March 2003
For Booking call Pat Wolk at (559) 431-3653 or email http://151.164.128.16/ckjohns/patwolk@yahoo.com
This page was updated 2/26/03
| Concert Series | Full Moon Drumming Circle (links to their page, use the back button to return |
A series of articles about past and present FFS members grown out of an idea that new members may not know the history and people behind the FFS. The most recent episode is about:Jon Adams | |
| At The Santa
Fe Basque At the Body in the Bog And at Club Fred |
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| Lineonline | Bellydance News | about the FFS Flyer | |
| Autoharp Lessons | Celtic Events Calendar for Northern CA | Contradance | |
| St Pat's Dance Concert |
Mar 1 - Pipe on the Hob @ Santa Fe Basque Restaurant 6:30-8:30
Mar 8 & 9 - Rennaisance Faire at Fresno City College
Mar 8 - Contradance at Margaret Hudson Studio Barn
Mar 8 - Celtic Society St. Pat's @ Love and Garlic 431-7607
Mar 9 - Irish Jam session at La Boulangerie in Fig Garden Village Shopping center 2:30 - 4:30
Mar 15 - Larry Bensky speaks in North Fork Benefit for KFCF
Mar 16 - Heartland Harvest at Santa Fe Basque Restaurant 5:30 - 7:30
Mar 17 - McTeggart Dancers perform Irish dance at the Bonner
Mar 19 - Flyer Deadline
Mar 22 - Clive Gregson at the Bonner
Mar 22 - Benefit for North Fork Studio with Sugar Pine
Mar 26 - Flyer Folding at the Johnsen's 7:30 229-8808.
Monday nights - Acoustic Jam at Santa Fe Basque with Prune Rooney 6:30-9:00pm
Wednesday nights - Kenny Hall at the Santa Fe Basque
April 25, (Friday), 7:30pm-- "PERFECT STRANGERS"
Jody Stecher's new
band--Bluegrass: Jody Stecher, mandolin; Bob Black, banjo;
Forrest Rose, bass; Chris Brashear, fiddle; Peter McLaughlin,
guitar. And can they sing! Admission: $12/$15
May 10, (Saturday), 7:30pm---LAURIE LEWIS & NINA GERBER. We've been waiting a long time to have guitarist Nina Gerber (she was Kate Wolf's accompanyist) in Fresno and with Laurie Lewis. Wow! $15 Advance & FFS members; $20 at door. http://www.laurielewis.com/
Some Concert ticket details:
Concerts have been booked through May. See List.
Tickets for the Leva and
Voss concerts are at the outlets:
National Hardware, 7173 Blackstone in
Pinedale, owned by FFS member Lisa Guzman, has joined Patrick's Music and The
Movies as an outlet for our tickets.
Out-of-towners please contact Noa
Kristi 447-5397 for the Voss/Osborne concert.
Tickets for future concerts
will be on sale during intermission of the concerts.
When I teach Critical Thinking, I tell my students that it is imperative
that they take the Opposing Point of View into account. Not because it's
politically correct, I tell them, or because your grade will be lower if you
ignore it (it will, but that's not the issue). Examining the opposition makes an
argument stronger and gives you perspective. Most importantly, if we are
stagnated in our own viewpoint, changes happen without our input. No argument is
intrinsically bad or good, it just is, until you apply it.
The past several
years have been a time of major change for Fresno and everything and everyone in
it. When I first came here, to get out of the LA Smog, there wasn't much
evidence of inhabitation North of Shaw, even less North of Herndon. Forget
streetlights and road signs up there. We used to stop at the Bad Boys Market (on
Shaw and Willow) because, in the evening, it was the last open grocery store
before Friant. It also had a terrific cachet for storytelling purposes: "We
stopped for wine at the 'Bad Boys' on our way to Lost Lake." Great bohemian
cocktail party stuff, that. Beat tales of Aspen or Vegas all
hollow.
Before you assume that I'm telling (what my kids call)
walking-to-school-in-the-snow stories, I first came here in 1982, the week that
the 41 Freeway opened. It was empty of traffic the first time we rode on it, and
only went from Tulare up to Shaw (or was it Ashlan?). Twenty years: not much in
the cosmic scheme of things, but what a difference in the community. Smog's
something we go out of town to get away from now, and you can't drive a block or
two in North Fresno without tripping over a mega-store. Change hasn't been all
good, nor all bad. It just is.
