Die folklore Society

of Greater WashingtonVOLUME XI I , No. 6 FEBRUARY 1976

Nan Gol and, Edi t or

WE OUGHT TO J UST WRITE HIS NAME AND

LEAVE THE REST OF THE PAGE BLANK:

J E A N C A R I G N A N

But we won' t . I f anyone i s t he f i ddl er ' s f i ddl er , sur el y he' s t he one. And t o make our Febr uar y pr ogr am ( on t he 13t h, at 8: 30, at t he Et hi cal Soci et y) even mor e exci t i ng, He' l l be ai ded, abet t ed, and accompani ed on pi ano by GI LLES LOSI ER.

Bo m i n Quebec i n 1916, Jean st ar t ed pi cki ng up hi s f at her ' s Fr ench- Canadi an f i ddl e t r adi t i on when he was scar cel y bi g enough t o pi ck up t he f i ddl e. The f i r st r ecor d he ever bought — pai d f or at age seven wi t h bot t l e deposi t s and moochi ngs—was Indian Reel Medley by Joseph Al l ar d, and Jean' s f i ddl i ng has been gr owi ng ever si nce unt i l i t now encompasses Cape Br et on, I r i sh, and ot her st yl es as wel l . Si nce space i n t hi s Newsl et t er i s f i ni t e, I can' t wr i t e t het hi ck vol ume of pr ai se he deser ves, but i f you have t he t i ni est musi cal bonei n your body, come hear Jean Car i gnan— and be ast ounded! He i s, at t he ver y l east , a l i v i ng musi cal t r easur e, and you may never have anot her chance.

Gi l l es Losi er , al so a nat i ve Canadi an, has pl ayed pi ano pr of essi onal l y f or mor e t han a quar t er - cent ur y, begi nni ng at age t hi r t een i n a l ocal dance hal l . He' s pl ayed a bi t of ever yt hi ng, but i t ' s t he t r adi t i onal musi c he l oves. He and Jean ar e now i nsepar abl e per f or mi ng compani ons.

So come and l i st en. You' l l hear bi t s and pi eces f r om t he t angl ed r oot st r uct ur e t hat al so i ncl udes al l sor t s of mor e f ami l i ar Amer i can f i ddl e st yl es. But you' ve never hear d t he l i ke of Jean Car i gnan.

Continued on page 2

-2-

Thi s pr ogr am i s possi bl e t hanks t o a gr ant f r om t he Nat i onal Endowment f or t he Ar t s, and, t hanks t o t hem, mor e amazi ng t hi ngs ar e i n st or e f or t he f ut ur e. I ' d al so l i ke t o add some t hanks t o some of t he peopl e who ar e hel pi ng wi t h t he uni magi ­nabl y compl i cat ed t ask of maki ng possi bl e t hi s r ar e vi si t by Jean and Gi l l es : LeoBer nache of t he Nat i onal Fol k Fest i val Associ at i on, Lar s Hansl i n and Wal l y Macnow of t he Fol kl or e Soci et y. I t ' s so compl i ­cat ed, i n f act , t hat caut i ous t ypes mi ght want t o check t he FSGW i nf or mat i on number — 920- 2067— t o conf i r m det ai l s. )

That ' s Fr i day, Febr uar y 13, at 8: 30 p. m. at t he Washi ngt on Et hi cal Soci et y audi t or ­i um, 7750- 16t h St r eet N. W. , at t he cor ner of Kal mi a Road i n D. C.

- Jonat han

OTHER FSGW HAPPENINGS...

