Fiddler’s Rag Vol. 48, Number 1 Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association Jan 2020 Celebrating 45 years www.fiddlers.org Next Jam: Jan 5 President’s Note are new on their musical journey to progress and share our joy of music. It’s a New Year and SCVFA has Start the New Year right by joining us immediately after a special jam starting on January the jam at Sam’s Bar-B-Que for good food and better 5th. Bluegrass players, this is conversation. Put down your instruments and get to especially for you: Local know one another at “Afters”. You'll be glad you did. fiddle/mandolin player from 1110 S Bascom Ave, San Jose. “Bean Creek”, Pete Hicks, will be the first of professional Volunteers are what keeps SCVFA going and it’s fun! musicians to anchor an This is a great way to connect with more musicians and intermediate-advanced level support our organization. It takes a village... Let’s all do bluegrass jam group at SCVFA our part. monthly jam at least through June 2020. He will be playing --- Susan with the bluegrassers from 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Tell all your friends that this is new. Come give it a try. February brings the Annual meeting and elections. Check out the pics and bios for the prospective new board members (page 5). Most importantly, mark your calendars now to be here in February for the election. Mark Tamsula, my very first fiddle teacher, is coming to California for multiple performances throughout the Bay Area. After 2 months of Suzuki violin in elementary school with my daughter, I graduated to Mark’s class of “oldtime fiddle by ear”. Now Mark is joined by Richard “I know that the most joy in my life has come to me Withers and former SCVFA member Barbara Rosner for from my violin.” Albert Einstein a day of oldtime tunes from Southwestern Pennsylvania featuring tunes from the Samuel Bayard collection. More Our annual Membership Meeting will be held at info is listed in the Upcoming Events Section on page 3. the February jam. See page 5 for the Trustee Member Performances are happening every month and candidates' statements. are an important source of fundraising for SCVFA. In December, a group of musicians led by Patti Bossert The two new candidates will be replacing current performed for a 90th birthday celebration for our very trustees Pete Showman and Élan Alford for special member and past SCVFA president, Fritz Buell. respectively seat 1 and seat 2. Thank you Patti, Bob Palasek, George Bradshaw, Paul Clarke, Bill O’Haren and Mike Bell for the music. Special thanks to Lee Clarke for sharing the joy of dance. In This Issue: Page Lee was able to get nearly 30 seniors up and dancing. President’s Message ................................................ 1 Happy birthday Fritz! SCVFA Happenings ................................................. 3 Jam photos .............................................................. 4 In December, the Slow Jam played much of the Candidates’ Statements ........................................... 5 afternoon. Thank you Jean Avram for leading. Even the Column: “Hicks’ Licks: Who’s Afraid of experienced musicians love to play along with this group. the Key of B” by Pete Hicks ................................ 6 The mentorship of our musicians is what helps those who Tune: “Bury me Beneath the Willow” ....................... 7 “New Year’s Resolution Suggestions” by Susan Goodis ................................................ 8 The Fiddler’s Rag is published monthly by the Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association and is provided to members of the Association. The Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association (SCVFA), founded in 1973 in San Jose, California, is a nonprofit, volunteer-operated organization dedicated to the preservation, teaching, and enjoyment of traditional music. The first membership in a household includes the Fiddler’s Rag; additional members sharing the newsletter are steeply discounted. To join, sign up at the jam or see www.fiddlers.org/join. Officers and Chairs President-Trustee .......... Susan Goodis News Editor ..................... Patrice Tanti Vice President ................. Élan Alford Newsletter Publisher ... Charlotte Prater Recording Secretary . Jessica Ollmann Performances Contact ..... Susan Goodis Treasurer ................. Dinah Showman Publicity ......................... Dave Thomas Membership Secretary Pete Showman Webmaster .................... Pete Showman Trustees Seat 1: Pete Showman Seat 3: Sam Schillace Seat 5: Peter Forrest Seat 2: Élan Alford Seat 4: Dave Thomas Seat 6: Cindy Dinga To Contact the SCVFA: Mail: P.O. Box 2666, Cupertino, CA 95015-2666 Email to Susan Goodis: president [at] fiddlers.org Newsletter Submissions & Comments: newsletter [at] fiddlers.org Address changes: membership [at] fiddlers.org Website: www.fiddlers.org Copyright 2019, Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association The Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association is a non-profit member- supported