The Folklore Society has changed as well. Jams
became monthly concerts, Sweetsmill went all global on us, people moved away and
new people came. I know about the "new" people; I'm one of them. I moved to a
small, rural community. I now live in the fifth biggest city in California. Not
exactly planned, but some terrific things have come out of it, and FFS is high
on the list. But, these things I also know: that it's not perfect, and that
adaptation is not a dirty word.
There are times in our life that we treasure,
that have great memories for us, and that we want to cling to. That's a good
thing, in theory. But, in the solid world, there are realities we must face and
opinions we'd just as lief ignore. As a group, some of those things are
uncomfortable, but it is the responsible choice to examine all aspects.
We
are becoming top heavy with older members; we need an infusion of youth. If
their idea of Folk Music does not match ours, well, ours did not match our
parents' either. Wasn't that the point?
We have some money to manage.
It's not a fortune, but it needs responsible management. That involves things
like government cooperation, if we don't want them to end up with all of it in
the end. Sometimes the best way to impact an entity is from the inside out.
Surely we've learned that by now.
We are one of the most multi-ethnic
communities in the nation, perhaps on the planet. Some ideas of "Folk" are
different than others. They are Folk. We are Folk. Universal unity was one of
the main themes of the music of the movement. If we are to walk the walk, we
need to embrace that diversity in practice and not only in lyrics. Otherwise,
why are we doing this at all?
Some people think we are becoming too "slick,"
some think we are stuck in the past. We are, in reality, both and neither. The
problem is not image, it's definition. It is necessary to define ourselves. If
that definition turns out to be that we are not definitively anything, but are
potentially everything, so be it. (In fact, I like that; very Stuart Wilde.) But
if we avoid solidity, we open ourselves up to chaos, or, even worse, vaguarity.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather stretch a definition of myself than live
vaguely. Not to get all cliché on you, but "He not busy being born, is busy
dying."
As a Society, we have many and varied ideas about how things
should be done. Some want to stick to potlucks and jams; some want to buy
lighthouses. Variety of viewpoints is what makes us different from the Junior
League. But we must embrace the change if we are to survive. Or we must decide
that survival is not the issue and let it ride. In that case, we will, more than
likely, either fade away or be taken over by another interest. Things don't just
stay the same, it's the nature of the universe. Our options now are to take
control of that change or to stagnate. "Staying the same" is not a viable
option. The same as what? As your idea of what was ideal? Or of mine? Or of a
third party who has not even joined us yet?
Change is not intrinsically good
or bad; it just is, until you apply it. It's application time.-Ellen
P.S.
I would like to add a note of gratitude to those of you who have sent cards,
flowers, books, good "vibes" and even vegetables (great idea, that). I
particularly appreciate those of you who have helped to take care of my family
while I cannot. Yes, it is confirmed that I have ovarian cancer, but I find it,
curiously, to have many odd and unexpected prisms: it forces you to face
your mortality, but it opens your eyes to the goodness of humanity all around
you. It makes you tired, but it gives you strength - mostly by proxy. Being
Celtic, it helps to know that there is an intrepid army behind me on my quest to
be reborn. Many, many thanks.
I've just returned from a quick round trip to Seattle to celebrate daughter
Abby's 40th birthday. Where did the years go? We stopped at Ashland our half way
point for a visit with FFS founding member Sputter Greene and wife Kat. They've
settled comfortably into the Ashland folk scene, Irish jamming with a large
group on Sunday from 2-5 at the Black Sheep. Kevin Carr and Barbara Mendelson,
folk musicians from the Bay Area, are recent additions to the Ashland folk
scene. In addition to the Sunday Irish jam, Tuesday evening brings together a
Quebequois (French Canadian) jam. So if you're driving north try to time your
travel accordingly.
