CONCERT & DANCE LISTINGS • CD REVIEWS • FREE EVENTS FREE BI-MONTHLY Volume 6 Number 1 January-February 2006 THESOURCE FOR FOLK/TRADITIONAL MUSIC, DANCE, STORYTELLING & OTHER RELATED FOLK ARTS IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA “Don’t you know that Folk Music is illegal in Los Angeles?” — WARREN C ASEY of the Wicked Tinkers BridgingBridging Appalachian,Appalachian, BluegrassBluegrass andand CountryCountry O'BROTHER WHERE ART THOU PROPELS FOLK ICON RALPH STANLEY INTO POPULAR CULTURE BY DENNIS ROGER REED inside this issue: he fire lit group of white hooded, Klan-like figures has just spent several minutes in cho- American reography owing equal parts to a Busby Berkeley cinematic spectacle and a Nazi rally, Social Dance T with a soundtrack borrowed from the evil monkeys of the Wizard of Oz. A hush falls over the assemblage, and a lone, unaccompa- nied voice seems to emanate from hell or some much cold- Richard er place. Decked in a fiery red hood and robes, the leader of the quasi-Klan stands between two flaming torches, and Dyer-Bennet sings Oh Death, an old Appalachian number where a mortal man begs death for a stay of time. Around him the hooded figures continue their “dance,” and several of the racist PLUS: henchman drag Tommy Johnson, a black bluesman, towards PLUS: a gallows. It’s quite a movie memory from O Brother, Where Art Thou the Coen Brother’s tribute to the Odyssey and Ross Altman’s 1930’s film noir. A fine film, and this scene is particularly How Can I Keep effective. How Can I Keep And in many ways this scene was a Godsend to the true From Talking source of that haunting voice, Ralph Stanley. One can imag- ine that Dr. Stanley could not have fathomed that the single Larry Wines’ most rocket like impact on his career would be from pro- viding a movie singing voice to a Klan-like buffoon. Stanley Tied to the Tracks is a bluegrass music legend, arguably the remaining patri- arch of bluegrass music since the passing of Bill Monroe Notes from Possum Pie Inn and Jimmy Martin. Stanley was born in 1927 in Dickenson County, Virginia, where he still lives. Taught mountain Calendar of Events style “clawhammer” banjo from his mother, he and his gui- tar playing and singing brother Carter formed the Stanley CD Reviews Brothers Band in 1946. The Stanleys were much more than just a bluegrass band. Members of the Primitive Baptist & much more... STANLEY page 26 Page 2 FolkWorks January-February 2006 EDITORIAL Dear Readers its inception and Terry helps out in PUBLISHERS & EDITORS Leda & Steve Shapiro We at FolkWorks want to wish the writing department as well (see LAYOUT & PRODUCTION you all a HAPPY & HEALTHY her Music of a Greek Street Market Alan Stone Creative Services NEW YEAR. in this issue). FEATURED WRITERS And we hope too see you at our Our front cover features Ralph Brooke Alberts, Lookaround benefit concert – A World of Music, Stanley, a living legend who bridges Ross Altman An Evening of Community. In the the world of old-time and contempo- How Can I Keep From Talking FolkWorks tradition, we will be rary bluegrass. He will be perform- David Braggar, Old-Time Oracle presenting both old favorites and ing at UCLA with Laurie Lewis and Uncle Ruthie Buell new discoveries. Many of you Tom Rozum opening (did you know Halfway Down the Stairs experienced the Masanga Marimba that Tom used to play for con- Valerie Cooley, That Reminds Me... Linda Dewar, Grace Notes Ensemble in the outdoor gathering A SONES tradances?). UCLALive! this season Richard Gee, Law Talk in the fall of 2004. They will again presents an unprecedented number Roger Goodman welcome you with the ringing of exciting, traditional/roots music Keys to the Highway rhythms of marimbas filling the air. events. It is a pleasure to see so much Fron Heller, PHOTO BY SONY We will be introducing new bands good music happening in a large Notes from Possum Pie Inn BY LEDA & STEVE SHAPIRO Wiley Canyon Stringband, Moira venue. We would also like to take Dennis Roger Reed Smiley & VOCO and the Dennis Roger Reed Band - notice of the re-constituted CTMS folk music series as Reed’s Ramblings as well as old favorites Nevenka and the Yuval Ron well as Caltech Folk Music Society (and Caltech Dave Soyars, Dave’s Corner Ensemble. Masanga, Nevenka and Yuval Ron all per- Public Events), Boulevard Music, Fret House, Coffee Larry Wines, Tied to the Tracks formed in the World Festival of Sacred Music this past Gallery Backstage, McCabe’s, Folk Music Center and EDITORS David Ascher • Marie Bruno summer. The entire event demonstrated the diversity The Living Tradition, not to mention the variety of Mary Pat Cooney • Britt Nicole-Peterson and energy in our community. We are fortunate to have house concerts. Folk and traditional music is happen- Diane Sherman • Chris Stuart all these musicians contributing their time to support ing here in Tinsel Town. We realize that we now have CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FolkWorks. Please mark it on your calendar and join in an abundance of riches, and we all have