Stanislove, Victory Music's president, won the Solo/Duo category for Washington in the​ state Finals of the International Blues Challenge, held on August 22nd, 2016 at the Taste of Music in Snohomish; Polly O'Keary & the Rhythm Method won the Band category.

Both winners won an all-expenses-paid trip to Memphis, TN next February 1-4, 2017, to be measured against the best of the rest of the world. Last year's World Solo/Duo champions, Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons, also came from Washington. We have a thundering Blues here in the Pacific Northwest, among the best in the world. Kudos to the Washington Blues Society for organizing the events and running a tight show!

Victory Music Member Jim Nason Takes Home the 2015 Tumbleweed Trophy
Victory Music member Jim Nason took home the Grand Tumbleweed Trophy this year.   Since this is Nason’s third win, he is out of any future running.  However, he joins a short list of very accomplished songwriters and can lord it over his humble associates for years to come.

HOORAY, IT’S FOLKLIFE TIME AGAIN!

On behalf of the Northwest Folklife Festival, Victory Music, myself and any other concerned cultural entity, I’m proud to announce that the 44th annual Northwest Folklife Festival, featuring a wide world view of the many creative and traditional cultures that come from all over our planet and live right here in the Northwest, will take place at Seattle Center on the 22nd-25th of May.

For you newbies (and we hope there’s a lot of you to add to our veteran Folk lifer’s) this will be an opportunity to become aware of the many diverse and valuable  cultures that live, work and celebrate themselves all around us all the time. Since our lives are so cluttered or sheltered that we often don’t realize how close and connected we are there is much education to be had while enjoying so many styles of music, dance, crafts, foods, jamming and so much more. So welcome all; Old, new and in-between to one of the finest and most diverse festivals of culture anywhere! Here’s some of what you’ll fine if you attend this year’s event.

The 2015 Cultural Focus: BEATS, RHYMES & RHYTHMS: Traditional Roots of Today’s Branches

Each year Folklife chooses a particular culture as our focus and this enables the festival and you the public to observe a deeper Knowledge of and connection to a valuable entity in our Northwest community that goes above and beyond what we would ordinarily receive from a mere performance or 2. This wider view includes performances, workshops, lectures, demonstrations and anything else that contribute to the history, value and meaning for the culture, and it has proven to be a valuable part of the festival for entertainment and bringing our regional peoples together in a healthy way, which is why we keep presenting it.

This year the focus on BEATS, RHYMES & RHYTHMS: Traditional Roots of Today’s Branches, will explore the cross-cultural roots of arts expressions from African and Latin countries, the blues, gospel. scat singing and other traditions that have grown into the contemporary cultures of today with specific reference to the traditional roots of Hip Hop. Folklife recognizes that tradition is a living, breathing entity and expands from moment to moment, serving as a guidepost as opposed to a ball and chain.

This allows us to understand that today’s hot item is tomorrow’s tradition and is considered primitive by future generations, who hopefully will respect and learn from it (And let me take this moment to assure all our veteran Folklifers that all the styles you’ve loved in the past 43 years will be at Folklife in abundance. Parent cultures never go away.

They simply make room for their children). We’re proud to be offering our community an opportunity to glean a greater understanding of Hip Hop culture and feel that it will bring us closer together and perhaps alleviate some misunderstandings concerning Hip Hop that mainstream media have perpetuated.

The program which stretches over all 4 days of the festival will tie in the 5 key elements of HIp Hop: Music (DJing), Dance (B-boy and B-girl), storytelling (MCing), Public Art (Graffiti), and Social Awareness, back to the origins of Hip Hop. Among the presentations will be the panel discussions on Intersections In Hip Hop: Miogony, Violence and Homophobia with Maomi Ishisaki and Moni Tep, and Music of the Movement with Steve Sneed, Janet Stecher and Aaron Dixon.

These and others will take place in the JBL Theatre. Musical performances will include a Traditional Roots of Hip Hop Showcase and a Brazil Showcase at the Mural Amphitheatre, a Black Church showcase and Black Magic Noize show at the Vera Project, Women of the Blues at the Fountain Lawn and Parallels In Motion: From the Village to the Streets, in the Bagley Theatre.

The SIFF Film Center partners with us to present 6 films and 3 Q&A sessions over the course of the event. The films will include titles such as Louder Than A Bomb, Sample This and Hip Hop Fellow and Q&A will include subjects such as 50 Next: Seattle Hip Hop Worldwide, which will discuss the possible evolution of the culture as the present styles give way to progress and become the folk music of the future.

Additional treats (among so many more) will offer a performance by Arts Corps Breakin’ Challenge (by Massive Monkees) in the Bagley Theatre, A 20-6 Zulu/UW Ladies Break Show at the Mural Amphitheatre, visual displays such as Graffiti Gallery Exhibit at the International Fountain Pavilion, and Coolout Network Visual Art Display and workshop on the Art of B-Boying and Capoeira Dance in the Armory.

A special addition to these fun times is the Seattle Youth Arts & Lectures Seattle Youth Laureate competition, which is another new event featuring 8 finalists. Folklife is pleased to be a partner w/Arts & Lectures for this program which will happen on Saturday at 1 PM in the Cornish Playhouse. And there’s a lot more of this to be had, as you can find out on May 1st when the entire schedule of events with all days, times and stages will be available on the Website: www.nwfolklife.org.

Even if you’re not a fan of Hip Hop there’s much to be gained simply by becoming aware of this culture and its presence and affect on our greater community. And if you are, then you’ll be entertained while becoming more cognizant of where it all comes from and how you can better relate to it. It’s a win/win all around and can only add to the magic of the annual event.

SO WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR?

A whole lot, that’s what! The only constant is change, and so it is for Folklife. The Back Porch Stage is coming Back after about a 10 year hiatus and will celebrate American Roots w/the Blues, Zydeco, old timer, bluegrass, country, R&B and Indie roots in an intimate setting. During stage down times the beer gardens will have local favorite DJ’s from local radio stations spinning a variety of tunes to keep the energy flowing and the feet tapping. Several of our Native American Tribes will present “Welcome To Our Native Land”, Powwow and Coastal Celebrations, which is an expanded version of a previous presentation.

They will take place at the Space Needle by the John T. Williams Pole off Broad Street and 5th Avenue on Sunday from 11 AM-7 PM featuring the Duwamish Tribe and on Monday from Noon-7 PM featuring a variety of tribes. Along with these ceremonies there will be storytelling, crafts demonstrations, totem teachings and more interesting entertainments and history for the whole family.

Also new are the Tahian Showcase on Saturday as 4 PM, a Basque Showcase w/a participatory dance Saturday at 1 PM in the Armory and an Oinkari performance (I can’t tell you about this one. You’ll have to show up) on Sunday at 11:40 AM in the Exhibition Hall. Several new dance workshops are Dances of the Arab World on Saturday at 1 PM, Peruvian Scissor Dance Monday at noon and West African Dance Monday at 2:30 PM. In addition and expanded version of the Native American Memorial Day Ceremony will happen on Monday and include Drumming, PowWow dancers, a color guard and Native American speakers.

There’s more new stuff and recent additions that many of you haven’t caught up with yet and all this and more awaits you after you and your guests pass the gate/donation boxes and enter the carnival!

THE WIDE WORLD OF SHOWCASES

If I reported on every excellent showcase at Folklife this year it would take you until Sunday of the Festival to finish reading.  I’ll simply wet your appetite with a few really good ones from several cultures. We’ve partnered with community groups such as Hearth Music, Seattle Living Room Shows and Underwood Stables to present 5 Indie Showcases: The Seattle Living Room Showcase is on Saturday at the Fountain Lawn Stage, Underwood Stables is Sunday at Vera as is Heavy Harmonies and Folk Redefined (always an interesting and sometimes controversial topic. Hooray! Let’s talk about it!), while Ear To the Ground is on Monday at Fountain Lawn.

Other fine showcases among many dozen are Fisher Poets On the Road on Sunday at the Folklife Cafe from 6-9 PM, South Indian Classical Dance on Monday, 1 PM in the Center Theatre, Arab, Persian and Central Asian Dance, Sunday at 7 PM in the Exhibition Hall (International Dance Stage), Songs From The Mountains on the Back Porch Stage Sunday at 2PM, Maidens of the Sea and Maritime Showcases back to back on Saturday from 1-6 PM on the Traditional Stage, the Single Man Blues Showcase Monday at 3 PM at the Back Porch, the Bulgarian Showcase on Saturday at 11AM in the Bagley Theatre, Vietnamese on Sunday at 11 AM in Cornish, The Filthy Fingers United Showcase on Monday at 4 PM in Vera, and also on Monday at 7:30 PM on the Fountain Lawn will be Out With A Bang: A Big Brass Showcase.

And there are several dozen more of these showcases featuring every continent and too many countries to count without a calculator. So much to enjoy, so much to learn, so much to share. And as above, you can find it all on May 1st when the entire schedule is posted on-line at www.nwfolklife.org.

 SO WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO AREN”T IN THE FOCUS OR A SHOWCASE??

Yes, by all means don’t forget to frequent some of the many performances that are solo or small bands who are simply there out of love of music and the culture, are almost always non-professional (though many of them are of high professional quality), and to whom Folklife is one of the very few times they get to show their music to the public.

There are thousands of players and dancers who follow the time honored custom of simply playing music because it’s one the finest ways to enjoy life and connect with other people that there is. This is their moment, they’ve got the goods and we should take some time out for them. The good stuff and good feelings are everywhere, and at Folklife you don’t even have to do much searching to find them!

SO WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS??

You bet we want the kids!! The Discovery Zone will be in the Next 50 Plaza and open from 11 AM-7 PM all 4 days for your entertainment and picnic pleasure with the Grand Opening of Seattle’s new playground at Noon on Friday. This new area will offer a 35-foot climbing tower, colorful Labyrinth, ADA-accessible Carousel, child-inspired musical instruments, listening stations. sound swings and play mounds. Designed by celebrated Northwest artists Trimpin and Judith Caldwell, this area will be a place for safe child friendly entertainment that is totally in keeping with the Folklife and Seattle Center mission and purpose.