LOUISIANA ACES/FEBRUARY IS

Pr epar e your sel ves f or an eveni ng of j oyous, f oot - st ompi ng ent er t ai nment on Sunday, Febr uar y 15, at 8: 30 p. m. at t he Et hi cal Soci et y. The LOUI SI ANA ACES ar e back i n t own! Thei r dynami c, modem- cum- t r adi t i onal Caj un sounds knocked ever ybody out at t he Nat i onal Fol k Fest i val t wo year s i n a r ow— and r epeat per f or mances ar e r ar e. The per ­sonnel of t he gr oup i s a l i t t l e di f f er ent t hi s t i me, but t he sound shoul d be much t he same. Leader D. L. Menar d i s r ecogni zed as one of t he f i nest cont empor ar y Caj un vocal ­i st s, and has been known t o t oss i n an occasi onal Engl i sh- l anguage count r y song as wel l . Al so wi t h t he gr oup i s Mar k Savoy, one of t he best known Caj un accor di ani st s and accor di an maker s. Thei r numer ous r ecor di ngs, i ndi v i dual l y and col l ect i vel y, at t est t o t hei r ski l l s as musi c i ans and ent er t ai ner s. For my money, t hi s i s t he best moder n Caj un band ar ound. Thei r pr esence i s made possi bl e par t l y by a gr ant f r om t he Nat i onal Endowment f or t he Ar t s. Admi ss i on i s $1. 50 f or FSGW member s, $3 f or ot her s. Come and enj oy!

- Al an

FEBRUARY PROGRAM,, continued

Debbi e McCl at chy wi l l gi ve a house concer t at t he Hut t on' s i n Takoma Par k on Sat ur day, Febr uar y 21, at 8: 30 p. m. Debbi e i s a ver sat i l e per f or mer — she pl ays gui t ar , banj o, dul ci mer , and pennywhi st l e; si ngs Amer i can bal l ads, count r y songs, I r i sh songs ( she has spent much t i me i n I r el and l ear ni ng t r adi t i onal mus i c ) ; wr i t es her own bal l ads ( ! ) i n t he t r adi t i onal i di om; and pl ays ol d t i mey and I r i sh dance t unes. Debbi e r uns t he Focus 2 Cof f ee House i n New Yor k Ci t y, has been t our i ng wi t h t he musi cal Diamond Studs , and her r ecent Phi l o r ecor d has spr ead her musi c even f ur t her . Cal l 270- 2217 f or di r ect i ons and i nf or mat i on.

- Al an

RIVER ROAD CONCERT/FEBRUARY 22

The Fol k l or e Soci et y has been i nvi t ed t o pr esent a concer t by some of i t s member s at t he Ri ver Road Uni t ar i an Chur ch. So, on Sunday, Febr uar y 22, at 7: 30 p. m. , we wi l l hear Bi l l Dest l er , Jonat han Eber har t , Br uce Hut t on, Hel en Schneyer , pl us Doct or Ki l mer ’ s Medi c i ne Show and Jug Band i n a f und- r ai ser f or t he Soci et y. Come j oi n your f r i ends f or an i nf or mal , j oi n- i n- t he s i ngi ng eveni ng. Admi ssi on i s $1. 50 f or adul t s, $1 f or chi l dr en under 12. The chur ch i s l ocat ed at 6301 Ri ver Road.For f ur t her i nf or mat i on cal l 270- 2217 or 229- 0400.

- Debbi e

SACRED HARP SING/FEBRUARY 22

Si ngi ng f r om t he Sacred Harp and pot - l uck di nner wi l l be hel d t hi s mont h at t he home of Joanne McLaughl i n, 3053 Or dway St r eet N. W. , Washi ngt on, D. C. Cal l Joanne at 362- 3053 f or di r ect i ons. Si ngi ng st ar t s about 4: 00 p. m. Di nner i s usual l y about 6. ( Br i ng a di sh t o ser ve ei ght - or - so peopl e. ) Then, mor e si ngi ng t i l l voi ces gi ve out . Books ar e avai l abl e at t he si ngs.

DEBBIE MoCLATCHY HOUSE CONCERT/FEBRUARY 21

FSGW PHONE NUMBER: (703) 920-2067

-3-

OPEN SING/FEBRUARY 6

The f i r st Fr i day Open Si ng wi l l be hel d, as usual , on t he f i r st Fr i day— Febr uar y 6, at 9: 00 p. m. Ever yone i s wel come, musi ci ans and l i st ener s al i ke. Donat i on of $1 at t he door i ncl udes r ef r eshment s i nsi de.

