Newsletter of the Madison Folk Music Society

Volume 32, No. 7 / July 2006 July brings five more weekends of Folk on State On the first day of the month, mak- the call of coyotes. She's been called Artist Showcase. Jacquie is also a win- ing her first appearance on our stage, “an eloquent storyteller whose songs ner of the 1998 Kerrville New Folk will be Jackie Tice. Radio program- elevate common experience with Songwriting Contest. They call them- mers have heralded Jackie with ban- subtle layers of meaning” (Richard Fox, selves "eclecto-maniacs" and describe ners like, “best new songwriter” and WCUW) and an artist with “a poet's their music as “Celtic to Cowboy.” “a stand-out!” With the release of her touch,” writing about “complex, be- They both sing; they both play guitars most recent CD, Second Skin, Jackie lievable characters who grow more and an array of other instruments. has made full use of her award-win- vivid with each listen” (R.A.B. Perch, They even yodel. Dirty Linen maga- ning performing and song writing Folk Acoustic). zine called them “one of the most skills. Produced by Grammy Winner Sharing the weekend with be Small polished, inventive, and entertaining Bill Miller, the album includes 10 Potatoes. They are not newcomers to shows on the circuit.” Sing Out! maga- songs spanning pop-rock, jazz, and the Madison audience and we are ex- zine called Time Flies a “wonderful, folk styles. “She writes songs with cited to bring them back for their fourth wonderfully eclectic” album and said, messages,” says Miller. “Her music year at Folk on State. Small Potates is “Small Potatoes might well be leading has elements of jazz and rock. Hers Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso. mainstays on the folk scene for years is a voice that needs to be heard and This Chicago-based duo has been tour- to come.” Their new album, Waltz of her songs are as poetic as they are ing on the folk circuit since 1993 and the Wallflowers, appeared on several powerful.” “Lyrically brave” is how in that time they’ve become sought- “Best of 2000” radio playlists, includ- Acoustic Guitar magazine describes after regulars at many clubs and cof- ing WFMT's syndicated “Midnight the music of Jackie Tice, adding, “Tice's feehouses across the U.S. They have Special.” songs capture instances of universal made repeat appearances at major folk July’s second Saturday, the 8th, recognition and appeal. A Kerrville festivals, including the Kerrville Folk will bring us Karen Mal and The Prince New Folk Award winner, she mingles Festival, the Walnut Valley Folk Festi- Myshkins. Karen joined us in this se- her Native American and Old Euro- val, and Philadelphia Folk Festival. ries our first year and she again is pean roots, carefully combing through They were one of the “most requested” making the trek up here from Texas to subjects from Shakespearian love to acts at the 1999 Falcon Ridge New visit our stage. She lived in Wisconsin for a while before making her home in Texas. In three short years, Karen has Focus on folk gone from a virtual unknown on the Austin acoustic music scene to one of the most sought-after performers A Look at songwriting with Aaron Nathans around, both as a solo artist and as a Aaron Nathans is a local songwriter who has a masterful way of inter- sideman for others on mandolin, gui- tar, and harmony vocals. Karen has preting and writing about the world. With wisdom and wit, he creates songs opened for and/or appeared onstage about everything from grapefruit to political figures to old friends who never with performers such as Tom Paxton, change. Slaid Cleaves, Tom Prasada-Rao, Gail Q: How did you get started writing music? Davies, Buddy Mondlock, and Tom A: I’d always enjoyed creative writing, and cracking my sister up with song Kimmel. Originally from New England, parodies. I took piano and clarinet lessons, and played saxophone in the high Karen worked in regional theatre for school marching band. During high school, several years as an actor and musical when I was at a summer camp in Russia, I director/composer before settling in met this guy from Corvallis, Oregon, who Austin, Texas, to play music full-time. was a real hippie, and he wrote his own She has lived and worked in places protest songs. I thought that was the coolest from Manhattan to Memphis, from thing. That fall, I bought “Guitar For Dum- Wisconsin to California, and toured in mies” and learned the basic chords. I 40 states. gradually learned to fuse my love for poetry The other perfomers have just an of the absurd (an ode to bean dip was one of opposite story for where they live. my more memorable works) with the guitar. They were originally living in Califor- (continued on inside page) (continued on inside page) invited to join them on August 24 for a Lavin, Berrymans to share Madison stage shared concert at a Madison location Peter and Lou Berryman met Chris- around North America they formed a which has yet to be determined. tine Lavin almost twenty years ago at a mutual admiration society which Christine Lavin is a singer and little folk festival on Long Island. At meets all too rarely. You all are all songwriter whose hilarious, well- subsequent encounters at festivals crafted, pointed and poignant songs Mad Folk Board of Directors have influenced a generation of Darlene Buhler, president...... 