FolkMADS January - February 2008 Newsletter

New Mexico Folk Music & Dance Society

FolkMADS Newsletter

January - February 2008 Volume 11, Issue 1

P.O. Box 40421, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87196-0421

The FolkMADS Calendar and Notes are published bimonthly by the
New Mexico Folk Music and Dance Society, a nonprofit organization.

FolkMADS sponsors Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos contra dances, concerts, camps, and other special events. "Contra" dances include contras, squares, mixers, and couple dances. Unless noted on the calendar, admission is $6 for members, $7 for nonmembers. Students with ID receive half price admission and children up to 12 years of age are free. You need not come with a partner. Free instruction for beginners half an hour before the dance starts. Dances are smoke-free and alcohol-free. Children and teens are encouraged to participate if supervised by an adult. Albuquerque Dances: 1st and 3rd Saturday contra dances, 7:30-10.30 p.m. Second Sunday Dance (English and Contra), 7:00-9:30 p.m. Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista SE (south of Lead/Coal). Santa Fe Dances: 2nd and 4th Saturday contra dances and some 5th Saturday English Country dances, 8:00-11:00 p.m. Odd Fellows Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Road (south of Cordova Drive on the western side of Cerrillos). Taos Dances: 3rd Saturdays, call for details, 776-1580. ABQ Megaband: Albuquerque Megaband practice is held the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dance. All acoustic musicians are welcome. Visit the Megaband page for more info and to add your email address to the listserv, or contact Bruce Thomson, 268-6003, or click here to . Check calendar for location. Santa Fe Jam Sessions: Santa Fe Community Band practice at the ODD Fellows Hall on ODD (1^st and 3^rd) Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (contact Gary Papenhagen, 242-1104). Slow jam on the 2nd Thursday at 7 p.m. at Katherine Bueler & Gary Schiffmiller's house (995-1125). Beginning and experienced musicians all welcome

2008 Officers/Directors	Ongoing Events

Waltz Workshop with Michelle Hoffman Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 5 p.m. Odd Fellows Hall, Santa Fe Michelle will hold a waltz workshop beginning at 5 p.m. We will have a potluck after the workshop. Please bring a dish to share. After dinner, we will have our normal instruction (7 p.m.) and contra dance (7:30 p.m.), where you can show off (or practice) your waltzing abilities! New Start Time for Santa Fe Dances! The Santa Fe Dances held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays have changed the dance start time from 8:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Instruction before the dances will start at 7:00 p.m.

Albuquerque Dance Committee Meeting
Saturday, January 5, 2007 3-5 p.m.

The Albuquerque Dance Committee meeting will be held Saturday, January 5, 2008 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the home of Bob Cornish and Linda Starr, 509 Aliso NE, Albuquerque 255-6037. The Dance Committee deals with all aspects of the dances, including bands, callers, refreshments, etc. Please join us!

Have you moved?
Changed phone numbers? Changed your e-mail address?
Keep FolkMADS up to date so you'll continue to receive the newsletter and we can contact you.
Contact Rob Campbell with your current info.

MegaBand Tune of the Month: Band Dynamics
by Bruce Thomson

Recently Hydrophoby Adobe, our dry clean Adobe Brother, and his wife the lovely Anita Preisczech moved to the land of chiggers, fire ants, scorpions, venomous snakes, and Texicans. Hydrophoby’s been one of the Adobe Brothers since before I can remember so it was very sad to see him and Ms. Preisczech load up the U-Fool truck and head out of town. Not only were they wonderful musicians (they still are), they’re also great friends. This got the rest of the Brothers to thinking about what makes a good band, and could we, or should we replace him?

I’m sure I’m not the first person to observe that being in a band is like being married. It requires working together at a very personal level to develop your style of music, build a repertoire and stage presence, and then lay out your hard work, your heart and your soul to the cruel heartless public who, nine times out of ten, can’t tell a banjo from a baño. Furthermore, if you’re doing any touring you wind up living closer together for days or weeks on end than most married folks. All without the benefit (or distraction) of conjugal relations (well, sometimes ... no ... let’s not go there. Let me just say that the next time Moby Adobe tries to kiss me on the cheek, I’m gonna smack him!).

