Volume 41 No. 12 December 2015

Join us in welcoming for our first MadFolk Concert of the Year… DAN BERN! self. Dan is touring in support of his newest album, Hoody, which was released this past September. (we hope to have a review of that album in the January newsletter) His voice, to me, is a mix between Tom Petty and . He has al- ways been defiantly uncompromis- ing in his writing style. He is a singer, songwriter, a painter and a writer and sometimes you get all of that tossed in to one song. He currently has over 2 dozen albums released, everything from a children’s record to a record of just baseball songs. Dan’s songs range from topical to funny, often using iconic char- acters such as, , Bob On January 23, we will welcome ternation Folk Alliance Festival, where Dylan, and Mari- Dan Bern making his first MadFolk ap- when he plays a room you be get there lyn Monroe and many, many more. pearance. I first saw Dan Bern play early for a seat, and if you are late, then Dan Bern is a throwback to the days in New York, when he was invited to you are in the hallway trying to get a of exemplary songs and extraordinary play Pete Seeger’s Clearwater Festival. glimpse. It has been fun watching Dan songwriters. He’s one of the very best, I have been following him for years grow musically over the years and we and we sure could use more of his kind with his appearances at the annual In- hope you come out and hear for your- these days. Dec 5 - Graminy vidual members as well as group com- positions. For a taste of GRAMINY, go to www.graminy.net to view a video CD Release Party about the making of ‘Dance of the Almost two years in the mak- Plants’, which includes the live studio ing, original “class grass” proponents, performance of the title track—then GRAMINY, are proud to announce the come down to Trinity United Method- arrival of their second baby, ‘DANCE ist Church (1123 Vilas Ave, Madison) OF THE PLANTS’! Recorded by Andy on Saturday, December 5 at 7:30pm LaValley during the winter of 2014 in a to help the band celebrate the release classic Victorian house up in beautiful of their new album which will be per- Menomonee, MI, ‘Dance of the Plants’ formed in it’s entirety along with a few features new material written by indi- other GRAMINY favorites! Brian Setzer Orchestra - rockin’ Rudolph surfdog records ~ 2015 ing to fill out the record. “Swingin’ of the same magic. He ends the last Joy” (the swing version of “Joy to the line, “Everyone dancing merrily in World”), “O Little Town of Bethlehem” the new, old fashioned way,” with a and “Carol of the Bells” are pretty, hearty “He-yeah!” It sounds like he’s but straightforward, readings that having as much fun as we just did lis- could have come from almost any tening to it. While the record could big band. They would have ben- have used more tracks like this in its efitted from the same sort of radical latter half, it’s still a worthy record to update the usually sedate “Hark! The work into your holiday rotation. Like Herald Angels Sing” gets, the melody the man says early on, and again in swathed in horns with a little of that reprise, “When you’re with the big rockabilly guitar in the middle. The band, have a yabba-dabba yuletide, Review by Kiki Schueler run of wordless tunes is interrupted a happy sleigh ride, a merry Christ- On its third studio collection of by “Little Jack Frost,” a wintry “Hit the mastime!” Christmas tunes, the Brian Setzer Or- Road Jack” that lets the backing chestra is true to its name--there are vocalists step to the front. Earlier Mad Folk News is published monthly by the a half dozen each of trumpet, saxo- in the record, vocals take priority. Madison Society, a non-profit, phone and trombone, four backing Setzer puts on his lounge act for volunteer-led society dedicated to fostering vocalists, two drummers, two bass “The Most Wonderful Time of the folk music in the Madison area. players and a pianist. But only one Year,” which owes everything to Contact us at [email protected] guitar. When that guitar belongs Andy Williams’s version. Not that about concerts, membership, scholarships, to multiple Grammy winner Setzer, there’s anything wrong with that. and volunteer opportunities at who recently donated a replica of The record’s “Rudolph” is re-titled www.madfolk.org. his trademark orange “Stray Cat” “Rockabilly Rudolph,” but could Gretsch to the Smithsonian, that’s just as easily be “Double O Sev- Madison Folk Music Society Board pretty much all you need. The re- en Reindeer.” After the opening cord is a collection of traditionals naming of the sleigh-pullers, the band blasts into a slick, surf rock and old favorites, all reimagined in DarleneBuhler...... President,Concerts, rhythm that could play over the big band style, almost all arranged Advertising opening credits of “A James Bond by Setzer with help from Mark 225-0710~ [email protected] Christmas,” if, you know, there Jones or Charles Floyd. While there PegMichel….…...... Treasurer were such a thing. Setzer’s snarl- aren’t any true Setzer originals on 831-1876 ~ [email protected] ing vocals add intrigue to a story this record, “Yabba-Dabba Yuletide” Tracy Comer ...... Membership & Web Site we’ve heard a million times. certainly should count as one. Ap- 729-4498 ~ [email protected] “Here Comes Santa Claus” propriating the Flintstones theme NorbertWodke…...... …Secretary showcases what the band does music, Setzer adds exuberant holi- 836-8422 ~ [email protected] best, and probably could have day lyrics and wailing horns to make DedeGoldberg...... Newsletter done more of. A slap bass open- for a high-speed, high-spirited romp. distribution ing is vintage rockabilly, and the An extended version to end the re- 246-4332 ~ [email protected] sugary backing vocals chiming cord nearly doubles the two-minute Neil Morris...... Newsletter “Here comes S-A-N-T-A, S-A-N-T- running time of the earlier version, editor A. Yes, you know Santa’s on his adding riveting drum and scorching 358-5855 ~ [email protected] way, S-A-N-T-A” are the perfect horn solos. It may be padding on a Meg Skinner.