MAGGI PEIRCE HOUSE COR CERT,/FEBRUARY 29

I t ' s f i nal l y happeni ng! Af t er umpt een year s spent at t endi ng, cont r i but i ng t o, and di s ­r upt i ng t he sl eep of camper s at t he FSGW Get away; i n per f or mi ng at al l t he maj or f ol k f est i val s, cof f ee houses, and f ol k cl ubs on t he East Coast ; i n l ect ur i ng at col l eges; i n r unni ng t he Tr y Wor ks Cof f ee House i n New Bedf or d, Massachuset t s; MAGGI PEI RCE, Bel f ast , I r el and bor n and r ai sed, has con­sent ed t o do a house concer t f or us.

Rear ed i n a si ngi ng, r eci t i ng, st or y- t el l i ng f ami l y, Maggi has been per pet uat i ng t hat t r adi t i on on bot h si des of t he At l ant i c.She si ngs unaccompani ed, i n t he I r i sh t r a­di t i on, and has a speci al i nt er est i n I r i sh st r eet songs and dances. She has been col l ect i ng t hem f or year s. Near l y si x f eet t al l and i mposi ng— don' t get uppi t y or she' l l f l at t en you wi t h some obscur e et hni c I r i sh put - down. Whet her decl ai mi ng ( What a gl or i ous ham! ) , si ngi ng, danci ng, or shar i ng bi t s f r om her ear l y l i f e,Maggi i s an exper i ence no one shoul d mi ss.

Come see and hear her on Sunday, Febr uar y 29, at 8: 30 p. m. i n Kensi ngt on, Mar yl and. Admi ssi on: member s, $1. 50, non- member s,$2. For di r ect i ons cal l 270- 2217; at t he l ast mi nut e cal l 946- 0635.

- Hel en

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING/FEBRUARY 3

The next boar d meet i ng wi l l be Tuesday, Febr uar y 3, at 8: 00 p. m. , at t he of f i ce of t he Nat i onal Fol k Fest i val Associ at i on,Sui t e 1118 of t he Dupont Ci r cl e Bui l di ng at 1346 Connect i cut Avenue N. W. These meet i ngs on t he f i r st Tuesday of ever y mont h ar e open t o al l member s of t he Soci et y.

OTHER FSGW MATTERS...

THANK YOU, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR TEE ARTS!

Your Execut i ve Boar d i s pl eased t o announce t hat t he Nat i onal Endowment f or t he Ar t s has awar ded t he Fol k l or e Soci et y a pr ogr am gr ant of $3455 i n mat chi ng f unds t o hel p us f i nance an ext r a- speci al concer t season i n 1976. The gr ant wi l l al l ow us t o pr esent t op- not ch t r adi t i onal per f or mer s f r om t hr oughout t he count r y who ar e r ar el y seen i n t he Washi ngt on ar ea. I n addi t i on, we wi l l be seeki ng t o spr ead t he weal t h by booki ng our per f or mer s i n ot her East Coast ci t i es at a modest cost , si nce i ni t i al t r anspor t at i on expenses wi l l be met by t he gr ant and FSGW. I nt er est ed f ol kl or e soci et i es or whomever shoul d cont act Pr o­gr am Chai r man Jonat han Eber har t . At t hi s dat e we ar e not sur e j ust who wi l l be pr esent ed under t he pr ogr am, but we' r e conf i dent t he i magi nat i ons of Jonat han and ot her Soci et y member s wi l l t hi nk up some memor abl e event s I n t he comi ng year .

- Lar s

Thanks to Dave Olive for taking over the job of Publicity Chairman until the next election.

ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS SOON

A Nomi nat i ons and El ect i ons Commi t t ee wi l l be named t hi s mont h t o pr epar e f or t he el ect i on of FSGW of f i cer s f or 1976- 77.Thei r choi ces wi l l be pr esent ed i n Mar ch, and nomi nat i ons f r om t he f l oor wi l l be accept ed at t he Mar ch and Apr i l pr ogr ams. ( I f you want t o nomi nat e someone, be sur e t o check out t hei r wi l l i ngness t o r un. )

SOUND SYSTEM WORKSHOP

I f you' d l i ke t o l ear n how t o oper at e t he FSGW sound syst em, cal l Debbi e Hut t on at 270- 2217. An i nst r uct i on sessi on wi l l be hel d bef or e t he next pr ogr am.