Following the analogy between a band and a marriage, I’m not the guy to give much guidance on how to form a band or add a new member. (Aside: I’ve always thought that the Asian Indian tradition of arranged marriages makes a lot more sense than the hormone-based American way as I’m convinced I’ve got a better perspective on the male species than my teenaged daughter had.) Nevertheless, it seems to me that there are two principal factors you must consider when forming a band or adding a new member: musical strengths and personal characteristics.

The Musical strengths that are involved include what instrument they play, whether they sing and what parts, and their level of proficiency. A special bonus, rarely found, is a potential member’s composing ability. Every group would like to have the best musicians possible, but when you go looking for a guitar player who likes old timey and/or bluegrass music, sings like Ricky Skaggs, plays like Tony Rice, lives nearby, and might be interested in joining your band, well, the problem becomes over constrained. The search parameters expand somewhat if you’ve got a nationally known act that’s making lots of money, and we all know of bands with members who live all over the country and get together only to record or tour. But few of us can offer this opportunity to potential band mates.

For me, the second factor, personal characteristics, is much more important. Some of these considerations include age, gender, politics, and personal hygiene. These can be summarized in one word – “compatibility.” Like a marriage, when forming a band you’re creating a relationship of good friends, and the enjoyment and satisfaction depend more on who you’re sharing the experience with than whether you make piles of money. I played with one band for a while whose motto was “We play for fun – the more money we make the more fun it is.” After a while it wasn’t much fun anymore for me even though the money was nice. I recently bought a CD-DVD set of a 10-year reunion concert by the Celtic super group Solas (Compass 7 4431 2). The DVD features interviews with the band members and includes much discussion about replacing band members as they left the band over the years. It’s fascinating to hear these fabulous musicians describe their considerations in
light of our deliberations about whether to replace Hydrophoby – they are just about the same.

So Hydrophoby’s moved on. One of the attractions for him in Texas was the opportunity to join Alan Munde Gazette, a wonderful bluegrass band. They offered him the job because he’s a great musician who will turbo charge their band. And though I don’t know for certain, I suspect also because he’s a great guy. As for the Adobes, we discussed our situation for months and then found a new brother just down the street, Jacobi Adobe. He’ll be terrific. What a band!

This month’s tune is “Cowboy’s Dream” from an old Mac Benford album. Mac started out in the Califrisco area 40 years ago with the Fat City String Band, which morphed into the Highwoods String Band. He’s moved back east and has continued to be a very influential old timey musician.

Archive of featured ABC tunes can be found here.

The Albuquerque Megaband is an open, all-volunteer, rockin' wall of sound that plays every month at the 3rd Saturday dance in ABQ.

A big thank you to all the Megaband musicians!!

The ABQ Megaband currently meets on the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dances. January's location is the new banquet room at O'Neill's Pub on Central. Check monthly calendars for future locations.

Visit the Megaband page for more info or to sign up for the Megaband listserv (for e-mail reminders of practice dates and dances).
Contacts: Bruce Thomson, 277-4729 or Jane Phillips, 898-2565.

{ Upcoming Event }

Mark Your Calendars!

Coming up in early March:

Coming up in early March: Jane Rothfield, Donna Hébert, and Max Cohen of the band Groovemama (from upstate NY) will be performing in Albuquerque. In addition to playing for the March 1st dance in ABQ, the trio will also perform at a house concert on Thursday, February 28, and host a workshop on Sunday, March 2. Click here for details.

Other Events of Interest

KLEZMERQUERQUE 2008

The Southwest’s annual celebration of Klezmer music and dance, KLEZMERQUERQUE 2008, will present a weekend of concerts, dance parties, classes, and a lunch with music featuring world-renowned klezmer artists as well as many local artists. The annual event will take place from February 15-17 (Friday evening through Sunday afternoon) at Albuquerque’s Congregation Nahalat Shalom which is located on 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW (between Candelaria & Griegos).