………...... Scholarships lead-in to a song that includes record that would barely break the 238-6950 ~ [email protected] plenty of horns in this nearly over thirty-minute mark without it, but Marli Johnson...... the top, entirely addictive rendi- it’s worth it for more of Setzer’s nim- 770-4643~ [email protected] tion. Opener “Rockin’ Around ble guitar. Ron Dennis …...... …...... ………. the Christmas Tree,” which, like The second half leans heavily on 226-9472 ~ [email protected] the instrumentals, which adds to the “Rudolph,” is a Johnny Marks feeling that they may have been try- composition, incorporates much cord, so, come to Chicago. I get to making, and he said, "Well you just Chicago, then I meets the big shot. make what you making and sing what And the big shot introduced me to you sing, so I'll put down what I wanna © 2015 some other fella... And he's gonna sit put down, and I'll have the band to Peter Berryman down with me and tell me to play. All play, according to the way what you archived at louandpeter.com right, I'll play... He says now look, he doing." And he get the band together, Alan Lomax, 1915-2002 says, now you got to take out this part himself... and then here comes some of that song, and you gotta put some- little guy, that know NOTHIN' about 2015 is the 100th anniversary of the thing else in there, in between there, NOTHIN', and he come up and says birth of the great Alan Lomax. No because this is, not, right. And you're to Sax Mallard, says well you should doubt most people reading this news- not making CHORDS. You're making be making... this that and the other, or letter have some knowledge of the something that, uh... I don't under- some seventh or some ninth, some work of this tireless man, who be- stand what you're making... And there aug-u-mented or some kind of a crazy lieved sincerely and deeply that the I am, sitting up there, and I don't know thing, and Sax Mallard would say well job of preserving the musics and cul- one chord from another, but I still gotta I'm sorry, say but I'm playing it the way tures of the world is a desperately im- do this because I'm in Chicago, and I the man's singing. And a lot of times portant mission. He was concerned has no money, and no train fare to get they'd have an argument about that. that commercialization and mass back home, and... I gotta do what he Then Melrose would come in and say communication were "graying out" said. So now I gotta FORGET what I "Well I want it to go like THIS." Then these areas and devoted his long life know, and try to do what he tell me... they'd cut the whole thing off and to their preservation and dissemina- So now I gotta go and work and work they'd start back over brand new tion, by putting on concerts, making and study and study all night to try to again, and I'd sing there for maybe, films, writing books, forming organiza- find out what he meant by "take this for, for, sing one song five times, and tions, lecturing, and maybe most im- out and put that in." So finally I did a lot of times I'd sing, and sing, and portantly, traveling the US and the learn that. And that's why I think that sing, and sing, and then they'd finally, world and recording music and inter- they sent me to Europe, or got me to Sax Mallard would say well Bill... [We views that quite probably would oth- come to Europe, because I learned have to] change that tone because we erwise have been lost to time. how to make C, F, G, B flat, A flat, and gotta make the correct chord. (voice C sharp, and some few diminishes, rising) Well now I gotta forget MY idea Alan worked with his father John Lo- and some few sixes, and ninths, and and MY feelings, and sing it the way max for a few years, and continued things like that... the MAN wanted. Then if the song later on his own and with others, re- DON'T SELL, they come to me and cording thousands of interviews and AL: They say, change this, and... say well you're no good, you flopped... songs for the Library of Congress. In 1942 Congress cut funding that made BBB: ...That's why a lot of... AL: Dirty stuff. this possible, but Alan continued on singers, have come to Chicago and his own. The resulting recordings, New York and different places, and BBB: Well all right, that's what hap- from the mid-40s into the 1990s, have they say, "Aw, that guy flopped." See? pens... You take a couple of friends of been digitized and were uploaded this And the people, the people of Amer- mine, I won't call their names, year by his own organization, the As- ica, really, and all over the [places] I they're... from Mississippi, in Chicago sociation for Cultural Equity, which been... They CRAVE to hear the real now. The greatest blues singers ever Alan founded in 1983. thing... was. Greater than I'll ever be and ever was in my life. They won't make I have only begun dip into this treas- AL: Suppose [producer Lester] Mel- it. Because... they gotta CHANGE ure, consisting of 17,400 recordings rose? calls you [to do] a record ses- from what they was to stay, on, what I from small snippets to whole songs sion for him... how's it go? call, that meal ticket. That is, making and interviews, but soon came across some, getting paid for something they an interview with the amazing Big Bill BBB: Well, you see the way those doing. (voice up) And if he's gonna Broonzy whose words underscore things went, when I was notified to get get paid, gotta DO like that man said Alan's point about commercialization ready, I'd have a contract with the do, or he don't get no pay. And he "graying out" the purity of the culture. company to make so many numbers. can't live without money. In the city of Here's a partial transcript. My apolo- ...I get my songs together by myself. Chicago. New York. gies for anything misquoted, or for Then I call in the leader, which was ------anything edited out that shouldn't MY leader, then, the feller that did my And that's why Alan Lomax's collec- have been: arranging and one of the greatest men tions are so important. They're the that I ever met in my life, one of the "real thing." See Wikipedia for details BBB: Well I'll tell you the whole best fellows TO me... taught me a lot: about the Lomaxes and about thing... They found me in Arkansas. [Chicago-based saxophonist and Broonzy. And here's the link to the And they tell me they says we want bandleader] Sax Mallard. And he fabulous collection. Have fun: you to... make some records. They would sit down with me, sent some fella; not the big shot... it's and I'd sing what I was http://research.culturalequity.org/audio-guide.jsp some little guy, come down in a car... I singing and I'd make say why sure... I wants to make a re- the chords that I was WZ Dec 2015 December 2015