In addition to the new area we will also have Instrument Play and Presentations featuring instruments from around the world for children to test out, Lessons and practice of drawing w/free drawing supplies, Rhythm sessions for kids, Making Their Own Mosaic w/recycled materials, Toy Boat Building, Fiber Arts, Surface Elements (A showcase of Graffiti Forms) and more.

There will also be many performances from some of the most creative and friendly musicians and storytellers covering the usual wide variety of culture: Paul “Che Oke Ten” Wagner, Crow Valley String Band, Shake It Up Stories, The Canote Brothers, The Somali Youth and Family Club, The Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project, Mikey Mike the Rad Scientist and Afro Cuban and Puerto Rican Music are less than half of what will be on stage in the Discovery Zone. Your kids (and grandkids) will love it so bring that picnic basket, kick back and let them enjoy while you take some time off.

SO WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO MENTION DANCING?

I’m glad you asked. Of course there will be dancing all over the yard for all 4 days. There are 90 hours of participatory dance at the Roadhouse (what else?), the Armory Court and elsewhere as well as several dozen demonstrations ( primarily in the Exhibition Hall), and both celebrating cultures from all over the planet. It’s not a reach to state that Folklife wouldn’t be near as meaningful without our dances and possibly wouldn’t even exist! We know that large amounts of our Northwest Folk and folk-related family find their bliss on the dance floor and we’ll always aim to comply with your needs as much possible.

And of course that enables you to also hear some of our most beautiful and rhythmic music’s that are the engine that propels the feet! Hey, if you can get it 2 hits in 1 why not just go for it! If I don’t see you at a stage I’ll look for you on the floor!

SO CAN I PLAY MY OWN MUSIC EVEN IF I’M NOT ON THE SCHEDULE?

YES, YES, YES!!!  We want you to do exactly that! Instrument check will be open from early to late each day so you can bring that instrument and be free of it when need be. There are more than enough spaces all over the Center where you can gather w/friends (and eventual new friends) and celebrate any of the sounds that move you and create beautiful and energetic sounds that will captivate passersby without creating a nuisance for any of the stages. Friends simply getting together to play is the essence of our culture and only adds to the overall atmosphere. NO, you don’t have to get accepted to a stage to play! Just crash the party and party down!

HEY, I WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING TO!

Of course you do. Why be stuck in the same old place w/your music or dance or knowledge of musical/dance culture or business? A complete gathering is when you gain something and give something. That’s why we always have a full schedule of workshops and panel concerts from Saturday through Monday that cover a very wide range of topics dealing with artistry, creativity, business acumen and so forth. The presenters are knowledgeable and deadicated, the information is meaningful and receiving it can only add to your overall festival experience. This has happened to me at Folklife more than once and can happen to you as well. Check it all out at the Website starting May 1st.

SO WHAT MAKES OUR FABULOUS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL HAPPEN IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY!

You didn’t ask me this because you’re (usually) too busy having a fine time at the festival, but I feel the need to tell you anyway. What makes our festival happen, and in such a wonderful way, are your volunteering and financial contributions! This is basically a free festival, but nothing is actually free! Everything has a price in some way, shape or form and a huge budget is required to put on this very large free festival each Memorial Day Weekend. We aren’t tied in to major corporations who would control our every move, but are dependent upon a few businesses who believe in us and the donations from our members and many other true believers.

This is why we have donation boxes at each gate and around the festival and also deploy volunteers to sell pins and buttons at the stages. We also are pleased when any of you join Friends of Folklife on an annual basis which keeps the cash coming in and gives you access to all information early as well as an occasional discount for a paid event. Because we obviously can’t afford to pay every volunteer (We have a very small paid staff) we recruit hundreds of volunteers to perform thousands of shifts for each festival. And this is more than a job or a contribution.

Folklife is a family (at least that’s always been my take on it) and I find that the more energy I put out the better time I have of it. It gets me closer to the action and allows me to interact with my Folklife Family and meet new people with whom I may then form relationships that may have little to do with the festival itself. After all, once you meet someone in one situation you may discover that you have a lot more in common. It happens all the time and it can happen to you.

There’s an old cliché that says, “Love makes the world go round”. It sound good but actually money and labor make the world go round and love is what makes the ride worthwhile. By donating and volunteering at Folklife you inject yourself further into the love stream and can enjoy the whole package. And why not? Don’t we all deserve it?!

IT’s NOT ALL MUSIC AND DANCE! WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL CRAFTS AND FOODS TO!

THAT’S RIGHT! You’ll find crafts booths all over the grounds (and especially on or right around the Crafts Pathway) and these creations are the work of many full and part-time crafts people who create their various goods from scratch and have become experts at what they do. All of these crafts are functional in everyday life or highly entertaining or both and come from the hearts of each crafter just as much as any of the musicians or dancers that you’ll see.

And like the music and dances, they will cover a wide range of  styles, looks, and usage,  so that there’s bound to be something you can take home and have as a part of your house, or as a gift for that Birthday or graduation and so forth. Of course these creations aren’t free like the music/dance but will last a lot longer and remind you of the great time you had as well as providing much needed support for these valuable and deadicated members of our community.

The food booths don’t have trouble getting customers (So what else is new?) but if you can, rather than bring something you always eat, why not stand in line for one of the many culinary treats that come from our so-called foreign friends (What’s really foreign anyway?) and get into the full flavor (pun intended) of the festival?

SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?

Well, I can’t think of anything right now that would add to what’s above. You might bring light and heavy clothes if it looks like you’ll need them, you might want to arrive early enough to find close parking if there is still such a thing, and who knows what else. At any rate the community will gather in the thousands at Seattle Center from Friday, May 22nd through Monday, May 25th for our annual very multi-cultural celebration and the beat thing any of you can add to it will be yourselves. See you there!

(Percy Hilo: [email protected]   or 206-784-0378. All comments welcome!)

YES! Wintergrass is back as usual and lovers of bluegrass and related styles are delighted to be able to enjoy a wide variety of music and make some of it themselves from February 26th through March 1st at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency Hotel, which is such a warm and friendly environment that has served us well as participants and audiences for the past several years with no end in sight. And as usual, much will remain the same and much is added on in order to keep the festival vital in it’s tradition and allow for the essential growth and expansion that keeps us relevant as well as grounded. Theme: How Can I Keep From Singing?    

  Over the years we’ve highlighted a number of the instruments and traditions that have made bluegrass such a beloved and vital force in roots music. It’s only natural that the singers of this great music receive their due as a featured portion of a Wintergrass. Well, this is the year for it and do we ever have a list of vocal treats for you!  We’ll feature the high lonesome sound from old-timers, new and exciting takes on traditional songs and contemporary pieces from the younger generation, musical tributes to vocal heroes of our history and a variety of other stunning sounds from many other singers and bands. And of course all your favorite instruments will be on stage all the time, played by many stalwarts of the culture as well as some of the newer contributors that we’ll be privileged to hear and see.

 Let’s Start With Some Legendary Wintergrass Favorites that we’ll always love!  

  Del McCoury: Del is the leading singer in bluegrass (and probably anywhere) of what is known as the High Lonesome Sound. He’s been singing, recording and performing bluegrass with various bands (including his family band with his fabulous sons) for about a half century and has established himself as a giant of bluegrass culture and a performer who’s shows are required viewing for anyone serious about bluegrass as a musician of fan. He’s sung this music almost everywhere and always left his audience feeling much better when they left than when the arrived. At this time he’s in semi-retirement, will perform only 8 shows all year, and has picked our festival for one of them. Can we really afford to miss it?  

   Aofie O’Donovan: Aofie is a Wintergrass veteran despite being relatively youthful, having appeared several times with the immensely popular and excellent Crooked Still, who filled the auditoriums and dance halls of the festival time and again with an amazingly eclectic repetoire covering all sorts of music and subjects. They were never really true grass but fit into the culture via the variety of acoustic instruments and related sounds and were enjoyed by a wide variety of our clientele. since the group disbanded she has offered her singing talents to several other projects including Irish song and folk/jazz. This year Aofie will perform a solo set and will write and perform with the Wintergrass Youth Orchestra.   

   Mark O’Connor: The phrase child prodigy was made to describe someone exactly like Mark O’Connor. He was found to be immensely talented as a kid, was brought along as a public figure who could play as well as the adults and became a star before he could vote. Since then he’s only added on to his talent, credentials and overall repetoire and is considered to be one of the most important artistic figures in roots music of any kind. He also champions an expansion of all kinds of music so that an artist may feel free to express themselves exactly as they feel at the time rather than be hog-tied by an old tradition that refuses to budge. Mark will be at the festival on Sunday to play a set and write and perform with the Youth Orchestra, BUT he will also be conducting a 3 day seminar that is new to the festival and which will be discussed below.    

   Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick: Laurie and Kathy were early converts to the bluegrass tradition and so many years ago met and played with many of their heroes. They formed an early all women’s bluegrass group, the Good Ol’ Persons (which later added a token male) and became popular at folk and grass festivals and coffee houses of the day. They both went on from there to form various bands which were always excellent and popular and have also kept their friendship alive for over 40 years. At this time they will be treating our audiences to a tribute set for Vern And Ray; A vocal duo who were an early source of inspiration. This will include some of the finest and most loved songs of Americana culture and will be entertaining as well as historically relevant: A treat for old, new and in-between grassers. In addition, Laurie brings her band, The Right Hands, with partner Tom Rozum, which will deliver a fine performance from an expansive grass and related repetoire. Whether it’s vocals, fiddle of anything else Laurie delivers the goods. Who wouldn’t want to be there for it?      