We also stopped at Portland to visit Merritt Herring,
recently married to Kit Siegel, and son Ted. He's undergoing chemotherapy for
lung cancer. Merritt was having a good day and hungrily chowed down some Mexican
food. He receives chemo for lung cancer and is usually miserable for several
days but bounces back to sing in strong voice with Portland friends who greatly
appreciate him and his positive spirit. He and Kit plan a Honeymoon Hawaii trip
to the big island in March, and we're encouraging them to visit us in Fresno
come July.
Ellen Ono, your president emeritus, begins chemotherapy on
Tuesday. Think good thoughts, send cards, and bring food.
While in Seattle I
joined the International day of protest, becoming part of the focus group our
president chooses to ignore. It was the largest peace march in Seattle's
history. Many Fresno folk folk attended the Fresno Peace march on Saturday, then
caravanned to San Francisco to join the multitudes voicing their opposition to
the rush to war.
Great turnout for our first contra dance at the Barn. Don't
miss the next one March 8. Bring a flash light and dancing shoes.
Next
concert is GREG CLIVESON, import from Manchester now residing in Nashville.
Great singer-songwriter, great guitarist.
PEACE! Pat Wolk
March is the time of year when FFS starts talking about the upcoming board
elections; however this year the board voted to retain the board as it is
until the new nonprofit status is completed.
For those few who do not
know FFS has had state nonprofit status for years, but not federal. We have
been trying to get this changed for the last three years and now it's in the
works.
Several months ago the board appointed a committee to work on the new
articles and by-laws. Members are Susana Peckinpah Chair, Jim Ross, Ellen
Ono and Nancy Waidtlow. We wrote a rough draft and Jim sent it to
Christopher Campbell, our attorney for this project.
At the February 5th
meeting Jim brought back some information and suggestions from
Chris. The main issues are what type of membership organization we
want, what types of power and responsibility the board has and a few other minor
details. The board asked the committee to rewrite the articles and resubmit
them at the March board meeting.
Once this work has been completed
the new articles and by-laws must be approved by the board and
then sent to the general membership. Once this is completed FFS will be
required to hold a new election under the new organization
articles and by-laws. We would rather not hold two elections in the same
year so please bear with us until we get it done. Thanks -
Susana
Our next dance will be on Saturday, March 8th, from 7 to 9 pm. Park
diagonally on the Arthur St. side(4230 Arthur; west of Palm, north of Ashlan)
and follow the lighted path to the barn. We are asking a donation of $5
for the core band, snacks and other expenses ($10 max per family).
Children who don't want to dance: bring your cards and table games! It
will be too dark to play outside, but the room next to the dance floor will be
at your disposal.
Evo Bluestein will be the caller and dancemaster;
other callers will be Ann Cehrs and Kevin Hall. "Blind Dog" will be the core
band this time.
Musicians and callers are invited to bring your instruments
or come forward to call, so get ready.
For more information call Katzi Engl.
at (559) 291-3972.
Autoharp extension class in Mendota! It's a drive but it's only 2 days. Friday March 14, 4-9pm and Saturday March 15, 8am - 5pm. McCabe Fine Arts Room 31. Autoharps provided!!! One Unit $90. Please call CSUF Extended Education 278-0333. or show up at the class and register there! Contact me if you need directions. Evo (559) 2978966 There will be a follow-up course in May if you wish to continue. Attn: FUSD Migrant teachers, Migrant Ed. has agreed to pay your registration. Please contact Virginia at 457-6035.
BELLY DANCE NEWS!
http://www.thebigdrums.com/
http://www.bellydancingbyzamoras.com
Statewide
events listed on http://www.mecda.org/
The Voices of the San Joaquin storytellers group is meeting monthly at the Sunnyside Library, SW corner of Kings Canyon & Clovis. Info - Godfrey 294-9703
Song Circle - 324-0244 or 260-3606.
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TOC
Come enjoy contemporary and traditional Irish dances performed by Central
California's only Irish dance school certified by the Irish Dance Commission,
Dublin, Ireland. Everyone is invited to attend the McTeggart Irish Dancers'
First Annual "St. Patrick's Day Irish Dance Recital" at the Fresno Art Museum
Bonner Auditorium on Monday, March 17. Yes, that's THE St. Patrick's Day.