The Home of Mike & Carol Invitation & Advance RSVP required. Dan Bern For full details or to request an invitation, contact Mike at Saturday December 23rd - $12 adv / $15 d.o.s. [email protected] -- 7pm (doors @6:30) • December 6th @ 7 pm (doors at 6:30) The Bittersweet Christmas Band The Brink Lounge 701 E. Washington Ave. Ste 105 608-661-8599 Tracy Jane Comer • & Friends - Saturday, December 19th -- Tuvalu Café 300 S. Main St., Verona -- 7pm -- No cover charge! (608) 845-6800 • w/ Michael Bryan - Friday, January 29th -- Tuvalu Café 300 S. Main St., Verona -- 7pm -- No cover charge! (608) 845-6800 Folklore Village 3210 Cty Hwy BB Dodgeville, WI • Tue, Dec 1 -- Open Mic - @7pm folklorevillage.org • Wed, Dec 2 -- Memory Cafe - @1pm 608-924-4000 • Sat, Dec 12 -- St. Lucia Craft Day 3-5pm Potluck @5:30 Old Time Jam • Sat, Dec 19 -- German Christmas Tree Lighting Monthly - 3rd Sunday of every month, 4 to 6pm Social potluck @5:30pm EVP West 3809 Mineral Point Road • Sat, Dec 28th-Jan 1 -- 68th Festival of Christmas & Coodinator: Al Wilson Midwinter Traditions w/ Val Mindel and Bill & Livia Vanaver cell: 608-572-0634 [email protected] Cafe Carpe