  I suppose we could have a Wintergrass without Darol Anger but (in the words of many a gangster who wondered about a confederate who he wasn’t sure he could trust) why take a chance! He always brings something new and exciting and pleases our audiences with music that almost always expands the scope of what roots and bluegrass are and offers food for our musical consciousness. This year his group is Mr. Sun; A supergroup which will offer an instrumental and vocal mix of jazz and grass that will compliment the traditional offerings and will also be writing for and performing with the Youth Orchestra. The combination of all the above legends is more than enough to merit a sold out weekend, but there is so much more that makes this festival so important and all the prices seem so reasonable.

 And The Hits Just Keep On Coming!  

    What a blessing to have so many fine performers from all over the  bluegrass and geographical map to share the various stages over 4 days! Della Mae, also Wintergrass veterans, are a 5 woman band with local roots; Dale Ann Bradley and her band play traditional grass and she’s no stranger to best vocalist awards; Faast and Blair play what they have dubbed, “Extreme Bluegrass” which dcribes their music and feeling on traditional, original or pop tunes; Jeff Scroggins and Colorado present a great mix of old and new songs; The Steel Wheels have a marvelous lead singer and infuse their trad. and folk roots grass with a magical feeling and shape note influence; True North from Oregon offers diverse and intelligent songwriting featuring the vocals of Kristen Grainger and super hot interplay from the band; Patchy Sanders is a 7 piece jam band that features original material; Pearl Django is the much beloved gypsy Jazz band whose hot licks relate to the bluegrass music that didn’t even exist when Django made his reputation; Jamie Stone, a Canadian banjo player will present the Lomax Project; Preserving and performing songs from the Alan Lomax collection that has been instrumental in preserving our folk music heritage;  Cahalen Morrison and Eli West are 2 of the most innovative and subtle musicians of roots music anywhere and structure a sound that is based on bluegrass and old-time but is reflected through a 21st century lens. Their music is instantly accessible and built from simple materials but also seems to transcend it’s base fundamentals; Billy Strings, a wild man of vocal and guitar and Don Julian on mandolin  will present old country songs with very high energy.  And the above acts are not all the excellent performers there are. Come and see for yourself! And if your attendance is predicated on specific performers (or if you just can’t wait) just go to www.wintergrass.com and findit all out.

 How About Some New Learning Experiences.  

   Wintergrass is pleased and proud to announce our first ever teacher training seminar with no less an instructor than Mark O’Connor! In a 3 day session specifically designed for music educators, O’Connor will offer his unique method of stringed instrument instruction and will fit in perfectly with the Wintergrass Youth Orchestra philosophy of bridging the gap between classical and oral traditions. Clinician Patti Hopkins will instruct on Tues. & Wed. before Mark appears on Thursday for a special lecture , demonstration and performance. Mark believes that a new American classical music is evolving because students do not wish to be left out of the great sound and energy of folk and jazz music simply because they desire to be great classical players. And he’s definitely right! Why should anyone have to choose one music at the expense of another for any reason? This seminar aims to bring teachers and students close together and help to create musical generations that will have a more holistic world view of playing and performing music then now exists in many places. The seminar will include 15 hours of instruction on the evenings of Feb. 24th and 25th, a full day on the 26th,  the O’Connor method books 1 and 2 and will cost $340.  For any other information you can go to the Wintergrass Web Site: www.wintergrass.com. No matter how much a music teacher knows there’s always room for expansion and when you can learn from one of America’s leading lights why pass up the opportunity?   

     Also new on the educational front is Joe Craven’s half day session on Creativity on Thursday morning, the 26th. Here’s his take on it; “I define creativity as ‘The Pursuit Of Possibility or Pop!’. I’m driven to help individuals take possession of what they already have and demystify art through self-expression as a daily ritual.” Joe has been instructing at Wintergrass for a good many years, is well known and loved for his abilities and immense good feeling. The cost is $55 and well worth it if you’re feeling stuck or simply want to check out a variety of creative possibilities and feel that there’s so much more out there than you’ve been exposed to so far.  Again, go the the web site for  all the details.  

And That’s Not All On The Educational Agenda.  

    Thursday, Feb. 26th will offer a variety of intensives from some of the finest practitioners in the field. Aoife O’Donovan and Sarah Jarosz will present an all day workshop on vocal harmony for $100, Grant Gordy presents an afternoon session on guitar for $55, Tashina and Tristan Clarridge will present another new Wintergrass workshop on fiddle and cello in the afternoon for $55, Phil Leadbetter will teach dobro in the afternoon, also for $55, and Joe Walsh will offer a session for advanced mandolin in the afternoon for $55. There is also an intensive on mandolin for all from Don Julin, but unfortunately for some of you it is sold out. Yes, these sessions are popular so if you’ve an interest now is definitely the time to show it by going to the web site and registering!

 Passing It On.    

   The annual Youth Orchestra presentation, in conjunction with several of our performers/composers/instructors has become one of the most popular staples of the weekend, and no wonder. Lovers of any culture want to offer future generations an opportunity to enjoy the musics (and other things) that have given them so much pleasure and this partnership of professionals and students is a wonderful and rare opportunity to help bridge the gap between classical and oral traditional musics. This year Darol Anger and Mr. Sun, Aoife O’Donovan & Sarah Jarosz, Matuto and Mark O’Connor will be composing, instructing and playing with middle and high school musician/students from 3 schools as well as individual youth who wish to be a part of it all. There will be rehearsals in February (dates to be announced) and also on February 28th from 9:30AM to 1:30PM and culminating in a Grand Ballroom Performance on Sunday, March 1st. The cost is $100 per student and includes a pass for the festival on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, parents of orchestra students are eligible for a discounted parent Sunday pass. A good deal all around and for any other information just go to www.wintergrass.com as usual. 

 Will There be the usual free workshops that come with a ticket?    

  Yes, Yes, Yes!!!   All day Friday and Saturday morning a variety of sessions on a variety of instruments and other related subjects will be offered and the web site will let you know where and when. Always good to take a tiny bit more musical knowledge home with you than you arrived with.

 Let’s move our feet. It’s good for you.    

   A few years back Wintergrass began offering dance sets and the response has dictated that dance is indeed another festival tradition that you look forward to. This year the Regency Ballroom with come alive with the feet shuffling music of Patchy Sanders, Pearl Django, Caleb Krauder, and the Dust Bowl Revival. On Saturday you may enjoy the Steel Drivers, G-Burns, Matuto and more Dust Bowl. You already know what to do, right?

 So is anyone else making music this weekend?   

   YES!! You are!! You’ll bring that instrument and find more than enough friends (old and new) to play various forms of grass and related musics all over the Hyatt Regency Hotel during all hours of the day and night w/no curfew and no outside interference. And as you know, this is one of the joys of any folk festival, without which it wouldn’t be a real folk or bluegrass festival. The real culture is always about all of us making the music, which in the terms of our individual lives is much more important than being a spectator, no matter how great the performers are. The more of you are hanging out and jamming the happier we are, and the instrument check will be open from early till fairly late each day so you can ditch it when you want to attend a set, meet with friend or just be free of it. Another interesting fact of jamming at festivals is that many musical associations and bands and other kinds of relationships have begun with strangers meeting over jam sessions, becoming friends and eventually learning that they have other interests in common as well. Jamming can be a gift that keeps on giving! AND SUCH FUN!

How Can I Contribute To Wintergrass Besides Simply purchasing a ticket?   

   I’m glad you asked. I can think of two ways. One is to join Acoustic Sound/Wintergrass (Go to web site or there will be ample information at the festival) and by doing so you’ll contribute financially to our survival and also receive all information in advance. The other is to volunteer at the festival. There’s always something that needs doing and for 12 hours of work you can garner a festival pass for the weekend. And like the jamming scene you’ll meet people who may become friends musically or otherwise, Because (at least for me) volunteering for a community festival such as Wintergrass isn’t as much a job for a company as a family of like people who are helping to manifest something that we all love. The more we put in to anything the more we get out of it. Let’s get as much as we can out of Wintergrass in all the right ways.  

Where Can I Stay?    

  The Hyatt is SOLD OUT! That’s that. But the Courtyard Marriott can be reached from the web site or 425-454-5888, the Westin is on our web as well and at 425-638-1000, and the Silver Cloud Inn Reservations Line is at 800-205-6937. There are also other hotels on an extensive list at: Bellevue.com Hotels Page or at: Expedia.com. There’s got to be a place for you somewhere. And you’ll be pleased to know that a cab ride from a mile of Wintergrass is only $5, which is a lot less than day parking at the  Hyatt.

 So, Is there anything else we need to do?  

   Yes there is! You need to be thankful for our sponsors, for they are huge in our ability to put on this high quality cultural celebration year after year. Main on the list are the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the City of Bellevue who make it all possible in the first place. And then we are pleased to have Rayco, Nechville, D’addario, the Washington Acoustic Music Association (WAMA), the Oregon Bluegrass Association (OBA), and the Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association (MRBA) and several others that you will see at booths and around the festival. These contributions are important as we all know and so during the rest of the year when you’re shopping for something for you, or that gift for a holiday, birthday, etc. that is offered by one of the above, kindly remember their contribution to our success and purchase accordingly. The quality is excellent and the return of good Karma is good for all concerned!     

  Well, that’s all folks. All that’s left is to get your situation together and join us for one of the finest weekends of music and cultural education anywhere. See ya there!!    

   (All comments welcome: Percy Hilo: [email protected])                                            

The Slack Key Festival returns to Town Hall for its fifth year—this time featuring many of Hawaii’s master musicians including Roland Cazimero, Jerry Santos, Palani Vaughan, Kamuela Kimokeo, Cyril Pahinui, Jeff Peterson, Peter Moon, Jeff Au Hoy, Nathan Aweau and more.  Also on the program: emcees Skylark Rosetti and Braddah Gomes, local hula halau, Hawaiian tropical flowers, and prize drawings. Presented by the Seattle Slack Key Festival.