846-9214 folksingers. Her album titles say a lot [email protected] about her and her work: Shining My Norbert Wodke, secretary...... 836-8422 Flashlight On The Moon, Good Thing [email protected] He Can’t Read My Mind, Getting In Dede Goldberg...... 246-4332 Touch With My Inner Bitch. [email protected] Bill Fiore...... 256-4687 Her career began in the early ’80s [email protected] as part of the seminal group of folkies Tracy Comer...... 276-8192 in New York City. Madison audiences [email protected] might know her best as a founding Ron Dennis...... 226-9472 member of the Four Bitchin’ Babes, [email protected] whose annual performances in Madi- Meg Skinner...... 238-6950 son draw huge audiences. [email protected] Her vibrant performances draw in Vicky Jones...... 238-4661 audiences, often she connects by step- [email protected] ping out among them, visiting and Committee contacts: singing with them, even drawing them Concert: Darlene Buhler, 846-9214 up on the stage. Festival: Bill & Mary Fiore, 256-4687 Perry Baird, Newsletter, 258-4386 Look for another article in the Dede Goldberg, Newsletter 246-4332 August issue of Mad Folk News for Mary Schranz, Calendar, 273-2515 more laudatory comments about Chris- Darlene Buhler, advertising, 846-9214 tine, and for updates about Madison’s Tracy Comer, membership, 276-8192 own Lou & Peter Berryman; but for Mad Folk e-mail: [email protected] now, just remember to save August 24, Mad Folk web site: www.madfolk.org 2006 for a memorable musical evening.

Madison Folk Music Society P.O. Box 665, Madison, WI 53701 Address Service Requested Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Newsletter Published Monthly PAID Membership Form: Madison Folk Music Society Madison, WI c/o Tracy Comer, P.O Box 930446, Verona, WI 53593-0446 Permit No. 2278 ❐❐Renewal New Member Name

Address City/State Zip Phone E-mail Membership Categories Check One Student $10 I would like to help with: Senior $8 ❐ Newsletter Regular $12 ❐ Concerts Family $15 ❐ Festival Friend $25 ❐ Housing performers Contributing $50 ❐ Publicity Life $500 ❐ Membership Total $ ❐ Transportation Make checks payable to MFMS. Your contribution is tax- deductible and helps us defray the cost of event expenses. You may designate its use. Thank you. Time to renew? Don't want to cut up your newsletter? Just be sure your name is on your check and mail it to the address shown. Enclose a note if there are changes needed to your information. Or, you can print a form from the Mad Folk web site: www.madfolk.org. Folk On State Sing under the stars at Blue Mound! (continued from page 1) Madison folksinger Mac Robertson (below right) has agreed to lead the nia and have moved to Wisconsin. singing at the Folk Sing-alongs in Blue Mound State Park on July 21 and (Rick Burkhardt, accordion, and Andy August 18 at 8 p.m. in lighted and roofed main shelter at the top of the hill. Gricevich, guitar) perform original The first summer sing-along was a rousing success, with around 50 young cabaret-tinged songs about contempo- and old campers (shown below) and area folk music enthusiasts joining in. rary social and political issues. Their Come watch the sun set in the west from the highest point in southern Dane often hilarious, always thought-pro- County, and sing along with Mac. voking lyrics have endeared them to To get to Blue Mound State Park from Madison, take Highway 18-151 fans across the U.S., and their rapid- west past Mount Horeb and take the exit marked highway F. Turn left on ID, fire vocal delivery and odd (yet catchy) then follow signs to the park, turning right by melodies are sure to please the casual the Citgo station and continuing past the listener and the musical conisseur trailer park on your left, a major turn to the alike. Their songs have been heard on left, and up the hill to the top. There is lots of NPR's “Morning Edition” and Pacifica's parking near the shelter. You will need a park “Democracy Now,” as well as on count- sticker to enter the park, but the sing-along is less community radio stations. This free, and definitely participatory. Folk musi- spring they premiered a production of cians are