All shows at 8:30pm unless indicated otherwise Madison Ukulele Club-- Singalongs 1st and 3rd Weds 7:00-9:00pm • Thu, Dec 3, New Pioneers - @7pm - $10 - call for location- 246-8205 (Andrew) 18 S. Water St. • Fri, Dec 4, Open Stage - @7:30pm Ft. Atkinson, WI cafecarpe.com • Thu, Dec 5, Corky Siegel w/ Randy Sabien - $25 Cajun jam held every rst Sunday 2 p.m.-4 p.m. At Cargo Coee 750 East 920-563-9391 • Wed, Dec 9, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Paul Cebar / Washington Ave, Madison We welcome all levels of experience with John Sieger / Anna Tivel - $20 instruments and Cajun music. • Thu, Dec 10, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Anna Tivel / Call Karen at 608-238-6039 for more info. www.prairiebayoucajun.com Heather Styka / Katie Dahl - $20 • Fri, Dec 11, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Simon Balto / Anna Vogelzang / Anna Tivel - $20 • Fri, Dec 12, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / John Statz / Ben Bedford / Anna Tivel - $20 • Fri, Dec 13, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Chris Porter eld / Simply Folk on Wisconsin Public Radio w/ Stephanie Elkins- , Brianna Lane / Anna Tivel - $20 Host • Wed, Dec 16, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Jeremy Pinc / Sun 5:00-8:00pm Paul Cebar / David Goodrich - $20 - @8pm Concerts recorded in Wisconsin, music and dance of people • Thu, Dec 17, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Birds of Chicago / wpr.org the world over. For playlists, calendars, station listings, and David Goodrich - $20 - @8pm more, visit www.wpr.org/simplyfolk. • Fri, Dec 18, Lamplighter - Peter Mulvey / Harmonious Wail / Josh Harty / David Goodrich - $20 WORT 89.9 FM community radio • Sat, Dec 19, Dorgknorl Doin’s w/ Bill Camplin, David Goodrich, Sun -- 3:00-5:00pm wort-fm.org Satchel Paige, Savannah Camplin - $15 - @8pm • “On the Horizon” w/ Ford Blackwell, Tracy • Sun, Dec 20, Willy Porter - $30 - @7pm Lawrence, Paul Novak, Gloria Hays & Jason Rowe w/ Carmen Nickerson & David Goodrich Weekdays 9:00am-noon • Wed, Dec 23, The Merry Horde - • Mon - Global Revolutions (folk from the world over) annual Food Pantry Bene t @7:30pm w/ Dan Talmo & Martin Alvarado • Sat, Dec 26, Syd Hartha & The Monkeyminds - $10 @8pm • Tue -- For the Sake of the Song (contemporary • Thu, Dec 31, New Year’s Eve w/ Robin Pluer, Juli Wood, and Christ Hanson singer-songwriters) w/ • Wed -- Back to the Country (country music on a Wild Hog in the Woods theme) w/Bill Malone • Thur -- Diaspora (folk and international) w/Terry O’ All shows at 8pm • Fri -- Mud Acres (bluegrass and acoustic) w/Chris Wil-Mar Center • Dec 4 Nelson Graham Powers 953 Jenifer St. • Dec 11 Leaves of Green wildhoginthewoods. • Dec 18 Stephen Lee Rich org 608-233-5687 • African/African-American Dance classes with live drumming -- Sun, 7:00-9:00pm -- Metro Dance, 3009 University Ave. -- 255-3677 / 251-4311