Tickets: Advance tickets are $35 /$50/$125 VIP, which include VIP includes preferred seating, as well as Film Screening & Meet the Artists Reception at the Wing Luke Museum on Saturday, November 9 at 6pm.
Doors open: Noon.
Learn More: http://www.seattleslackkeyfestival.com/

2013 will herald the 10th Annual Galway Bay Irish Music Festival which will celebrate 10 years of Irish songs, ballads, players and bands flooding Ocean Shores with music and fun for four days this October.

The Festival begins the evening of Thursday, October 24, 2013 and lasts until Sunday, October 27, 2013.  Headlining this year’s festival are the Young Dubliners while featuring Young Wolfe Tones, Molly’s Revenge and Tillers Folly.  In addition, an eclectic mix of twenty-five (25) Irish bands, choirs and dancers hailing from throughout the United States, Canada and, of course, Ireland rounding out this year’s entertainment.

An “All Venue Pass” ($70) offers the best option for the hardcore festivalgoer.  This pass allows unlimited access to all festival venues for the duration of the festival.

The “Convention Center Pass” ($40) provides unlimited access to the Ocean Shores Convention Center for the duration of the festival.

The “8th Street Ale House Pass” ($10) provides unlimited access to the 8th Street Ale House in Hoquiam for the duration of the festival.

“Day Passes” to venues will be available on a walk-up bases however, pricing and availability will vary through out each day of the festival.

Must be 21 or older to attend festival at Galway Bay Restaurant, Pub and Gifts and 8th Street Ale House.

Ocean Shores Convention Center is Family Friendly where all ages are welcome.  Children under 12 are free.  Free Kids games and activities.

Check out our participating motels for the best rates and FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE TO AND FROM YOUR MOTEL, GALWAY BAY & THE CONVENTION CENTER.

Shuttle Hours: Friday 4pm til 2am Saturday noon til 2am

Workshop ScheduleGALWAY BAY’S IRISH MUSIC FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2013 – OCEAN SHORES CONVENTION CENTER

Ocean Shores Convention Center is Family Friendly where all ages are welcome.  Children under 12 are free.  Free Kids games and activities.

Click the “Workshop Schedule” link below for the full schedule of workshops. Workshop Schedule

It’s festival time!  A series of festivals coming up in August and September include great maritime music.  Only three months until the rain begins, so get outside while you can!

Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival
The Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival, the only Northwest festival focusing solely on maritime music, will offer five hours of free music on August 10.  Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, with their world music, will be the headliners.  Spanaway Bay will be the emcees and fill in with music between sets.  The rest of the lineup is strong, with the humorous and harmonious Whateverly Brothers, and a Bainbridge group called Time and Tide.  Mary Garvey, the prolific and popular songwriter, will complete the lineup.

The festival will include three new maritime songs that are the winners of the Bob Kotta Memorial Songwriting Contest.  The first, second, and third place winners will either perform their songs live, or song recordings will be played between sets.  The winners have not been announced, but as one of the judges, I can tell you there are some good songs in the contest.  The theme for the contest is ‘Maritime Work’.

The setting for the festival will be an outdoor amphitheatre at Port Gamble, a historic mill town that is a National Historic Landmark District.  The music will begin at noon and go until 5 pm.

Maritime Folknet will have a booth at the festival, selling CDs for Maritime Folknet and also for the performers.  Sound will be by Chris Glanister’s Pilgrim Media Services.

More From Time and TideTime and Tide, a group from Bainbridge Island, got approval from the crowd at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival.  Besides appearing at the Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival, they will play at the Poulsbo Farmers Market on August 24 and September 21.

Maritime Music at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival
The Princeton Traditional Music Festival, in British Columbia, is set for August 16 – 18.  Maritime performers will include Brian Robertson, Chris Roe, Shanghaied on the Willamette, and North by West.

Maritime Music at the Tumbleweed Music Festival
This laid-back festival in Richland always features some great maritime music.  The schedule for the Tumbleweed Music Festival on August 31 – September 1 has not been announced yet, but maritime performers will include Hank Cramer and Watch the Sky.

On the afternoon or evening of Friday, August 30, there will be a chantey sing to start off the festival, probably at the park.  Check the Tumbleweed Music Festival Facebook page for more details.

Sanger & Didele are trying to raise funds so that Didele (Kurt Mesford-Lesmeister) can come from Iowa for the festival, which would make it possible for the duo to perform.  Kurt has posted a link on his Facebook page to the ‘Didele Delivery Service’ fundraiser on Fund Anything.  As of this writing, they have raised $50 of the $800 they need.  Why not give them a hand?  Or some money?

More From Hank Cramer
Besides appearing at the Tumbleweed Music Festival, Hank Cramer will play at the Galway Bay Irish Pub in Ocean Shores on August 2 & 3.

Maritime Music at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival
Maritime music fans go to the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, September 6-8, for the chantey sings on Friday and Saturday nights.  Check the web site for Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along for more information.

There will also be some great maritime music on the festival’s two stages.  Tugboat Bromberg will perform on September 8, at 2 pm on the Main Stage.  Other performers with a maritime flavor will be Mike and Val James, concertina player Bertram Levy, the Shifty Sailors, and The Whateverly Brothers.

More From The Shifty Sailors and Knut Bell
Besides playing at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, the Shifty Sailors will appear at Peace Arch State Park near Blaine on August 4.

On September 7, they’ll play at the Fishermen’s Fall Festival at Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle.  Also appearing at this festival will be Knut Bell.

More From The Whateverly Brothers
Besides playing at the Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, The Whateverly Brothers will play in Everett at Under the Red Umbrella on September 27.

Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing with Two Tugboats
On August 9, Tugboat Bromberg will lead the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing aboard the historic tugboat Arthur Foss at Lake Union Park.  Tugboat Bromberg is a retired merchant mariner and historic re-enactor.  There will be an early start time, at 7:30 pm, so that the sing will end at 9:30 pm, before dark.

On September 13, Helen Gilbert will lead the sing, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, at 8 pm.

More From Tugboat Bromberg
Besides leading the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing, Tugboat Bromberg will perform at the Anacortes Work Boat Races on August 24.

He was also scheduled to appear at the Portland Pirate Festival in St. Helens, Oregon on August 31, but it appears that event may have been canceled.

He will be playing at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival on September 8, at 2 pm on the Main Stage, although through an oversight he seems to have been omitted from the online music schedule.

Olympia Chantey SingThe Budd Bay Shanty Sing in Olympia will be August 4 from 7 to 9 pm at Boston Harbor Marina if the weather is good.  If not, the sing will retreat to “storm quarters” at Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave NW).  The following sing will be either September 1 or September 8.  Call 360-866-4296 for more information.

Port Townsend Shanty SingOn August 1, Matthew Orr will lead the Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Uptown Community Center.

There will not be a Sing Shanties Song Circle in September.  All shanty enthusiasts are encouraged to attend the two shanty sings held during the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, in the Marina Room at Port Hudson on both Friday and Saturday nights, September 6 & 7.

Richland Shanty SingThe Second Saturday Sea Song Singing Session in Richland will be August 10 at 7 pm at Round Table Pizza on 1435 George Washington Way.  The next month, it will be September 14.

Pint & Dale at the Couth Buzzard
Pint & Dale will play at the The Couth Buzzard in Seattle on August 24 and September 21.

Brownsmead Flats
Brownsmead Flats will play at the Astoria Sunday Market on August 4.

On August 25, they will play in McGandy Park in Lacey, Washington for the Panorama Retirement Community.

Cannery Underground
On August 3, Cannery Underground will perform at Deception Pass for the Washington State Parks Centennial Celebration.  .  Cannery Underground will play from 11 am to noon.

Debra Cowan to Visit Seattle
On September 28, acclaimed singer Debra Cowan will play a concert jointly produced by Seattle Folklore Society and Northwest Seaport, at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.  She has performed at many maritime festivals on the East Coast, but is rarely seen in Seattle.

Northwest Maritime Songs:  Ode to Puget Sound
Ode to Puget Sound was written by Carlton Fitchett, a writer for the Seattle PI, around 1944.  Legend has it that Fitchett sold the song to to Ivar Haglund for a box of Cuban cigars.  The song includes a number of place names unique to Puget Sound.  Unless you were raised here, you will need a good map to track them down.

Obviously, this song predates the boom in waterfront property.  These days, a shack on Puget Sound might exchange for the ransom of a royal palace, just for the value of the land.

This was the theme song for ‘Exploration Northwest’, a series of half-hour outdoor adventures which ran from 1960 to 1981.  Many of these classic tales of Northwest history are available on DVD from the Don McCune Library, run by his widow, on http://donmccunelibrary.com/.  Ode to Puget Sound is available on a CD of songs sung by Don McCune, “Looking Back with Captain Puget”, a collection from the ‘Captain Puget Show’, which aired on TV from 1957 to 1966.

It’s also available in a recording by Allan Hirsch, found on “Songs of the Pacific Northwest”.

ODE TO PUGET SOUND
by Carlton Fitchett

As happy as a butter clam when tides are high I sing

A grateful ode to Puget Sound, the land of everything

I love it from Tulalip to Puyallup, Sequim and Pysht

And to the Dosewallips where so many times I’ve fished

From Brinnon to the Bogachiel, from Lummi to LaPush

And from the lordly Sol Duc to the lovely Duckabush

From Samish to Sammamish, Suquamish to Quilcene,

The climate that’s so friendly, and the land that’s evergreen

There’s peace on the Skykomish, on the Queets and on the Hoh

There’s calm on the Nisqually, born of ageless ice and snow

A land that nature loves so much it stays the whole year round

I’d trade a royal palace for a shack on Puget Sound

From Chimacum to Steilacoom where spouts the geoduck

The singing Stillaguamish and the swirling Skookumchuck

From Mooclips to Copalis where the razor clams abound

A little bit of heaven is a shack on Puget Sound

Alice Winship has been promoting maritime music events as an unpaid volunteer for various non-profit organizations, and generally advocating the cause of Northwest nautical music and maritime preservation, since 1996. She is the president of Maritime Folknet, a new non-profit organization devoted to encouraging maritime culture, especially music.