encouraged to bring their instru- Brecht & Weill's The Threepenny Op- ments, as two Madisonians did in June. Folk era (featuring Rick's new translation of music under the stars is definitely worth the script and a new arrangement of experiencing! the score by their alter-ego trio, The Nonsense Company) in Chicago and Olympia, Washington, to critical and audience acclaim. July 15 brings us to a two-hour set from Madison's best known folkies, Lou & Peter Berryman. On their website, Lou and Peter say: “You prob- ably wouldn't be here if you didn't know at least a teensy bit about us, but in case you don't, here are a few clues: We write all our own songs. Lou writes the music, Peter writes the words. Lou musician with a history as rich and album becomes a chance to bask in the plays accordion. Peter plays 12-string diverse as Mulvey's. The Knuckeball life force that energizes her songs. 'The guitar. Most of our stuff is funny in one Suite places him firmly at the forefront act' is real. She is real. SONiA cares way or another. We've been making a of acoustic/alternative's most stellar and wants us to care about the issues living at this for almost 25 years. We singer/songwriter/guitarists. that bruise and abuse. Her music con- are best friends and were married to July 29, the final Saturday, brings tains spirited protest updated for each other briefly many years ago, longtime Madisonian Marques Bovre today's ears with charm and a touch of hence the same last name, but have to our line up. After 15 years with the glamor. This album does not disap- been happily married to our current Evil Twins, Marques Bovre is starting point. On this, her tenth release, SONiA respective spouses for decades. We afresh with some new musical friends rocks with her new band DF05. Here both turned 55 in 2002 so the duo has (Maggie Weiser and Ken Stephenson) SONiA's expressive singing exhibits over 110 years' experience on the in a band called SoDangYang. More flirtatious nuance and thoughtfulness planet." stripped down and acoustic in nature, as well as the resounding echo of our On July 22 we welcome longtime SoDangYang is strong on vocal harmo- tradition of meaningful folk singing. Madison favoirite Peter Mulvey back nies and producing simple, bedrock After a number of transformations with for two hours of his wonderful music foundations for Marques Bovre songs. the group Disappear Fear (periods with and his new CD, Knuckleball Suite. In Marques Bovre and SoDangYangwill and without her sister Cindy Frank the years since former subway-per- be spending early June recording an who here adds her angelic voice to the former Peter Mulvey “blew away the EP titled New Guitar at the Big Rock Kerrville Festival cuts), and after a fair competition” (The Boston Herald) to Studio (with the legendary Mercury amount of touring as a solo artist, win the Boston Acoustic Underground Dave) outside Stevens Point. SONiA is yet again 'enlivened.'" Award, he has captivated audiences all Also playing this weekend will be The music will flow from 1–3 p.m. over North America and the UK with SONiA, joined by her band, Disappear and will be located in the 500 block of his “huge energy, quickfire, quirky take Fear. According to Roger Dietz of State Street at the Francis/State St. on life, and extraordinary guitar style” Singout Magazine, “There is an exu- Park—better known as Concrete Park. (The Irish Times). His ninth album, berance and passion shining from Park across State Street at the Francis The Knuckleball Suite, is vibrant, sur- Sonia Rutstein (SONiA) that warms an Street ramp. If Mother Nature decides prising, and in many ways, like a notch audience with good nature and hu- to rain on us, we will move to the falling perfectly into a groove for a manity. For SONiA's devotees a live Memorial Union Rathskeller. Norwegian fiddler Buen plays Madison Focus on folk Direct from Norway, the Hardanger dlers in America and Norway for their (continued from page 1) fiddle master Hauk Buen makes his rich, even tone. When, at age 22, I won $200 at a second appearance in Madison in a Hauk Buen is considered a Norwe- riverboat casino, I took it as a divine live concert on Sunday, July 23 at 7:30 gian national treasure and one of the push to buy my own guitar and take p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 7118 best interpreters of the rich folk music some lessons. I never did get any Old Sauk Road. Accompanying Hauk traditions from the Telemark region. good at writing protest songs, which will be master dancers from Norway, He won the Norwegian National Com- is too bad, because that’s where the Karin Brennesvik and Sigbjørn Rua. petition in Hardanger fiddle in 1962 money is. He will be a featured musician and and 1963, as well as