• SpiritMoves Ecstatic Dance 2nd and 4th Weds, 7:00-9:00 pm -- The Center for Kiki’s Righteous House of Music Conscious Living, 849 East Washington Ave. -- $7 min. donation Invitation & Advance RSVP required. • English Country Dance taught -- 1st and 3rd Mon, 7:30-9:30pm -- Wil-Mar Center, For full details or to request an invitation, contact Kiki at 953 Jenifer St. -- 238-9951 or 238-9951 [email protected] • International Dancing -- Wed and Sun; classes 7:30-8:30pm, request dancing • December 3rd @ 8 pm (doors at 7) Jim White & Paul Fonfara -- $15 8:30-11:00pm -- The Crossing, 1127 University Ave. -- 241-3655 • December 4th @ 9 pm (doors at 8) Robbie Fulks & Gerald Dowd -- $15 • Irish Dancing -- Monthly Ceili and set dance events are posted at • December 6th @ 8 pm (doors at 7) The Flat Five -- $20 celticmadison.org/dance • December 12th @ 9 pm (doors at 8) Jon Dee Graham / Mike June -- $15 • Italian Dancing -- Tue, 7:00-9:00pm, no experience or partner necessary -- Wil-Mar Dave & Anne Host Folk Center, 953 Jenifer St. -- 838-9403 (Philana) • Madison Contra Dance Cooperative -- Tue; 7:30 jam band practice, intermediate Invitation & Advance RSVP required. level dancing 7:45-9:40pm -- $5 for non-members -- Gates of Heaven, 302 E. Gorham -- For full details or to request an invitation, contact Dave & Anne at 238-3394 (Steve) [email protected] • January 23rd @ 7:30 pm (doors at 7) Harmonious Wail - $18 / $15under 18 • Morris Dancing -- Wed, 7:00pm -- call for location -- 238-9951 • February 28th @ 7 pm (doors at 6:30) Peter Mulvey - $18 / $15 under 18 • Scottish Country Dancing -- Sun, 7:00pm -- Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St. -- 233-2956 • April 3rd @ 7 pm (doors at 6:30) Ellis Paul - $20 / $17 under 18 Madison Folk Music Society Nonprofit Org P.O. Box 665, Madison, WI 53701 U.S. Postage Address Service Requested PAID ……………………………… Madison, WI ……………. Permit No. 2278 Renew your membership today at www.madfolk.org https://www.facebook.com/pages/Madison-Folk-Music-Society/34497984835 Madison Folk Music Society

join renew

Name Address City/State Zip Phone Email

Choose membership category: - Senior / Student $10 Regular $12 Family $15 Friend $25 Contributing $50

Life $500 Scholorship fund donation (optional) $ - Total $

GOING GREEN - Send my newsletters electronically by email

Send your check, payable to MFMS to: Mad Folk c/o- Tracy Comer, P.O. Box 930446 Verona, WI 53593-0446 Madison Folk Music Society Nonprofit Org P.O. Box 665, Madison, WI 53701 U.S. Postage Address Service Requested PAID ……………………………… Madison, WI ……………. Permit No. 2278 Renew your membership today at www.madfolk.org https://www.facebook.com/pages/Madison-Folk-Music-Society/34497984835 Madison Folk Music Society

join renew

Name Address City/State Zip Phone Email

Choose membership category: - Senior / Student $10 Regular $12 Family $15 Friend $25 Contributing $50

Life $500 Scholorship fund donation (optional) $ - Total $

GOING GREEN - Send my newsletters electronically by email

Send your check, payable to MFMS to: Mad Folk c/o- Tracy Comer, P.O. Box 930446 Verona, WI 53593-0446