Photos:

Opland-Freeman

Sanger & Didele

Tugboat Bromberg

Debra Cowan

Ivar Haglund and Don McCune

Victory Review Magazine

ATTN: Joe and Nicole and the entire Victory Review Readership,
     As George Harrison reminded us, all things must pass. And so it is with my tenure as columnist with the Victory Review after 17 delightful years (And 26 1/2 as an all-purpose volunteer). I’ve enjoyed serving in this capacity and to have a forum for my ideas about the folk music culture and to feature some of our important and highly skilled practitioners. It’s kept me close to the action and our readership has let me know that I was appreciated. But at this time, and for a variety of reasons, I feel the need to let go of this association and to clear some space in my life for other endeavors. 17 years is a long time to do anything and there are other facets of life I would like to explore during the last quarter of my earthly existence. In thinking back on my Victory experience I feel a deep gratitude for all the dedicated and accomplished spirits I’ve had the privilege of working with and for all the good times we’ve had while keeping the folk music culture alive and well in Puget Sound. May all of you enjoy long, productive and contented lives.
      Namaste,
        Percy

Music at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival
The music schedule for the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival from July 4 to 7 has been announced and can be found below.  Maritime musicians are in bold.  This annual festival is held at Lake Union Park in Seattle.

Maritime Folknet will have a booth next to the music stage, selling CDs for Maritime Folknet and also for the performers.  I’m looking for volunteers to help me out from time to time, so email me at [email protected] if you are interested.  It’s light duty, and a great place to hang out and listen to the music.



Sound will be by Chris Glanister’s Pilgrim Media Services.  There will be music daily from 11 am to 6 pm, about 23 hours of music total (plus the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing on Friday night).  Of this, I will be allowed 3 minutes on Sunday afternoon during the Shanty Showcase to sing a song I wrote about the Wooden Boat Festival (you can find it at the end of this column, with some notes.)  The Shanty Showcase will have ten Northwest maritime singers.

Thursday, July 411:00am-11:45am Stephen Kaiser
12:00pm-1:00pm Piper Stock Hill https://myspace.com/piperstockhill
1:15pm-2:15pm Vince Martinez & the Wild Blue Yonder. http://vincemtz.com/
2:30pm-3:30pm Larry Murante http://www.larrymurante.com
3:45pm-4:45pm William Pint & Felicia Dale http://www.pintndale.com
5:00pm-6:00pm The Whateverly Brothers http://www.thewhateverlybrothers.com

Followed by fireworks after dark (10 pm?).

Friday, July 511:00am-11:45am Hounds@Bay http://www.reverbnation.com/houndsatbay
12:00pm-1:00pm Del Rey http://hobemianrecords.com/delrey.html
1:15pm-2:15pm Greg Paul http://www.nodepression.com/profile/GregoryPaul
2:30pm-3:30pm Steve and Kristi Nebel http://www.sknebel.com/
3:45pm-4:45pm Silver Lining http://www.silverliningmusic.net/Home.html
5:00pm-6:00pm The Hayburners http://www.thehayburners.com/

Followed by the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing from 7:30-9:30 pm, led by Broadside and the Handsome Cabin Boys.

Saturday, July 611:00am-11:45am Jim and Dave
12:00pm-1:00pm Allan Hirsch http://www.alleyoop.us/
1:15pm-2:15pm Watch The Sky http://www.watchthesky.net
2:30pm-3:30pm Burgundy Pearl
3:45pm-4:45pm Nancy K Dillon Band http://www.nancykdillon.net/
5:00pm-6:00pm Eric Miller Band http://ericmillersongs.com/

Sunday, July 711:00am-11:45am Time & Tide
12:00pm-1:00pm Spanaway Bay
1:15pm-2:15pm Mike and Val James http://mikeandvaljames.com/
2:30pm-3:30pm The Phinney Ridge Rumrunners
3:45pm-4:45pm The Lonely Coast http://thelonelycoast.com/
5:00pm-6:00pm Shanty Showcase 10 maritime singers

Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival
Broadside and the Handsome Cabin Boys will lead the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing on July 4 aboard the Adventuress at Lake Union Park.  Broadside’s lineup will include William Pint & Felicia Dale, back from their year-long East Coast Tour (as well as Kent & Carol Mesford, Trapper Graves-Lalor, and Steve Lalor.)  There will be plenty of room on the dock for those who don’t get there early enough to get a place on the boat.  This is a special date, not the usual second Friday, and there will be an early start time, at 7:30 pm, so that the sing will end at 9:30 pm, before dark.

On August 9, the sing will also run from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, on board the tugboat Arthur Foss.  Tugboat Bromberg will be the songleader.

Olympia Chantey Sing
The Budd Bay Shanty Sing in Olympia will be July 7 from 7 to 9 pm at Boston Harbor Marina if the weather is good.  If not, the sing will retreat to “storm quarters” at Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave NW).  The following sing will be August 4.  Call 360-866-4296 for more information.

Port Townsend Shanty Sing
Mark Olson will lead the Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along on July 4 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Cotton Building on Water Street.  The theme will be “Singin’ Shanties Aboard American Tall Ships”.

On August 1, Matthew Orr will lead the sing at the Uptown Community Center.

Richland Shanty Sing
The Second Saturday Sea Song Singing Session in Richland will be July 13 at 7 pm at Round Table Pizza on 1435 George Washington Way.  The next month, it will be August 10.

Pint & Dale Are Back!
While Felicia’s mother was ill, Pint & Dale held off on touring for quite a while.  After she passed away, they went on a lengthy tour of the East Coast for a year or more, since their fans there had not seen them for a long time.  Meanwhile, we have missed them here in the Northwest.

This is a joyous occasion, because William & Felicia have returned!  After playing at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, as a duo and as part of Broadside & the Handsome Cabin Boys, they will have a show at The Couth Buzzard on July 13 at 7:30 pm.

The Whateverly Brothers
Besides their appearance at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, The Whateverly Brothers will perform at Hazel Miller Plaza in Edmonds on July 11.

On July 21, they will play at the Lavender Festival in Sequim.

On August 10, they’ll be part of the lineup at the Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival.  More about that below.

Hank Cramer
Hank Cramer will be playing various cowboy concerts in early July, then going to Maine for a Sea Shanty Cruise aboard the schooner Isaac Evans.  On August 2 & 3, he’ll be at the Galway Bay Irish Pub in Ocean Shores.  After that, he will resume more non-maritime music with a series of ‘One Trail, Many Voices’ concerts (songs & stories of the Oregon Trail), sponsored by Humanities Washington.

Shifty Sailors
On the evening of July 16, the Shifty Sailors will appear at Ebey’s Landing, a National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island, as part of the Discover Washington Youth Heritage Project.

On July 27 at noon, they’ll be at Greenbank Farm on Whidbey Island for the annual Loganberry Festival.

On August 4, they’ll play at Peace Arch State Park near Blaine.

Brownsmead FlatsBrownsmead Flats will play at the Astoria Sunday Market on July 7 and August 4.

They have a long string of free library concerts:

Ilwaco Timberland Library on July 11

South Bend Timberland Library on July 17

Westport Timberland Library on July 17

Elma Timberland Library on July 18

Centralia Timberland Library on July 23

Oakville Timberland Library on July 24

Salkum Timberland Library on July 24

Chehalis Timberland Library on July 25

Winlock Timberland Library on July 25.

They are playing several concerts in parks:

Astoria Community Concert in Lindstrom Park on July 10

The Long Beach Downtown Gazebo on July 14

Huntamer Park in Woodland Square in Lacey on July 23

This certainly makes them the Northwest’s most active maritime band!

Cannery Underground
On August 3, Cannery Underground will perform at Deception Pass for the Washington State Parks Centennial Celebration.  This event starts around 10 am and goes until 5 pm.  There will be music, food, and fun throughout the day.  Cannery Underground will play from 11 am to noon, just before the officials give their speeches.

“The all day festival is the second of two signature celebrations marking the 100 years of State Parks and the beginning of a second century of memories.  Event activities include live music performances, games for kids, local displays, demonstrations, a Volksmarch hike, a sailing regatta, an old-fashioned quilting bee, history display and more.  Guest speakers will be talking about the value of the state park system in today’s world at 1 pm at the east end of Cranberry Lake, near the main park entrance.  Food is available for purchase during the event.  Presented in partnership with the Deception Pass Park Foundation.”

Piper Stock Hill
Besides playing at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, Piper Stock Hill will play at the Owl & Thistle Irish Pub near Pioneer Square in Seattle on July 12 from 9 pm until midnight.

Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival Announces Final LineupThe Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival on August 10 will provide five hours of free music in a wonderful outdoor setting.  This classic Northwest mill town is a National Historic Landmark District, filled with vintage clapboard buildings, green lawns, shady trees, and a view of the water.  Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, with their world music, will be the headliners.  Spanaway Bay will be the emcees and fill in with music between sets.  The rest of the lineup is strong, with the humorous and harmonious Whateverly Brothers, and a Bainbridge group called Time and Tide.  Mary Garvey, the prolific and popular songwriter, will complete the lineup.  (Tyler Morgan returned to the East Coast and had to cancel his tentative booking.)

It’s not too late to get in an entry for the songwriting contest.  Entries are due July 12.  If you haven’t already picked up a flyer, check the web site or email me at [email protected].  The theme is ‘Maritime Work’, which leaves room for a pretty broad interpretation.

Northwest Maritime Songs:  Wooden Boat Festival SongHere’s a little song I wrote about the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, which this year will be July 4 – 7, Thursday through Sunday.

Wooden Boat Festival Songby Alice WinshipChorus:

There’ll be good times where we’re bound,

A wooden boat reunion.

