do ten whole days of it next week!!!!

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: kendall
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 07:18 PM

For those of you who have requested a Peg CD, you are in for one hell of a trip! It is short, but, man! What a voice!

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Peg
Date: 28 Jun 01 - 11:11 PM

um, that was Steve Tilston...

thanks Kendall! Everyone is being very nice and supportive. :)

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 12:12 AM

Hey, JohnB: Any recordings available of the more trad-oriented of the groups you make music with? I'd sure like to hear one.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 12:45 AM

Great thread and rain or shine, it sounds simply fantastic to me! It's a great fest and we'll try to make it next year though I hope to see many of you first at the Getaway in October.

BTW, something in the way both Jeri and 'Fox write here at the 'Cat told me they would indeed be friends......and 'Fox, I'll PM you with a date for some Goshen Dairy Ice Cream.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Hollowfox
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 10:58 AM

Actually, 'Spaw, Jeri and I have known each other since she was in high school, on staff at the Niskayuna High School Folk Festival (yes, run by a high school folk club) ; I just didn't realize that was Her until last year.
If you can make it next year, you'll find that it is worth the two day drive.

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 12:36 PM

And last year, after I'd been talking (in threads and in person) to her as if I knew her, she asked something like "Do I know you? Who the hell are you?" (She didn't actually phrase it that way.)

I used to drive to Old Songs from Indiana.

The only reaason I haven't commented on Peg's singing is because I think I already did, and hope she knows what I think. Combine a loving, sensitive and sensible treatment of songs with a clear but rich voice, and you have a singer at least as enjoyable to listen to as those who were on the stage last weekend.

Subject: RE: Old Songs, How did it go
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 29 Jun 01 - 02:51 PM

Right you are, Jeri! And Deb C was also there, although she didn't make it to the song swap so all could hear her. If you see her booked for a program somewhere near you, be sure you get to it! For those of you who couldn't last to the end of the Saturday night song swap, let me add the names of John and Heidi Cerrigione. They came in quite late and gave us two songs with guitar and (super!) autoharp accompaniments and both were absolutely spell-binding. Lovely! Hear them anywhere you have a chance!

Sandy