-4-

FOLK DANCING IN THE WASHINGTON AREA

The over al l l i st of ar ea dance gr oups i s pr esent l y bei ng compi l ed. However , i f you ar e l ooki ng f or a pl ace t o dance NOW ( not when we get ar ound t o pr i nt i ng a di r ec t or y ) , t he l ocal count y r ecr eat i on depar t ment s l i st a wi de var i et y of gr oups at al l l evel s of abi l i t y. I n t he Di st r i ct , I nt er nat i onal gr oups meet at Chevy Chase Communi t y Cent er on Thur sday and Guy Mason Communi t y Cent er on Fr i day. Scot t i sh dancer s shoul d wr i t e t o Henr y Beal e, 4354 War r en St r eet N. W. , Washi ngt on, D. C. 20016, f or a copy of The Celtic Cross Reference. We can st i l l i ncor por at e i nf or mat i on, so i f you woul d l i ke t o j oi n t he el i t e cor ps of peopl e who have cont r i but ed t o t he dance l i st i ng, pl ease cal l me at 935- 5412.

- AI

BERWYN CAFE/SATURDAY EVENINGS

On Sat ur day eveni ngs at 9: 30, t he Ber wyn Caf e at 5010 Ber wyn Road i n Col l ege Par k f eat ur es l i ve ent er t ai nment . Admi ssi on i s f r ee; t he hat i s passed f or per f or mer s.Cal l Jef f Dei t chman at 345- 2121 f or mor e i nf or mat i on. The Febr uar y schedul e i s:

7t h - Af t er t he concer t i s over , you c an’ t deci de whet her i t ’ s Jonat han Eber har t ' s musi c or hi s t al ki ng i n- bet ween t hat ’ s mor e ent er t ai ni ng. They bot h j ust f l ow l i ke wat er out t he spout . Gui t ar , vocal s, char act er i st i c bl ack shi r t .

14t h - Hel en Schneyer , as i f I have t o ex­pl ai n f ur t her . Wel l , i f y ou’ r e new t o t he Soci et y, Hel en’ s got a voi ce y ou’ l l r ecal l as easi l y as y ou’ d r emember t o open your mout h bef or e bi t i ng i nt o a sandwi ch. She gener al l y br i ngs onl y her voi ce, and t hat ’ s al l she needs.

21st - Jody Gat wood i s a vi ol i ni st . The ni ght I f i r st hear d hi m, I sat t hr ough a t en- mi nut e sol o bef or e I r emember ed t o br eat he. He' l l be pl ayi ng Bach and Pagani ni among ot her s.

28t h - Roundi ng of f t hi s mont h' s l i st i s ” Wal l y Macnow. He' s a f i ne gui t ar i st and si nger , speci al i z i ng i n t r adi t i onal mat er i al ; Angl o- Amer i can, Appal achi an, and West er n i n or i gi n. He ’ s gr eat !

WHAT SOME FOLKS ARE DOING...

Gr andpa Jones wi l l be f eat ur ed i n an i nf or ­mal concer t at Bai r d Audi t or i um, Museum of Nat ur al Hi st or y, on Sunday, Febr uar y 1, at 8: 00 p. m. , as par t of t he Smi t hsoni an’ s Amer i can Banj o Ser i es. Gr andpa uses t he near l y f or got t en dr op- t humb banj o t echni que. Bo m i n Ni agr a, Kent ucky, he began pl ayi ng mandol i n and f i ddl e when he was a young boy, swi t ched t o t he gui t ar , and f i nal l y pi cked up t he banj o. He ’ s been pl ayi ng banj o now f or 45 year s. Ti cket s ar e $5. 50 gener al , $5 Smi t hsoni an Associ at es, and $4 st udent s and seni or s. The ar e avai l abl e at al l Smi t hsoni an Museum s hops , at Recor d and Tape Lt d. , 19t h & L St r eet s N. W. , or by cal l i ng t he Smi t hsoni an Cent r al Box Of f i ce at 381- 5395.