Keep your engine turnin’ round,

We’re bound for Lake Union.

Wooden boats and ships are on their way to visit Lake Union for the festival.  Over 100 wooden vessels of all sizes will be on display during the festival, and many of the larger vessels will be open for the public to tour at dockside.

Lake Union was named by Thomas Mercer, who in 1854 predicted that canals would one day link Puget Sound to Lake Washington.  Unlike some Seattle place names based on predictions, like University Street and Capitol Hill, this one actually came to pass.  The Duwamish had just called it ‘Small Lake’.

We’ll gather on Adventuress

And at the stage for music

We’ll quickly voice our tunefulness

The songs will ring, join in and sing

Hey!

The Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing will be held on the evening of July 5, on board the schooner Adventuress, and on the dock next to the ship.  There will be music on stage daily from 11 am to 6 pm throughout the festival, including a Shanty Showcase at 5 pm on Sunday (at which you can hear this song).  There is a full listing of the music earlier in this column.

You’ll see boats built in a day

The Quick and Daring Boat Race

And in a wink, we watch them sink

The winning boat floats all the way

Hey!

Contestants in the Quick and Daring Boat Race have only 24 hours to build their boats.  Then they are launched for a race.  To the delight of the spectators, they don’t always make it to the finish line.  Life jackets are required, and boats are standing by in case anyone needs to be pulled from the water.  This year, a new race will be added, in which contestants power the boat of their choice with a cordless drill.

The food is swell and Farmboat sells

Those tacos made of fishes

Delicious smells and ringing bells

Historic ships, and boat ride trips

Hey!

There will be a number of food booths at the festival, but the fish tacos sold by Farmboat at a dockside boat are a stand out.  Farmboat is a non-profit organization that runs a farmers market on Thursdays, usually aboard the steamer Virginia V.  They’re looking for musicians to play at the Thursday markets.  If you are interested, contact them through their web site.

You can inhale not only the food smells, but the smell of freshly-cut wood at the boatbuilding demonstrations.  Some people like the smell of old boats, and even like the diesel engine smell on the tugboat Arthur Foss.  It’s one of four National Historic Landmarks at the Historic Ships Wharf.

The best view is from out on the water.  Sign up early at the Center for Wooden Boats to get on one of their free boat trips.

I thought I heard Dick Wagner say

All ages learn together

A boat can change your life today

Get in a boat, away you’ll float

Hey!

Dick Wagner is the founding director of the Center for Wooden Boats.  He grew up in New Jersey, but was attracted to the can-do, pioneering spirit of the West, and to Puget Sound as a place where you didn’t have to be a rich yacht owner to enjoy boating.  He worked as an architect until 1968, when he and his wife Colleen started renting wooden boats from their houseboat on Lake Union.  This grew into the Center for Wooden Boats.  The classes and boat-rental opportunities found there can be a life-changing experience for youth at risk, and for people from all walks of life.

Dick and Colleen began the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival in 1977, and this will be its 37th year.

You can come and disembark

From Captain Larry’s ferry

Don’t bring your car, ‘cause you can’t park

The fireworks start when it gets dark

Hey!

Ever since the big parking lot was torn out and planted with grass, parking has been almost impossible.  Now, with the construction on Valley Street, access by vehicle to Lake Union Park is like negotiating a maze.  You can park somewhere on the streets to the west of the park, and walk for many blocks.  Better to park elsewhere and take a bus or the trolley.

Seattle Ferry Service, run by Captain Larry Kezner, will be running a ferry service from Fremont to Lake Union Park during the festival, using the small passenger ferry Fremont Ave or a smaller launch.  There is a possibility that Larry may run a ferry service from Fishermen’s Terminal to Lake Union Park during the festival – check the CWB web site for more information.

Thanks to a last-minute scramble, enough donors and organizers were rounded up to put on fireworks over Lake Union on July 4 this year!  And the music for the festival looks great.  I’ll be there at the booth next to the stage, selling music CDs.

Alice Winship has been promoting maritime music events as an unpaid volunteer for various non-profit organizations, and generally advocating the cause of Northwest nautical music and maritime preservation, since 1996. She is the president of Maritime Folknet, a new non-profit organization devoted to encouraging maritime culture, especially music.

Victory Review MagazineMaritime Musings

The Whateverly Brothers Will Lead the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing

The Whateverly Brothers will lead the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing on June 14 at 8 pm, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at 1215 Thomas Street in Seattle.  The church basement there has great acoustics and lots of room.  The May sing at the Center for Wooden Boats had 112 people in attendance, many of them standing, so it will be nice to have a location where everyone can sit down.

The Whateverly Brothers are a lot of fun, and know a lot of sea songs, including some original songs by Matthew Moeller, and some that Chris Glanister wrote with Mary Garvey.  Dan Robert’s deep voice rounds out the three-part harmony.

The July sing will be on a special date, not the second Friday.  It will be Friday, July 5, at 7:30 pm.  This is the day that the Adventuress comes in for the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival.  The sing will be on the Adventuress, and on the dock alongside her at Lake Union Park.  Only a certain number of people are allowed on board by Coast Guard regulations, so get there early if you want a space on the boat.  There will plenty of room on the dock for those who arrive later.  The sing will have a special start time, at 7:30 pm, so we can finish before dark.  Leading the sing will be Broadside and the Handsome Cabin Boys.

Olympia Chantey Sing
The Budd Bay Shanty Sing in Olympia will be June 2 from 7 to 9 pm at Boston Harbor Marina if the weather is good.  If not, the sing will retreat to “storm quarters” at Apollo Pizza & Pasta (2302 Harrison Ave NW).  The following sing will be July 7.  Call 360-866-4296 for more information.

Port Townsend Shanty Sing
Helen Gilbert will lead the Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along on June 6 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Uptown Community Center.  

On July 4, Mark Olson will lead the sing at the Cotton Building on Water Street.  The theme will be “Singin’ Shanties Aboard American Tall Ships”.

Richland Shanty Sing
The Second Saturday Sea Song Singing Session in Richland will be June 8 at 7 pm at Round Table Pizza on 1435 George Washington Way.  The next month, it will be July 13.

The Whateverly Brothers
Besides leading the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing on June 14, The Whateverly Brothers will perform at several locations in June and July.

On June 1, they will play at the Kingston Farmers Market, next to the ferry terminal, from 10 am to 2 pm.

On July 4, they’ll be at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival in Seattle.  More later in this column about music at that event

On July 11, they will appear at Hazel Miller Plaza in Edmonds.

Maritime Music at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival
Besides the Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing on the Adventuress on July 5, there will be music throughout the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival from July 4 to 7, with sound by Chris Glanister’s Pilgrim Media Services.  A good portion of the music will be maritime-related.  So far, most of the music is not booked yet, but tentatively includes Piper Stock Hill, Tyler Morgan, Watch the Sky, Allan Hirsh, Time and Tide, and The Whateverly Brothers.  There will be a Shanty Showcase, like there was last year, with a group of Northwest chantey musicians taking turns leading songs.  Check the July issue of the Victory Review for more information.

Hank Cramer
Hank Cramer will be at the Galway Bay Irish Pub in Ocean Shores on June 1


On June 5, he’ll play at Lower Columbia College in Longview, with Songs and Stories of the Oregon Trail.

On June 14, he’ll perform a house concert in Tacoma.  For reservations and directions, call 253 761-7673.

On June 16, he’ll play Sunday Afternoon Live! in Raymond, Washington. He will be performing as a quartet with Davey Hakala (fiddle), Mark Iler (tenor guitar), and Rob Thran (bass, hammered dulcimer).

Shifty SailorsThe Shifty Sailors have an extensive West Coast Tour in June.

But first, they’ll perform at Cap Sante Marina for the Anacortes Waterfront Festival on June 1 at 1:30 pm.

On June 7 (not June 14 as announced last month) they’ll kick off their Summer Tour, with the first show of the tour at the Coupeville Rec Hall, at 7:30 pm.

Then from June 21 to June 30 they launch into their West Coast Summer Tour:

June 21 – Westport, WA

June 22– Astoria & Newport, OR

June 23 – Coos Bay, OR

June 24 – Crescent City, CA

June 25 & 26 – San Francisco, CA

June 27 – Santa Cruz, CA

June 28 – Monterey, CA

June 29– Medford, OR

Brownsmead Flats
On June 8, Brownsmead Flats will play an Anniversary Party at Granny Patti’s Trading Post at 42232 Kylester Lane in Knappa, Oregon.

On June 29, they’ll perform at the Trolley 100th birthday party at the Astoria Railroad Depot from 3-5 pm.  That’s located on Marine Drive near the Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. Admission will be free at this event, too.

On July 7, at 11:00 am, they will be at the Astoria Sunday Market on 14th Street.  No charge for this one either.

On July 10, they’ll play a free Concert in the Park from 6-7:30 pm, at Lindstrom Park near 6th and Niagra Streets in Astoria.

On July 14 from 1-4 pm, they will perform a free outdoor gazebo concert in the park for Summerfest in downtown Long Beach, Washington.

Piper Stock Hill in a Double Bill with Watch The Sky!On June 23, Piper Stock Hill will join Watch the Sky at the ‘2013 Music in the Sculpture Garden Summer Concert Series’ at the History House of Greater Seattle in Fremont, from 2- 4 pm.  There’s a wonderful little outdoor venue tucked into the History House entranceway.  The event is free for all ages.

Watch the Sky will also play a concert at Rhapsody in Bloom in Tacoma on June 26.

Cannery Underground
On June 22, Cannery Underground will perform at Anderson’s Store on Guemes Island from 5:30 – 8:00 pm.  That’s just a short ferry ride from Anacortes.

Tugboat Bromberg
Tugboat Bromberg will play at Rusty Scupper Pirate Daze in Westport, Washington between June 21 and 23.  His pirate persona is a great match for this event.

