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Types & Shadows Summer 2005 – Issue #36 In This Issue Remembering FQA’s Founder . 1 Movie & Music Reviews: Rock School & Talk Radio . 3 Quaker Composer Ned Rorem: A Candid Interview . 4 Tidbits & Announcing Our First Quaker Short Story Contest . 5 Lemonade Art Gallery highlights. 6 A Profile of Famed Quaker Painter Adrian Martinez & His Quakers and Native Americans Project . 8 Reimagining the Psalms – Seeking the Sacred At the Core . 10 Friends on the Web . 11 FQA Statement of Purpose: To nurture and showcase the literary, What’s This? Bible Billboards in the visual, musical and performing arts Lemonade Art Gallery?? within the Religious Society of Friends, Details Inside. for purposes of Quaker expression, ministry, witness and outreach. To these ends, we will offer spiritual, practical and financial support as way opens. Types & Shadows The Journal of the Fellowship of Quakers in the Arts Issue # 36 Summer 2005 Chuck Fager, Editor “Always Starting Something” community. She corresponded with British Friends who had started a Quaker Fellowship of Artists, and began Minnie Jane Ham 1931-2005 collecting names and addresses of North American Quakers involved in the arts. FQA emerged from this We note the passing of Minnie Jane here less work, and Minnie was its founding Clerk. because of grief, than in celebration of one among her In her later years she struggled with a series of many creative accomplishments: that of bringing FQA health issues, but her spirit remained strong. into being. Like much else that Minnie achieved, this “My mother lived a fierce life – eating up every was not easy: FQA had to be coaxed, prodded, nagged, moment,” says her daughter Ailie. “Her fight was always badgered into existence. But as long as she could get gallant. And sometimes these precious moments went around, she kept at it. all too slow for her. She believed in equality for all and Minnie was like that. When she “retired” as blazed through her life following that light. Giving Clerk, in 1998, the FQA Board gave her a plaque which everyone the benefit of the doubt . She bent corners summed up her and helped anyone she could. Her temperament was accomplishment honed in on, ‘getting it done.’ She would talk to me : “For Our Dear about the, ‘injustice of it all.’ And then one breath later Friend Minnie she would remind me, ‘Nothing is fair.’ I love my mom Jane Ham, Who more than I could ever express.” Is Always Thanks, Minnie – your work and spirit are still Starting with us. Something.” Minnie was raised in and around Trenton, New jersey. She worked there in the state’s Division on Women, and was a member of Trenton Meeting. Bringing beauty to Minnie Jane Ham, FQA’s Founder everyday situations was a longtime interest. One of her co-workers, Mary Ann Barkus, recalled that she “was feisty and very creative. Before I started working at the Division on Women - and before I knew [her] – I was enjoying the art work put up on all of the walls on each floor of DCA. Our walls are so dull and the art work livened it up so much and made working there so pleasant. It wasn't until after I transferred to the DOW and Jane started working for me that I learned that she was the person responsible for getting the art work put on the walls.” In 1992, she joined the cast of an informal Quaker theater group which put on performances of a dramatization of the trial of William Penn. Out of this, Minnie became exercised about the lack of Minnie’s son Jamie, remembering her at the Lemonade support for artistic leadings in her Quaker Gallery, FGC 2005. Ì———————–——————–––—— 2 ———————–—————————Í Movie & Music Reviews: Rock School and Talk Radio Reviewed By Asa Fager Paul Green is not a Quaker. His School of Rock in The first thing I noticed about the Talk Radio album Philadelphia is not Quaker-connected. Nevertheless Quakers was the cover. Madi stands to the left, looking off in the are prominent in the documentary film Rock School which was distance, while the three released this summer. (male) members of the There are a number of reasons for this. Most group look at her. After important is Madi Diaz-Svalgard, one of his star students, a opening the packaging I talented young Friend who is prominent in the film, and may noticed the same picture be one of its first graduates to become a successful of Madi, making some professional musician. odd kind of snarl, on both Another is the short but vivid cameo appearance in the the back and inside film by