Come See April Verch at the Brink April 4
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Volume 40 No. 3 March 2014 Come see April Verch at The Brink April 4 Some of you may have had the up the fiddle at age 6. She was lucky “The accolades are important and opportunity to catch April Verch when to have the chance to start studying, noteworthy and special to me,” she she played Folk on State a few years performing and competing in both so says, “but what I think is most impres- back, and if you did, I know you are early, but there’s no question that she sive to me is that I’ve been doing this not going to miss this show, and if you also made the most of it. full time since 2000. We make a liv- have not had a change to see April The April Verch Band is rounded ing playing music that we love and it live in concert, this is your chance. out by bassist and clawhammer ban- touches other people. I feel like we’re April is a Canadian fiddler and step jo player Cody Walters and guitarist extremely lucky to do that, but also I dancer born and raised in Ontario, Hayes Griffin, who has a Masters in work really hard, not just at the music, She attended Berklee College of Mu- jazz improv from the New England but at every aspect of our career, to sic in Boston before embarking on Conservatory—is an energetic, virtuo- make that happen. That we find a way her professional career. While she is sic, tradition-celebrating outfit, not to to make it work, and have had that best known for playing traditional Ot- mention one that’s not soon forgotten kind of longevity, that’s impressive to tawa Valley style fiddle tunes, Verch’s when they depart the stage. It doesn’t me.” repertoire branches into many other hurt that the thrilling grand finale in- fiddle styles. volves Verch fiddling and step danc- Mad Folk Concert Tickets Practically from birth she was im- ing—and often executing two entirely When you see this symbol – ee mersed in folk music and dance from different intricate rhythmic patterns— – you’ll know that you’re read- her native Ottawa Valley, a melting at once. ing about a Mad Folk sponsored pot of Franco-Celtic flavors brought by Some of the many awards April event. Advance tickets for Mad the hard-working loggers who settled has racked up over the years include Folk shows are available online the area. Ferried to dance-filled old- 1997 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle at www.madfolk.org and at these time gatherings and country & west- Champion, 1998 Canadian Open Fid- outlets: ern jamborees by her music-loving dle Champion and in 2010 performed parents, she followed her older sister at the opening ceremony of the 2010 • Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Mon- into step dancing at age 3, and picked Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[1] roe Street • Spruce Tree Music, 851 East Johnson Purchase tickets ONLINE for Mad Folk concerts via Brown Paper Tickets (with $1.62 service charge): https://www.brownpapertickets. com/producer/10879 You can also purchase advance tickets by mail. Send a stamped self- addressed envelope with your check payable to Mad Folk, PO Box 665, Madison, WI 53701. If all else fails, call 608-846-9214 for information. Peggy Seeger is coming back to Madison! The last time lish concertina. She cut her first record laborated on books of folksongs with Peggy was here she when she was 18 and in her early twen- Edith Fowke, Alan Lomax and Ewan was on a farewell ties she became a professional touring MacColl. She has made 23 solo LPs tour. Come join us performer. Her travels took her to the and collaborated with other performers as we welcome here Soviet Union, China, Poland, Belgium, (Tom Paley, Mike Seeger, Guy Cara- back to town for her France, Holland and the Scandina- wan, Ewan MacColl) on more records I Can’t Stay Away vian countries. In 1959 she settled in than she can count. In the mid-1970s Tour. This promises London with Ewan MacColl, to whom she began to concentrate on feminist to be a night to re- she bore three children. She has nine and ecological issues. Her best-known member, both won- grandchildren. The MacColl/Seeger songs are The Ballad of Springhill and derful and tinged duo was at the forefront of the British I’m Gonna Be an Engineer. with bittersweet at the passing of her folksong revival for the ensuing three After Ewan’s death in 1989, she joined half-brother Pete. decades. Their innovative work in that with Irene Pyper-Scott to form the sing- “ .... must be one of the most