Established in Cork, Ireland in 1950 by Maureen McTeggart-Hall, the
McTeggart Irish Dancers have been led by Maureen ever since. She also served as
a member of the FFS's founding board of directors back in the mid-1970s through
1990. Maureen will be on hand to offer remarks during the recital and looks
forward to visiting with friends old and new afterwards.
Honored in 2001 by
the North American Irish Dance Teachers Association for 50 years of teaching,
Maureen is North America's longest-active Irish dance instructor. In addition to
serving as a vice president of the Irish Dance Commission, she travels monthly
to train dancers in her classes in Houston, Dallas, Lexington, New Orleans, Salt
Lake City, Denver and Phoenix, and oversees ten weekend-long competitions held
annually throughout the West. She also judges frequently at competitions
throughout the U.S., Canada and beyond, including the World Irish Dance
Championships held every Easter week in Ireland.
After a decade away from
Fresno, Maureen moved back two years ago and has reestablished a strong Fresno
class. Prepare yourself to enjoy an evening of true Irish culture and meet a
master artist, one of Fresno's own.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on St. Patrick's
Day, Monday, March 17. The show will run from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The dancers
will also lead the audience in sing-alongs, and Amelia Ryan will perform
traditional Irish songs. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for people under 18
years of age. You can prepay for will-call tickets through Kevin Hall by calling
227-6421.
The Fresno Art Museum Bonner Auditorium is located at 2233 N. First
St., Fresno (Southwest Corner of Clinton Ave. and First St.). For performance or
class information about the McTeggart Irish Dancers, call 271-5200.
"KFCF is sponsoring an evening with Larry Bensky and Waddama
on Saturday, March 15th from 5-9 p.m. at North Fork Town Hall.
Suggested donation is $10, and dinner (vegetarian and non-vegetarian soup, salad
& bread) is available from 5-6 p.m. for an additional $5 donation.
Desserts and a no-host bar will be available throughout the evening. The
Smiley Mountain Band plays from 5-6, Larry Bensky speaks from 6-7, and
Waddama jams from 7-9. For tickets or information call KFCF at 233-2221,
or Sue Kern at 877-5800. All proceeds support Free Speech Radio in Central
California."
Sugar Pine is playing at the North Fork Studio March 22 from 7 to
9 pm. Sugar Pine started playing for the Yosemite Mountain Railroad's
Moonlight Special in 1982 and has been playing to mostly sold out shows for 20
years. Performing a blend of Folk, Country, Old Rock and Original Music Sugar
Pine bring their love of music to many styles. The four members of Sugar
Pine (Chuck Thrapp, Gina DeMasters, Robyn Flory, and Dave Novell) each have a
different background and passion for music. At any Sugar Pine performance you
can count on laughs, smiles, harmonies, and leaving with the experience of
having had a great time. $10 donation. The Studio (an alcohol & tobacco free
space) is located Downtown North Fork, adjacent to the library.
Phone
877-8717 or visit the North Fork Studio web page: www.nfstudio.org
The Rogue Performance Festival will be taking place on Feb. 28,
March 1, 2, 7 and 8. This year the festival will be happening in the Tower
District at Starline (831 E. Fern) and the patio at Veni Vidi Vici (1116 N.
Fulton). The performances at Starline will be longer (up to one hour) staged
performances, while those on the patio at Veni's will be 30-40 minutes and
primarily live music.
On the main stage at Starline the line-up includes "In
Search of the American Bellydancer" by the Ananka Dance Company and Mallory
Moad's star-studded multi-media tribute to Fresno's own (who else would claim
her?) legendary Lucia Pamela. You don't know who Lucia Pamela was? Then you
really need to come and see this! And, all profits from the Lucia show will go
to benefit Storyland, where Lucia once held forth as the first Mother
Goose.
Over at Veni's patio, there will be a plethora of musical events of
interest to Folklore Society members. Scheduled acts include Blake Jones and his
(in)famous theremin, Neonman (and exClam) George Rotalo doing original songs on
acoustic guitar and Bradley Rogers performing more original material and hey,
Brad can play both kinds of music, Country and Western! For something completely
different (well, not really), Mike Newton and Tim Catching will be playing hot
acoustic Hawaiian music from the Twenties and Desiree Astorino, late of the Blue
Divas, will be doing electric Chicago blues, backed up by Mike on bottleneck
guitar. Desiree will also be performing a set of jazz standards with Fresno's
unique George Roessler. And for something other than music, Tanjora, with Lydia
Fortner, will be doing bellydancing.