the Friendly Gangstaz, the Quaker hip-hop group of covers. All of this makes which Madi was once a member. The Gangstaz were doing a one thing very clear: Talk gig at Pendle Hill; Madi decided to sit in one more time, and Radio is Madi’s Band, not the filmmakers tagged along. just a band she’s in. The Gangstaz (among whom, for full disclosure, is This image seems the editor’s son) wouldn’t have got far in Paul Green’s to betray the Madi that school, but they impressed many of the film’s reviewers: I’ve known. A girl who “You will not soon forget the Friendly Gangstaz, a Quaker seems fairly comfortable rap group,” enthused the Boston Herald. with her talent and But Paul Green was not impressed, either with the modesty. She always Gangstaz, or Quakers either, for that matter. He ridicules the struck me as being down to earth, and this album makes her Gangstaz, and Madi’s involvement in Quaker service work with a sneering out to look like a rock goddess. But what do I know? Maybe rhyme: she already is. “On Saturday night, I first met Madi at FGC in 2001, she was sitting on a we feed the poor. lawn strumming her guitar. Later in the week, the Friendly And then on Sunday, Gangstaz were rehearsing and trying to find a way to make we feed ‘em some the “Lucretia Mott Song” sound different than all the other more!” songs we were practicing. One of the guys threw out the idea This is a of having a female backup singer. Guess who popped into clumsy couplet, my mind? About ten minutes later we had renamed Madi but as an insult, it “Shafreaka Mott” and declared her a member of the band. came closer to In her performances with the Friendly Gangstaz she backfiring. It was humble and impressive. She would get up for her song, leaves Green, not sing her heart out, then go back to the audience. I guess the Quakers, that’s where my impression of her being modest came from. looking silly and Unfortunately, Shafreaka’s place in the Gangstaz was insensitive. If short-lived. Her commitment to Rock School occupied most many Quaker of her time, making it impossible for her to come to FGC or musicians have on tour with us in 2003. And as much as I’d love to say we decided that started it all for her, we didn’t. All we provided for Madi was there’s more to a few new friends and a few more laughs. life than guitar As far as the CD goes, the cover manages to say solos, is that so more than you’d think. The music seems to simply be a bad? Don’t fall for showcase for her. Her voice hangs above the music, even in it, Madi. portions where she isn’t singing it feels tame. Like the band is Madi at work. A star is born? But Rock nervous to show themselves off without her in front. School is still a very The tone is as to be expected: lightly alternative, interesting movie. nothing particularly experimental or inventive. The most When it comes out on DVD, it would be a good bet for use impressive thing is Madi’s extraordinary singing voice. with intergenerational discussions. (Though be advised: you One thing is clear from listening to her debut album, have to be unafraid of four-letter words.) Madi has a very, very bright future ahead. But, to be honest, I knew that the first time I heard her sing: “Thank thee kindly The film’s website: friend Lucretia...” http://www.rockschoolthemovie.com/ In summation, I think she would have been better off sticking with the Friendly Gangstaz. But I’m just being selfish. Or maybe a little sour, since we didn’t get thanked in the liner notes. More information on the CD is at: Join FQA. $25 per year for Individuals. www.madidiaz.com $50 for a group. Send dues to: FQA, 1515 Cherry St., Philadelphia PA 19102. Quaker Composer Ned Rorem on Details at: www.quaker.org/fqa Music, Religion, War, and Sex In a too-rare return to the city where he grew up, distinguished American composer, celebrated diarist and gay icon Ned Rorem [was] in Chicago May 22 for a concert of his music presented by the Chicago Chamber Musicians. Music CD: Talk Radio , Featuring Madi Diaz Rorem’s catalog of work includes opera, symphony, chamber music, choral music and most significantly, songs and Ì———————–——————–––—— 3 ———————–—————————Í song cycles. ago . It goes up to and through the death from AIDS of my But he’s never set his own words to music, although partner of 33 years. It’s a pretty good book. Rorem is the highly regarded author of numerous volumes of You have to work every day, with friendships, too, and essays about music, plus lively personal diaries published with families, too.