complete revival incorporated folk techniques in ing duo No Spring Chickens. In 1995 artists around today.” (The Belfast Re- songwriting and strengthened the ties she and Jim Lloyd (producer of the view) between traditional and political mu- BBC programme Folk on 2) won the “Seeger’s greatest asset is her uncanny sic. The Radio Ballads, created for the Sony Silver award for a 6-part series ability to dissolve the gap between art- BBC, were a turning point in her life, of half-hour shows dedicated to Peg- ist and audience.” (The Irish Times) when music and politics melded togeth- gy’s life. In 1994 she moved back to “From the moment she stepped on er, when she learned to arrange music the USA. She lived in Asheville, North stage, Peggy held every person in that for radio scripts and to direct musicians Carolina until 2006, when she moved packed auditorium spellbound”. (Tradi- and singers in the studio. She and Mac- to Boston to take up a teaching position tion Magazine) Coll carried the lessons learned into at Northeastern University. In 2010 Born in 1935 into one of North Ameri- work with Critics Group, when she be- she moved back to England (Oxford) ca’s foremost folkmusic families, Peggy gan to write songs and train singers and and tours chiefly in the UK. That’s why was well schooled in the classic Eu- instrumentalists. we are so fortunate to have her with us! ropean music traditions. Between the Considered to be one of N. Ameri- ages of 12 and 35 she learned to play ca’s finest revival singers of traditional piano, guitar, five-string banjo, auto- songs, she has also written music for harp, Appalachian dulcimer and Eng- films, television and radio. She has col- Madison favorite Garnet Rogers a heartbeat, and no two of his shows are is bringing his musical collabora- the same. Says Dirty Linen: “He knows and captures what is real and lasting—the tor back to Madison. joyous, contradictory poetry of living,” and This concert brings original song- Canada’s Kitchener Record praises his writers who work within deep traditions “visionary songs of haunting and mysteri- of place and song. Scottish folk master ous power.” . Archie Fisher is well known all over the It has been many years since we have Garnet and his brother Stan before Stan’s British Isles as host of his own BBC ra- had the privilege of hearing these two to- death, Remember his song “Witch of the dio show, but his appearances stateside gether. It promises to be a night to remem- Westmorland”? That tour was a huge are to be cherished. Archie’s most recent ber. Garnet success. A wonderful recording “Off The collection of songs “Windward Away,” and Archie Map” features tracks recorded from that on which he worked for more than ten toured across tour. years. It’s a gem—a haunting collection Canada and Garnet is a Madison favorite, and we of introspective ballads, evoking the wild America in are thrilled to welcome him back to the and rough beauty of the Scottish Border the summer Brink! In addition to the treat of seeing him country. One of a pair of brothers who of 1985, ear- perform with his old friend Archie, we get spearheaded a tremendous renaissance ly in Garnet’s a chance to get his new CD! “Summer’s in Canadian songwriting in the 1970s and career as a End” was just released, it is Garnet’s first 1980s, Garnet Rogers tells detailed sto- solo singer- studio album since “Shining Thing” was ries of people from all walks of life and songwriter. released in 2004. Sample a few songs their small, everyday victories. He can Archie had on Garnet’s website at www.garnetrogers. shift from seriousness to razor-sharp wit in worked with com/site/?page_id=497. Ellis Makes Debut MadFolk Appearance Show time is 7:00, Doors open at The Brink Lounge when Ellis will hit the A winner of several awards and hon- 6:30, Tickets are $15 and $17. As al- stage at 7:00 on April10th (doors open ors, Ellis has been recognized both for ways, PLEASE BRING A FOOD ITEM at 6:30). Tickets are $14 in advance and her songwriting skills as well as her en- TO DONATE TO OUR LOCAL FOOD $17 day of show. gaging performances. Many folk festivals PANTRY. There’s just something about Ellis. have “audience choice” awards, and El- Ellis has had quite a buzz going about She is at once funny and wise, thought- lis has claimed those honors at Falcon her for awhile, and this is the first op- ful and uninhibited, and her captivating Ridge Folk Festival, Moab Folk Festival, portunity we have been able to get her voice is matched by her uplifting lyrics.