Something for everybody ("Cosi fan
tutti" as Wolfgang said). Good venues, very reasonable prices ($2 or $3 for most
things) and everything is done twice, so if you have a conflict one time, you
can catch it the next. So let's see some people come out for this. Be there or
be square.
For more details 221-6480 or http://www.roguefestival.com/
A feature article of Lineonline cultural arts ezine for the San Joaquin
Valley focuses on Bootmaker Luis Jovel and his apprentice. You can also see past
articles about local artists including Kenny Hall. Please visit LineOnLine at http://lineonline.org/
This is a series of articles written in response to the suggestion that our newer members may not know about our clubs history and past and present members. That isn't necessarily a bad thing but for those curious about the past and those who want to go back down memory lane here is just a sampling of Folklore Society Lore:
Kenny Hall
Every Wednesday, from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Santa Fe
Basque Restaurant, you can step back in time to hear the "one and only" Kenny
Hall on the fiddle and mandolin. Where else can you hear the top ten from
1910? Be there, or be a round back mandolin!
Pipe on the Hob
Pipe on the Hob will be playing from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Santa Fe Basque
Restaurant on March 1.
Heartland Harvest
Heartland Harvest will be playing at the
Santa Fe Basque on March 16, from 5:30 to 7:30. The Santa Fe Basque is
located at 3110 N. Maroa Ave., near Shields. Can you guess how many green
tunes they will be playing? Don't miss the half-time show when the turkey
is suspended from the ceiling and everyone gets to take a turn hitting it with a
stick. When it breaks open, it's great fun to watch the crowd scramble and
grab the brussel sprouts as they come tumbling out.
Prune Rooney hosts an Acoustic Jam Monday nights from 6:30 to 9 pm.
Back to
TOC
"Blind Dog" has been playing at the Body in the
Bog (NW corner of Herndon and Marks for the uninitiated) twice a month (first
and third Thurs. 8-11 PM) for about a year now .
Larry
Cusick and Chris Eacock have been playing there on the second Thursday of
the month. Terry Barrett and/or Susan Heidebrecht also may join them
occasionally.
The pub is small and intimate with great acoustics. They have Guiness as well
as a large selection of beers and ales on tap and in bottles.
You have to be
going north on Marks to be able to turn left into the shopping center as there
is no access from Herndon.
Back to
TOC
Thursday Nights with David Lane and Friends
Every Thursday evening, from 5:30 to 7:30, David Lane
and friends play music, sing and jam together at Club Fred. The crowds of
enthusiastic participants and audience are growing each week as people learn
about this fun event. It's not an open mike, but lots of different people play
and sing, including Kathleen Lane, Prune Rooney, and others. See your friends
and have a great time. Harmonic convergence at Mings follows. For information,
call David Lane at (559) 778-3998.
Irish Jam Session Second
Sunday of Every MonthJoin us every second Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 on the patio outside La Boulangerie in Fig Garden Shopping Center for our Celtic Music Jam. Musicians and listeners welcome. Call (559) 229-8808 for information. We cancel if the weather is bad.
The Flyer is the official
mouthpiece of, and is published monthly by the Fresno Folklore Society,
PO Box 4617, Fresno CA 93744.
The Flyer lists our and other
activities for the upcoming month(s) and also has articles written by club
members.
These were most but not all of the articles from the latest FFS
Flyer. You can get the entire Flyer by joining the Fresno Folklore Society!
Dues are only $20 individual, $25 family. Members get a discount at our
concerts in addition to other benefits such as our music campouts and potlucks.
Send checks to the Fresno Folklore Society, PO Box 4617,
Fresno CA 93744.
This Website is paid for and provided by me as a courtesy to the FFS and as such I reserve the right to decide what or what not information is displayed on these pages. Some content may not reflect the philosophy or point of veiw of the FFS membership at large or of myself for that matter. For more information or to submit articles and events you may E-Mail meCarl Johnsen, the editor.
Half of
which are by the webmaster himself.