organization. Donations to SCVFA are greatly appreciated and will assist in keeping traditional music alive by passing it on to the next generation. Many local corporations offer matched donations for non- profits. Check with your employer... they may offer this benefit. You can easily add SCVFA as a 501(c)(3) organization; our EIN is 51-0196154 Donate as you are able and traditional music will reap the benefits. --------------- SCVFA wants musicians to know that we are “not just for fiddlers”. The image to the right side of the Fiddler’s Rag name on page 1 includes a mandolin, a banjo, a guitar and a fiddle, to illustrate the diversity of instruments played at our jams and events. Quote of the Month “I know that the most joy in my life has come to me from my violin.” Albert Einstein Page 2 Fiddler’s Rag January 2020 SCVFA Happenings SCVFA Slow Jam current tune list www.fiddlers.org/learning/#slowjam Angeline The Baker (D) Red-Haired Boy (A) Arkansas Traveler (D) Red Wing (G) Barlow Knife (G) Shoo Fly (D) Girl I Left Behind Me (G) Soldier’s Joy (D) Jaybird (D) Squirrel Hunters (A) June Apple (A) St. Anne’s Reel (D) Liberty (D) Swallowtail Jig (E) Mississippi Sawyer (D) Whiskey Before Breakfast (D) SCVFA Over The Waterfall (D) Wildwood Flower (C) Presents Thank you all for participating in the slow jam. The slow jam is for beginners who want to participate in a First Music Jam and Open slow-paced jam (60-90 BPM). Mike of the year 2020 Mark Your Calendar - Upcoming Events Sunday January 5, 2020 1/5 1:00 – 5:00pm Music Jam and Open Mike at Hoover School and a special event: special bluegrass 1:00 – 5:00 PM at Hoover School circle with Pete Hicks. 1/11-1/14 – The Great 48 Jam in Bakersfield. Special Event: More info at: www.cbaweb.org/events/great48. Bluegrass Circle 1/15 – 7:30pm SV House Concerts presents: Fru Skagerrak Scandinavian Fiddle Music with Pete Hicks Reservations: SV.houseconcerts [at] gmail.com 1/25 – 8:00pm SV House Concerts presents: For information check the SCVFA website www.fiddlers.org Mark Tamsula & or contact president [at] fiddlers.org Richard Withers With Barbara Rosner Southwestern Pennsylvania Old Time Music Workshop (4pm) & Evening House Concert (8pm) Reservations: SV.houseconcerts [at] gmail.com Fiddler’s Rag January 2020 Page 3 December Jam Photos By Susan Goodis Lots of music, dance and laughter at the holiday potluck! Page 4 Fiddler’s Rag January 2020 Trustee Election in February the years, who organize public and private playouts, provide a robust set of resources online, publish a As usual, we’ll have our annual Membership Meeting at monthly newsletter, manage a large membership, and the February jam. The main item of business is the keep that Sunday jam alive. election of two trustees to three-year terms. (There are six As a small business owner and avid fiddler, I'm ready to elected trustees, with two elected each year so their terms contribute where I can be most effective and continue to overlap.) The Board’s Nominating Committee has inspire, expand, and share the benefits and rewards of this nominated two candidates for 2020-2023: Bev Tracey rich community-music experience. and Doug Judd for seats 1 and 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Doug Judd Bev Tracey I currently live in Burlingame with my wife Rebecca, and our two teenage daughters. While I don’t currently reside in the Santa Clara Valley, I work here and have deep roots here. Eight years ago, on a whim, I attended a "mountain Several years ago I decided to seriously get back into music" class offered in Santa Cruz where I live. playing guitar. Bluegrass always seemed like a good way Requirements for the class were simple: 1) bring an to develop flat-picking skills, which is what initially acoustic stringed instrument, 2) no experience necessary. attracted me to the style of music. I have since fallen in I rented a fiddle a couple hours before the class started love with the songs and the tradition. My wife Rebecca and had no idea how to tune it, hold it, or play it. The also loves traditional fiddle-based music and has recently instructors that night came through and had a mixed taken up learning the banjo. group of beginning musicians playing and singing together. From that moment, I was hooked. I’ve organized a group of Bluegrass players at Google and we jam every Wednesday at noon. I also regularly The SCVFA Sunday Jam was my first stop for jamming attend the South Bay Old-time Jam at the UUCPA on in a public setting. Nervous and self-conscious, I was Monday nights. I love the idea of meeting friends and immediately welcomed by a fun, energetic group. I joined spending time together bonding on a shared musical in a beginner circle playing and learning simple interest. I believe in the mission statement of the SCVFA Americana standards and later in the afternoon I listened and would like to help pass on the love of playing to groups playing old time fiddle tunes, all levels of traditional American fiddle-based folk music to younger Bluegrassers picking and singing, even some Cajun and generations.