GRANDPA JONES CONCERT/FEBRUARY I

BOOK REVI EW by AI Kehs

AUSTRAILIAN FOLKSONGS OF THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE, compi l ed by t he Fol k Lor e Counci l of Aust r al i a ( Lowden Publ i shi ng Company, Ki l mor e, Vi ct or i a 3601, Aust r al i a)

The 119 sel ect ed songs i n t hi s book cover t he gamut of Aust r al i an f ol ksongs f r om " convi ct s" and " sheep" t o " nost al gi a" and " r over s. " For each song a key and " mood" ar e suggest ed. Thus, t he songs ar e obv i ­ousl y meant f or si ngi ng and t he ones I t r i ed wer e emi nent l y si ngabl e. However , as you may have guessed f r om t he pr evi ous sent ence, t he book cont ai ns no musi c, and a t une i s suggest ed f or onl y about a t hi r d of t he songs. I f you woul d l i ke t o l ear n t o si ng some Aust r al i an f ol k songs, t hi s book won' t hel p you ver y much. However , i f you ar e somehow f ami l i ar wi t h t he songs, t hi s book can f i l l i n t he hol es t hat cont i nual l y cr eep i nt o i nf r equent l y sung chor uses and add whol e new ver ses t o some of t he ol d bal l ads . Al t hough no back ­gr ound or hi s t or y i s gi ven f or any of t he songs, t he book i s annot at ed— t hat i s, some of t he mor e esot er i c l et t er ar r ange­ment s t hat compr i se t he Aust r al i an sub­l anguage ar e f ul l y expl ai ned. A number of pl easant i l l ust r at i ons ar e scat t er ed t hr oughout t he t ext .

- Jef f

-5-

Sever al t i mes a mont h st ar t i ng i n Febr uar y t her e wi l l be a guest set dur i ng t he Red Fox Monday Open St age. Al r eady schedul ed ar e: Febr uar y 16, Saul Br oudy, known f orcount r y and bl ues si ngi ng, excel l ent gui ­t ar and har moni ca pl ayi ng; Febr uar y 23, Debbi e McCl at chy ( see house concer t i nf o, page 2) ; Mar ch 1, Bar bar a Car ns, a ver y f i ne bl ues si nger and gui t ar i st . The cover wi l l be $1, but onl y t i l l t he guest set ( 9: 30- 10: 30) i s over . Ther e wi l l st i l l be open st age bef or e and af t er t he guest set , and, of cour se, t her e’ s st i l l no cover on ni ght s wi t hout a f eat ur e per ­f or mer . The Red Fox i s at 4940 Fai r mont Avenue i n Bet hesda. I f you want mor e i nf or ­mat i on, cal l Br uce at 270- 2217.

- Debbi e

BLUEGRASS OPEN SING/FEBRUARY 20

Ever yone i s wel come at t he Bl uegr ass Open Si ng, sponsor ed by t he Et hi cal Soci et y on t he t hi r d Fr i day of ever y mont h, st ar t i ng at 9: 00 p. m. I t ’ s si mi l ar t o t he f i r st Fr i day Open Si ng, but t her e' s mor e gr oup pi cki ng. Donat i on at t he door of $1 i n­cl udes r ef r eshment s i nsi de. The next si ng i s Fr i day, Febr uar y 20.