The Return of Pint & Dale!After touring the East Coast for a year or more, Pint & Dale will return to Seattle with a show at The Couth Buzzard on July 13 at 7:30 pm.  They have been missed.

Early Warning:  Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival
Bookings have been announced for the Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival on August 10.  Tania Opland and Mike Freeman will bring a maritime slant to their diverse world music.  Spanaway Bay will be once again provide announcements and music between sets.  The Whateverly Brothers will bring their laughs and three-part harmony.  A group from Bainbridge Island, Time and Tide, is new to many of us, but is rumored to have some good vocals.  Tyler Morgan is probably also going to perform at this afternoon of free music, in a great outdoor location.

Northwest Maritime Songs:  The Tugboat Captain
The lyrics to The Tugboat Captain were written by Mary Garvey, about tugboats on the lower Columbia River.  The music was written collectively by the group Watch the Sky! – Jan Elliot-Glanister, Chris Glanister, and Joe Wagner.  The song was recorded on the CD Northwest Tugboat Tales.

The name ‘Knutsen’ reflects the strong influence of Scandinavians in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the maritime industry.  But instead of giving these lyrics a jaunty, Scandinavian-style tune, Watch the Sky has written a minor-key Celtic melody which captures the brooding atmosphere of the fog-ridden lower Columbia.  Although the Native Americans of the Northwest did not historically play whistle or flute, the whistle and drum parts on this piece somehow draw one into the past of the landscape, evoking the power of the river and the mystery of the foggy, tree-covered shores.

Simpson operates lumber and pulp mills in Western Washington, and Foss has one of the largest fleets of tugboats on the West Coast.  Both of these industrial giants were originally family owned.  Nearly all the Foss tugs are named for members of the Foss family, descendants of Thea Foss.  (Regardless of the last name of the family member, the tugboat is given the last name ‘Foss’.)

‘The tugboat is small, but the engine is large’

Although larger tugboats may be over 100 feet long, they are still small compared to the loads they move.  A tugboat has been described as ‘an engine with a hull around it.’  On any tug, the engine takes most of the space, and crew quarters are minimal and efficient.

Watch the song lyrics on the Tales From the Bar CD for references to coffee.  Long before latte stands could be found on nearly every street corner in Seattle, coffee was as essential on Northwest tugboats as the diesel that fuels the engines.

THE TUGBOAT CAPTAIN
Lyrics by Mary GarveyMusic by Watch the Sky! (Jan Elliot-Glanister, Chris Glanister, Joe Wagner)At the end of the day there is no one so snug

As Captain Knutsen in his warm little tug

With a fresh pot of coffee he’ll pour you a mug

Oh, Captain Knutsen in his warm little tug

Chorus:

For towing your logs or pushing your barge

He’s a man who is worth whatever he’ll charge

The tugboat is small but the engine is large

He’s a man who is worth whatever he’ll charge

Try as he will he just can not explain

How he does what he does in the wind and the rain

Never tipping a load never twisting a chain

He does what he does in the wind and the rain

In this neck of the woods made of cedar and moss

The tugboat is king but the river is boss

It don’t care if your name should be Simpson or Foss

The tugboat is king but the river is boss

The lanterns are gleaming the cables are tight

And as long as the foghorns still blast in the night

You’ll know that this part of the world is all right

As long as the foghorns still blast in the night

Alice Winship has been promoting maritime music events as an unpaid volunteer for various non-profit organizations, and generally advocating the cause of Northwest nautical music and maritime preservation, since 1996. She is the president of Maritime Folknet, a new non-profit organization devoted to encouraging maritime culture, especially music.

Victory Review MagazineAlice Winship, Brownsmead Flats, Budd Bay Shanty Sing, Cannery Underground, Hank Cramer, Maritime, Maritime Musings, Northwest Seaport Chantey Sing, Piper Stock Hill, Port Gamble, Port Gamble Maritime Music Festival, Port Townsend, Port Townsend Sea Shanty Song Circle and Sing-Along, Richland Shanty Sing, Shifty Sailors, Spanaway Bay, The Whateverly Brothers, Tugboat Bromberg, Watch the Sky, Wooden Boat Festival

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‹ We Say Farewell to Folking Around

Jon McAuliffe: In This Present Form ›

Folklife, 2013: Washington Works
by Percy Hilo
     Each year at The Northwest Folklife Festival we’re always delighted by the large amount and wide variety of performances, visual arts and crafts that surround our selves and senses for 4 wonderful days. What is equally obvious but largely unnoticed (and certainly unrecognized) is the large and continuous amount of labor performed by so many people that is responsible for our enjoying a largely clean and sanitary environment and for keeping the festival itself running smoothly and on time. All of the Folklife related labor is volunteer and all of the Seattle Center labor are people earning a meager living  by making sure we’re all comfortable. Either way we couldn’t enjoy the high quality of festival we’ve become accustomed to without these workers and it’s time to not only realize this but to recognize it as important. With this in mind our Cultural Focus for this year’s festival is WASHINGTON WORKS and Janet Stecher has put together a number of programs that will provide entertainment and/or valuable information as well as covering some valuable history as well as commentary on the current condition of labor in our state.
     For all 4 days (May 24th-27th) the Narrative Stage (In what used to be the Alki Room but is now the SIFF Cinema Stage and sponsored by KUOW) will present speakers and demonstrations that were largely selected by the Mayworks committee and sponsored by The Washington State Labor Council. These will include stories of Labor HIstory presented by the Seattle Public Library, the U of W Labor Center and the Jack Straw Writers. There will be stories of the UFCW history (I’ll bet most of you don’t know what UFCW is. I don’t either. This offers us a teachable moment in between Fiddle tunes, square dances or songwriters) as well as sessions on organizing and lobbying, Immigration and Labor, a revealing and often humorous set by the Fisher Poets, a session on how union workers electrify the Northwest, a people’s history of labor titled Making the American Dream Real For Everyone, Janet’s workshop on Doing God’s Work (Is she employed by God or is she a volunteer? Is there a union contract involved? Will God allow the rest of us to perform service in it’s name? Attend and find out) and several more that will contribute mightily towards a fine time for all and a greater understanding about the labor that makes all our memorable events possible.
     And that’s not all by a long shot! All weekend there will be visual arts in the Lopez Room. One of the exhibits is titled Images of Labor and Social Justice: The Art of Richard V. Correll featuring his acclaimed linoleum cuts, etchings and woodblock prints. The other is Journey For Justice: 223 Years of APA (Asian Pacific American) Labor History in the Puget Sound. This covers the epic story of the Asian Labor Community and it’s ongoing struggle for justice through, photographs, historical timeline and portraiture. These exhibits are joined by the work of local artists who are living out labor’s current conditions in what will become tomorrow’s historical exhibits.
     And speaking of current conditions and history, on Saturday from 2-3PM in the Olympic Room there will be a bed making contest among members of Unite Here Local 8 in which you can learn the “Correct” way of making a bed, and on Sunday from 2-3PM a group of original Rosie the Riveters, who worked in the factories in and around Puget Sound during WWII will tell their stories in what should be some riveting history. Catch these important and very elderly historical women while they’re still catch-able!
     Are you wondering where the labor music was? Not to fear because Janet has put together the excellent Labor Showcase for Saturday from 7-10PM in the Bagley Wright Theatre and Seattle’s very own (and well known) Labor Chorus as well as the marvelous Rebel Voices (Janet and friend Susan Lewis) will deliver the goods as usual and will share the stage with several performers who will be new to us and represent cultures that we should know better. Earle Peach (himself a labor chorus director) will offer fine old and new songs covering a wide variety of cultural styles, Kaeley Pruitt-Ham, a member of CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) will present songs of peace, justice and conscience either solo or with her family band, Alay ng Kultura, a youthful Philippine  spoken word group will off a modern take on the problems and conditions that they/we are dealing with, and Rebecca Hom is a Chinese storyteller who will offer history on how Chinese workers contributed to the opening of the West. This should be a memorable evening and Washington Works promises to be one of the most complete cultural focuses that Folklife has been privileged to offer.

So Are There Any Changes?
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     Yes there are! The Commons/Family Activity Area has moved to Fisher Terrace (Above the Roadhouse and overlooking Fisher Green), Fisher Green will feature a new beer garden, we are not using Broad Street this year and the Indie Roots programming will be featured throughout the festival and can be found with a special icon in the schedule. Also, the Folklife Store has closed and performers can now sell their CD’s from the stages where they perform, and there will be a special spot at festival services for street performers to register although this is not mandatory. Like all other changes we’ve experienced in the past these changes simply offer us another way to present a fine festival that will memorable in all the best ways.

Family Fun For All
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     The Folklife Commons will indeed be on Fisher Terrace this year so we won’t have the grassy area of Broad Street but you’ll be a lot closer to the action and there will be ample opportunities for kids of all ages to participate in constructive and enjoyable projects. On all 4 days Active Art and Science will teach how to create mosaic art with finger safe glass and Planet of the Puppets will teach puppet making and performance. On Sunday and Monday Sponge will teach Chinese Calligraphy and how to make Pinatas and offer some new words in foreign languages as well, and the Foundation For Understanding Through Students will offer the opportunity to to join an interactive activity of coloring life size illustrations from the Ramayana of India. The Center For Wooden Boats will get into the act with toy boat building and Knot tying and there will be family dances  on Friday and Saturday that will also encompass songs and stories and a Saturday dance in the Armory (previously known as the Center House) from noon to 1PM. The program will contain a special icon that will designate all family related activities to make it easy to find your way around. Some of the classes will include a small materials fee but will be more than worth it for enjoyment and knowledge. Come to think of it, your total expense for a donation at the gate, building materials and food will not even approach what you will receive in cultural expansion and the pure joy of being part of this experience.