KLEZMERQUERQUE 2008 welcomes back by popular demand the klezmer dance master from Chicago- Steve Weintraub, who teaches and performs klezmer and East European Jewish dance at workshops around the world. Steve will perform on Friday and Saturday evenings in addition to teaching two dance workshops on Saturday and one on Sunday. The Rebbe’s Orkestra, the popular Albuquerque-based klezmer ensemble will also give brief performances on Friday and Saturday evening. Appearing with The Rebbe’s Orkestra will be special guest clarinetist and vocalist from Seattle - Sheila Fox.

On Saturday, February 16th from 11- noon there will be a special FREE klezmer potpourri presentation for kids and families - advanced reservations required (call 243-6276). And from 12:15-1:30PM come have a vegetarian lunch at KLEZMERQUERQUE as you listen to the beautiful klezmer string music of Albuquerque’s “Kompanye” --Admission is an $8.00-$15.00 donation.

KLEZMERQUERQUE 2008 also welcomes back Toronto’s critically-acclaimed and award-winning 5-piece klezmer ensemble BEYOND THE PALE (www.beyondthepale.net ). BEYOND THE PALE will be teaching klezmer music classes on Saturday and Sunday plus BTP’s virtuoso violinist will teach a special Serbian violin workshop on Saturday. Beyond the Pale will perform on Friday evening and is the featured band at the concert on Saturday night, Feb. 16th at 7:30PM. Tickets for this concert may be purchased in advance for $18.00 (for ALL seats/ages) at Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW (505)344-8139 and at Natural Sound, 3422 Central Ave. SE (505)255-8295 - both in Albuquerque. Tickets will also be available at the door for $20.00-general and $18.00-fixed income & under 18.

The festival will open on Friday, February 15th at 6:30PM with a danced Freylekhe Shabbes (Joyous Sabbath) “service” to the music of Alavados, Nahalat Shalom’s 5-piece in-house band with dancing led by Rikud -Nahalat Shalom’s Yiddish dance troupe. At 7PM there will be a vegetarian potluck dinner and at 8PM there will be performances by Beyond the Pale, Yiddish dance-master Steve Weintraub, and ABQ’s own The Rebbe’s Orkestra with special guest artist Sheila Fox. The music and dance will continue with Nahalat Shalom’s 20-piece Community Klezmer band and open dancing led by Steve Weintraub and Rikud. Admission for Friday evening’s event is a $15-$18 suggested donation (under 18-free/donation).

Admission for the entire weekend of events (2 concerts/dance parties, 3 classes, klezmer potpourri presentation and a lunch with music program) is $90-general, $75-seniors/fixed income/under 18. Individual classes (one-and-a-half hour long each) are $20-general / $16-fixed income.

For more information about concerts, class times/prices, Saturday lunch with music and any other questions please contact:
Beth Cohen (505)243-6276 cohenedmunds@netzero.net and/or
Congregation Nahalat Shalom www.nahalatshalom.org (505)343-8227

Coming Up In Silver City

SILVER NIGHTS CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS

Saturday Mar. 22

Irish Fiddle Music Concert with PADDY JONES (a return visit)
& Rus Bradburd reading excerpts from his highly acclaimed book “Paddy on the Hardwood”

at the UU Fellowship Hall, 3845 N. Swan, Silver City, NM
Concert at 7:30 - 9:30 $10

Paddy Jones is a pure Sliabh Luchra fiddler, an area deep in the hills of the Kerry-Cork border. His style has been unaffected by more trendy and popular styles. Paddy's sound seems to come out of an ancient and archaic Ireland of long ago. Besides the usual jigs, reels, slides and polkas, slow airs are an important part of his repetoire. A near hermit, Paddy Jones has declined to record for years, claiming it would make his art "too comercial." Paddy Jones has no other job other than his music. He still plays for dances and at sessions in his native County Kerry. This is a rare chance to hear one of the living masters of Irish music on his return trip to Silver City.

www.rusbradburd.com for more about the “best sports book of 2006” - Dan McGrath of the Chicago Tribune”
for info - call 534-0298 or write - bayouseco@aol.com

Sat. March 22, 2- 4 PM - Irish Tunes/styles workshop with Paddy Jones, $20
call for location and reservations 534-0298 or bayouseco@aol.com

Both concert & workshop $25

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