- Nan

PINEWOODS BENEFIT PARTY/FEBRUARY 14

An eveni ng of Count r y danci ng and f ol k si ngi ng f or t he benef i t of Pi newoods Camp wi l l be hel d on Sat ur day, Febr uar y 14 at 8: 00 p. m. at Whi t by Gym, Nat i onal Cat hedr al School . ( Pi newoods Camp, near Pl ymout h, Massachuset t s, i s a nat i onal cent er de­vot ed t o t he pr eser vat i on and enj oyment of count r y danci ng, f ol k song, and r el at ed ar t s. ) Amer i can, Engl i sh, and Scot t i sh danci ng, si ngi ng, and pi pi ng wi l l be f eat ur ed, pl us, bet ween dance set s, f ol k songs wi t h Joe Hi cker son. Donat i on i s $2. 50 f or dancer s and $2 f or spect at or s.Cal l Debbi e Hut t on at 270- 2217 i f you have any quest i ons.

RED FOX TO FEATURE MONDAY GUEST SETS

Fe b . 1 - GRANDPA JONES CONCERT

3 - BOARD MEETI NG

6 - OPEN SI NG

13 - PROGRAM - JEAN CARIGNAN14 - PINEWOODS BE NEF I T PARTY

15 - LOUI SI ANA ACES CONCERT

20 - BLUEGRASS OPEN SING

21 - DEBBIE MC CLATCHY H .C .

22 - SACRED HARP SING

22 - RIVER ROAD CONCERT

29 - MAGGI P EIRCE H .C .

Ma r c h 2 - b o a r d me e t i n g

5 - OPEN SING

6 - MARK GILSTON H .C .

12 - PROGRAM20 - B I L L STEELE H .C .

Mo n d a y s - r e d f o x o p e n s t a g e

Sa t u r d a y s - b e r wy n c a f e

--CONCISE CALENDAR OF EVENTS—

Thanks t o t hose who cont r i but ed t o t hi s i ssue of t he Newsl et t er : Di ck At l ee,Jef f Dei t chman, Jonat han Eber har t , Lar s Hansl i n, Debbi e Hut t on, AI Kehs, Al an Mackal l , and Hel en Schneyer .Deadl i ne f or t he Mar ch Newsl et t er wi l l be Tuesday, Febr uar y 17. You may gi ve i t ems t o me at Soci et y event s, or mai l t hem t o me at 2853 Ont ar i o Road N. W. , #504, Washi ngt on, D. C. 20009.

-Nan

Thi s Newsl et t er i s publ i shed by t he Fol kl or e Soci et y of Gr eat er Washi ngt on, a non­pr of i t , educat i onal or gani zat i on dedi cat ed t o pr eser vi ng and pr omot i ng t r adi t i onal f ol k ar t s i n t he gr eat er Washi ngt on, DC ar ea. Member shi p i n t he Soci et y i s open t o al l who wi sh t o hel p pur sue t hese goal s. Member shi p benef i t s i ncl ude f r ee ad­mi ssi on t o pr ogr ams, r educed admi ssi on t o speci al event s, t he Newsl et t er by f i r st cl ass mai l , pl us wor kshops, si ngs, and mor e. To j oi n, f i l l out t he f or m bel ow, encl ose your check and send t o t he Fol kl or e Soci et y, PO Box 19303, 20t h St r eet St at i on, Washi ngt on, DC, 20036.

- 6-

MEMBERSHI P FORM

I / we want t o j oi n! Encl osed i s:

_________ $6 - One year , I ndi vi dual

$9 - One year , Fami l y

NAME_________________________________

ADDRESS______________________________

CI TY____________________________________ STATE_________________________________ ZI P_

CHECK ONE: New Member shi p Renewal i s t hi s a change of addr ess?

Ar e you i nt er est ed i n hel pi ng t he Soci et y i n some way? ______________________

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRI PTI ON FORM

Encl osed i s $2 f or a one- year , out - of - t own FSGW Newsl et t er subscr i pt i on:

NAME________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________________

CI TY STATE ZI P

$18 - Thr ee year , I ndi vi dual

_$27 - Thr ee year , Fami l y

Fol kl or e Soci et y of Gr eat er Washi ngt on PO Box 19303 - 20t h St r eet St at i on Washi ngt on, DC 20036

O'JAN 30*76

/ | UI P0SMf !MH s .! 3 5 1

FI RST CLASS MAI L

Vxy*yy**