to make choic- Sheri Canon • Richard Duree the fun Sunday, January 22, 2006. FolkWorks needs es. Getting around is increasingly frustrating, but take Mark Gilston • Kathleen Masser your support. a deep breath and go anyway. If it is possible, go with Terry Stone • Yvonne Tator Wendy Waldman • Ron Young As we mentioned in the last issue, January marks a group and/or take the subway. But even if you have DISTRIBUTION the beginning of our new concert series at the Craft to fight traffic, what you get in exchange will enrich Brooke Alberts • Ross Altman and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM). We have booked your soul. It will make the daily grind do-able. Think Beverly/Irwin Barr • Anna Byrne more than six concerts already for the year – some of it as your medication - or your meditation. Take it, Jim Cope • James Daginger local talent and some that we caught on tour. The and take it often. You cannot overdose. Mary Dolinskis • Marge Gajicki museum will be staying open for the audience to see FolkWorks tells you all about what is happening. Sharon Gates • Cliff Gilpatric Scot Hickey • Sue Hunter current exhibits and the unique items for purchase in By doing daily research and digging deep, our urban Nan McKinley • Russ/Julie Paris the CAFAM store. explorers figure it out and let you know in these pages Bea Romano • Milt Rosenberg Alan Stone, our production manager, has designed and on our FolkWorks online Group. Please help us Daria Simolke • Mimi Tanaka for us a new “look” to our concert advertisements (as continue to pull all these fragmented pieces together. Roy Wells • Lynn Worrilow well as flyers, posters, etc). Hope you like it. Alan does Come on out to the FolkWorks benefit. Come to as LOGO DESIGN production for this newspaper while living in Greece. many concerts as you can. Each brings you different Tim Steinmeier He and his wife Terry have supported FolkWorks since offerings, diverse as our city and as culturally rich. Thanks to all those who have supported and inspired us, especially Warren Casey of the Wicked Tinkers. Published bi-monthly by FolkWorks a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization an affiliate of IN THIS ISSUE Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS). Music at the Skirball EDITORIAL..................................................2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS KEYS TO THE HIGHWAY........................ 4 Brooke Alberts • Linda Dewar VISULIZING HARMONIES THROUGH Kay Gilpatric • Roger Goodman MEDIA SPONSOR: THE BEAUTY OF LISSAJOUS CURVES Don Kiger • Holly Kiger • Gitta Morris NOTES FROM POSSUM PIE INN .......... 5 Steve Shapiro • Mimi Tanaka THE CELTIC KNOT OF COOKERY Monika White • Ron Young Promoting TIED TO THE TRACKS ........................... 6 Folk/Traditional Arts A FOLKIE FOR GOVERNOR? Leda Shapiro, Executive Director www.FolkWorks.org SWEET CALIFORNIA PRODUCE.......... 7 ADVISORY BOARD THE CHERRYHOLMES FAMILY Richard Gee • Howard & Roz Larman DAVE’S CORNER Sabrina Motley • Colin Quigley OF THE WORLD. ........................................8 Cait Reed • Lisa Richardson ON-GOING STORYTELLING Tom Sauber EVENTS.........................................................8 MUSIC ON THE RADIO .......................... 8 CONTACT INFORMATION P.O. Box 55051, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413 UNSEEN POWERS Phone: 818-785-3839 OF THE SAINTS ..........................................9 [email protected] • www.FolkWorks.org ROMANIA’S GLASS ICONS Stef Burns and Peppino D’Agostino ©2005 FolkWorks All Rights Reserved REED’S RAMBLINGS ............................ 10 ADRIAN LEGG, AND PEPPINO D’AGOSTINO CD REVIEWS Adrian Legg AND STEF BURNS CD REVIEWS ...................................... 11-12 Sunday, January 22 London-born guitarist Adrian Legg kicks off this exciting double bill, AMERICAN SOCIAL DANCE................ 13 THE DANCE IS US 7:00 p.m. performing a colorful collection of contemplative ballads and rock- AD RATES $25 General RICHARD DYER-BENNETT ................. 14 $20 Skirball Members edged tunes flavored with folk music, Irish jigs, and minimalist A MINSTREL OUT OF TIME Size 1 X 3X 6X $15 Students composition. Then, the innovative and acclaimed guitarists Peppino ON-GOING MUSIC Full Pg $660 $600 $550 D’Agostino of Italy and American Stef Burns take the stage. HAPPENINGS.............................................15 1/2 pg $385 $350 $300 “Technical brilliance paired with a troubadour’s tale-weaving skill.” CALENDAR OF EVENTS ................. 16-17 1/4 pg $235 $210 $185 —The Boston Globe, about Adrian Legg ON-GOING DANCE 1/8 pg $150 $125 $100 HAPPENINGS.............................................18 1/16 pg $85 $75 $65 “A historic summit between two of the world’s most renowned OLD-TIME ORACLE .............................. 19 SPECIFICATIONS guitarists…one an acoustic improvisational legend, the other an HELL ON THE EIGHT-STRING Full Pg ................................. 9.5 x 15" electric virtuoso…lives up to its remarkable promise.” ...THAT REMINDS ME.