Working With the Younger Generation
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     Folk Culture is an ongoing process and Folklife has always been pleased to recognize the contributions of youth their role in expanding and energizing our festival with their unique and creative work. This year we’re pleased to be teaming up with the Vera Project for several innovative and exciting programs and projects. They will be teaching Recording 101 at Vera (the building on the side of the Alki Court Stage and below the steps leading up to Northwest Court) on Saturday and Sunday from 2-2:45Pm and 3-3:45PM. Class is limited to 8 and sign-up will be from 11-11:45AM in Vera on both days. They will also bring their silkscreen lab outside to a table next to the Alki Court Stage where they will offer a limited number of free silkscreens in one-of-a-kind styles. They will sponsor a Young Artist Showcase at the Ver(A)rt Gallery with a focus on the youth perspective on how people work in our state (in regards to our cultural focus) and will step outside of their venue to team with EMP Sky Church in presenting a Ver(a)city Showcase featuring the up and coming bands Chastity Belt, Youryoungbody and Fame Riot from 3-6PM on Sunday. This is part of an all day celebration of Youth Voices at EMP that will begin in the Am with the All Ages Alternative Showcase featuring Phyllis Payne, Mts. & Tunnels and the Hoot Hoots and will close after the Ver(a)city Showcase with the You Can’t Fake Fresh Showcase from 7-10PM featuring Global Heat, The Sharp Five and Irujanji Physics of Fusion. What a blessing to have EMP and Vera on board to assist us in our quest for inclusiveness and the  expansion of our cultural definition.

Showcases Around the World That lives Around Us
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     We are gifted with a large representation of the planet’s cultures that live, love and work among us here in the Northwest. For a variety of reasons we are often unaware of just how varied and creative our region is and that’s one of the reasons that Folklife is so important and enjoyable for so many. Here we have an annual opportunity to learn so much more about all these interesting peoples. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to schedule showcases presenting one or more artistic styles over a several hour period of time and include narratives of the history and style as well as ample performances and as usual there will be many to choose from. A new Southeast Asian Showcase on Indonesia, Malasia, Cambodia and more will be presented on Sunday from 7-10PM in the Bagley Wright Theatre and the regular Asian Showcase will take place on Monday in the Bagley from 11AM-1PM. A new take on Middle Eastern Culture in this area will take place on Sunday from 7-10PM in the Exhibition Hall covering the Middle East and Central Asia and will feature lots of dance and will begin with Zeffa; A Middle Eastern wedding procession. Jimi Hendrix Lovers will be delighted by a Hendrix tribute on Saturday at the EMP Sky Church from 1-4PM. This is in conjunction with their current exhibit and is free. A massive Latin Dance Party will take place Sunday from  7-10PM on the Mural Stage, an Arab Showcase will be on Saturday from 3-6PM in the Exhibition Hall, Korea will be on display on Friday from 7-9PM in the Bagley Wright, The Colors and Cultures of India will will offer delightful music and dance in the Ex.Hall on Saturday from 11AM-2PM, Bollywood will show off on Friday as well from 7-8:30PM in the Ex. Hall, Bluegrass lovers will flock to the Mural Stage on Saturday from 1-4PM for several great bands, the Maritime Showcase will be at Northwest Court for their annual Saturday afternoon songfest and will be followed by an hour long pun sing in the Northwest Court Beer Garden which is always a highlight. There are many more showcases as always and much more than anyone one person can take in. This is just a sampling of all the goodies you have to choose from, and we’re not done yet!

Focus on Fiddle and Non-Showcase Performers
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     Folklife has always been, above all, a family affair; Cultural, extended and blood families abound in their appreciation, performances and in working to keep the culture alive and vital in the present while honoring our past. On Sunday a trio of fiddle performances will constitute a showcase while appearing at different times and on different stages. From 11:40Am-12:50PM on the Fisher Green Stage Phil and Vivian Williams (2 of our founding members and regional Folkloric Elders) will team with Sarah Comer to present their takes on Northwest Fiddle Music culled from 50-60 years of experience and dedication. From 2:50-3:55PM on the Northwest Court Stage Truman and Adam Price and Riley and Johnny Calcagno will present Fathers, Fiddles and Sons with duos from Oregon and Seattle. Then from 6:50-8PM, also at Northwest Court, Wesley Hardisty; A first Nations Fiddler from Saltspring Island will Join Jocelyn Pettit’s Family Band as 2 young artists who are steeped in fiddle history while carving out their own paths in the new generation of fiddlers. These presentations should cover a wide range of history and style while providing first rate entertainment.
     And despite all the showcases and cultural focus sets, the majority of performances during the festival are individual solo and band performances and a number of these are families of one sort or another. There is a tendency to skip over many of these in the program because the showcase sets are more eye-catching, but you may lose out culturally by doing this because these individual solo/band musics are really what our community is about: Countless solo and group performers simply playing our of love, almost all non-professional (often by choice because a surprising amount of these performances are of high quality) and enjoying this one annual opportunity to show off their music in a positive community manner for the people who appreciate these various folk/folk related styles. Almost all of the musical styles and cultures available at the festival can be found among these many varied practitioners and to sample them can only serve to expand your knowledge and appreciation of folk culture and what it has to offer.

Dance Dance Dance
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     Folklife wouldn’t be complete without plenty of dancing; Both performance and participatory, and once again we’ve provided plenty of both for your essential enjoyment. The Exhibition Hall will offer performances of many classic dance forms covering nations from all over the planet whose residents live, work and make music and dance in our region. Of course this informs as to each culture, reminds us of how close we always are to the rest of the planet and may even engender an interest that leads to participation, which is always the ultimate goal. And this participation will take place in the Roadhouse, the Armory (formerly the Center House) and at times in the Rainier Room. Whether your bliss is squares, contras, swing, latin (and there will be a Brazilian Forro Dance that is new to Folklife this year) or whatever the chances are that your needs will be met to the sound of infectious live music from early till late each day.

We Love Our Colorful and Creative Crafts People
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     The crafts vendors who are positioned all over the festival are equally as creative and important to our culture as the music and dance yet may go unnoticed because they are in booths, don’t make noise and are not on the schedule (of course not since their set times are all day every day). However, even a cursory glance at their work speaks volumes as to the skill, dedication and imagination that goes into the wide variety of wood works, glass works, fabrics, metals, pottery, candles and many other creations that are mostly functional and always beautiful, imaginative and well put together. As a culture that appreciates home made music and dance it’s only natural that we should equally appreciate these homegrown craft works and to patronize these vendors as they attempt to make their way in the world via their skills. Unlike our musicians and dancers our vendors pay for their booth space and are mostly professional. They also offer a much higher quality of work than their counterparts in mainstream stores and so purchasing from them constitutes a vote for home made work that relates to our lives, is longer lasting and allows traditional and contemporary crafts people to serve our community in an agreeable manner.

What Else Can I Do For Folklife?
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     I’m glad you asked! Besides playing, dancing, crafting or just appreciating all of what goes down, there are 2 very important contributions that anyone and everyone can make towards the betterment of the festival. 1) DONATIONS: There will be donations buckets at each gate and although you won’t be pushed to donate it’s these donations and also your purchases of buttons and pins inside the grounds that go a long way towards sustaining the festival. We love our sponsors (Notice who they are and purchase from them as returning karma) but their support isn’t enough. We need yours as well. Since it’s our community festival we are the ones who are obligated make sure it lives on for the benefit of future generations. And 2) VOLUNTEERING: There are hundreds of shifts to be filled and no matter how many volunteers we have there are always open shifts that you can fill by being in touch with Christina at the office (206-684-7326) or by going to [email protected]). When you volunteer for Folklife it’s much more than a job. It’s a family and many relationships of various kinds have begun in this manner. You start off sharing the festival and then find out that you have other things in common as well. I’ve been volunteering for 27 years and it’s been a blessing all along. Come join me why don’t you?
     So there it is folks. Bring that instrument, your voice and a good spirit. Pack for a variety of weather and enjoy a full weekend with old friends and be prepared to meet new ones. Meanwhile, a Happy Spring to all.

All comments welcome:  Percy Hilo: 206-784-0378 or [email protected]
Victory Review MagazineCommunity, Concert Updates, Event, Folking Around, Folklife, Percy Hilo, Seattle, Summer Concerts, updates, Victory Music

Dear Members and guests,

I had the pleasure in March to see guitarists I‘ve known for years, reconnect with ones not seen for years, and meet new ones I hope to follow for years to come.  I was able talk with several over the phone and in person, catching up on old memories and making new ones.

Like pieces of a puzzle my musical background was revealed and suddenly fit together forming a musical tapestry.  It showed me how diverse we are, how far away we are, yet how close and connected our world of music has become. It’s a grand experience we share.

Connection is key to a social structure.  I wonder where I would be had I not become introduced to our organization all those years ago.  The friendships made, collaborations availed, and opportunities to experience the current day scene we’re all now part of may never have been possible or realized otherwise.

Someone asked me recently if I was isolated as I live and work at the same location.  Being self-employed it could appear to be the case.  Some days there is lots of activity and other times it’s very quiet.  I can spend hours and days alone.  Some of you know what it’s like.  I call it the space between the notes.  You know it musically as “Rests”.

It made me think back to the early 1990’s before I was introduced to Victory Music.  I played at home and church events but that was it.  I was a local fish in a little pond.  Same routine, same schedule, same contacts. Nothing wrong with that accept it seemed to get stale.

Though times have changed through the internet, face to face connection and activities offers a fresh landscape.  And whatever the size of the gathering, it holds true. We were made for companionship.

That’s the magic Victory Music members have experienced.  Our Open Mic’s provide the opportunity to meet and share music with a diverse group of musicians that changes often.  And through that we all benefit from the experience.  It’s a rare gem to treasure.

I encourage you to attend one of our Open Mic’s and experience the magic for yourself.  Bring an instrument, a song, and some friends to listen.  Whether you’re a diamond in the rough or a few carats, your sparkle cannot be seen if you just stay home.

Musically yours,

Joseph Misiuda

President

Victory Review Magazine, Victory UpdatesPresident's Message, Victory Music