many other prizes Q: Why are you passionate teacher at the 2006 workshops of the and honors. In 1992 he won the about songwriting? How has it Hardanger Fiddle Association of Spellemannprisen (Norwegian equiva- affected your place in the world? America (HFAA) to be held at Folklore lent of the Grammy) for best folk music A: We can put something into the Village near Dodgeville July 20–23. recording. world that, if done right, resonates. He has been a favorite performer The Hardanger fiddle (in Norwe- Certain things have changed in the and teacher at many workshops in the gian, hardingfele) is often called the way people relate to me since I put U.S. over the years. Besides his popu- national instrument of Norway. It is my album out last year. For instance, larity with American audiences, Hauk similar to the violin, and each one is a [due to writing “The Old People’s has given concerts around the world handmade work of art. The most dis- Fruit”] I am no longer allowed to be in and was a featured performer at the tinguishing feature is the four or five the presence of a grapefruit without 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. sympathetic strings that run under- someone pointing at it and quipping, Hauk is also a master fiddlemaker neath the fingerboard and add echoing “Aaron, a grapefruit! The old people’s whose instruments are prized by fid- overtones to the sound. A melody voice fruit!” It’s a nice conversation piece. is accompanied by a moving “drone” I’ve also befriended some great voice. Together, the instrument and songwriters here in town since I the playing style create the sound for started writing songs. which the Hardanger fiddle is famous. Q: What is your process of This concert is sponsored by the writing a song like? HFAA and Mad Folk. Tickets ($15; A: Sometimes I will, in fact, hear children half price at door) are avail- melodies when I am sleeping. This is able at Borders East and West, B-Side not necessarily a good thing because Records, Orange Tree Imports, Spruce it only encourages the radio in my Tree Music, and Steep and Brew on head. Pretty soon I’m waking up Odana Road. every night with some pretty awful For more information, contact melodies in my brain, but I have to get Paula Goode at (608) 833-7066. up and record them because, really, who am I to judge quality at 2 a.m.? More often than not, when the melody Music fest becomes Madison tradition comes first, the song never makes it. The Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective (FLTMC) has announced The best ones start with an idea, artistic line-up for its annual Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival, which maybe a phrase that sounds musical. returns July 28–29, 2006, to Lake Farm County Park in Madison. Whatever is happening to me at the According to organizers, this year’s gamut of talent features top national, moment I’m writing, whatever I regional and local music groups in a variety of performance and workshop happen to be looking at, sometimes settings. “Traditional music styles for [this year’s] event range from Appala- works its way into the song. For chian to Zydeco,” says FLTMC President Evan Murdock. instance, if I’m staring at the book- Murdock says advance tickets will be available throughout Madison. The shelf, and there’s Norman Mailer’s annual gathering has drawn more than 2000 people in just two years.”Stay book “Oswald’s Tale,” then I’ll write tuned to www.sugarmaplefest.org for tickets, event details, camping infor- down in my journal, “Norman Mailer’s mation, links, sound clips, schedules, music workshops, volunteer opportu- writing’s Oswald’s Tale,” which then nities, and kids’ activities. becomes “Norman Mailer’s in the Artists for the July 28 shows include Guy Davis, Mike & Amy Finders county jail,” which became the first Band, Bayou Ramblers, and Caravan Gypsy Swing. The performances run line for my song “Iris” (which is not from 4:30 to 10 p.m. about Norman Mailer at all). I learned Shows on July 29, which run from noon to 10 p.m., include Audie a lot on this count from my wife, who Blaylock & Redline, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Devil in A Woodpile, Kevin Tubb is a better writer than I am. She & the Lonely Stars, Hunger Mountain Boys, the everybodyfields, DitchLilies, always brings her surroundings into Kay Weeden, and Dave Landau. what she writes. Ticket prices: 2-Day Pass: $28/adv; Friday: $13/adv, $15/gate; Saturday: To learn more about Aaron and $17/adv, $20/gate; 12 & under FREE/gate; $1 donation to Dane County Parks his debut album, Same Old You, visit Commission per ticket included. Tickets available at Willy Street Co-op, The www.aaronnathans.com.—Kris Exclusive Company, and Spruce Tree Music. Adams