Volume 40 No. 6 June 2014 Summer Sing-alongs at Blue Mounds State Park Shelter Begins 8pm, June 20 A long-standing Madfolk tradi- ages event, the singing will be led a state park sticker is required to tion, the Summer Sing-alongs will by Madison musician Mac Robert- enter the park, located west of begin again Friday June 20, at the son on banjo and guitar. Rise Up Mount Horeb. From Madison, take main shelter at the top of the hill Singing books with song lyrics will 18-151 west to county Highway F, at Blue Mounds State Park. An all- be provided, though Mac has a gift following the brown signs for Blue for teaching new songs, or leading Mounds State Park. The gate at- familiar songs everyone knows. tendant will direct you to the exact Bring instruments if you play them, location within the park. but especially your vocal chords. The sing-alongs happen rain or Mad Folk Concert Tickets shine; in case of inclement weath- When you see this symbol – ee er, they will be held in the new – you’ll know that you’re read- Friends shelter, where you can see ing about a Mad Folk sponsored the paving brick at the entrance event. Advance tickets for Mad thanking Mac for his many years Folk shows are available online of devotion to the Sing-along. at www.madfolk.org and at these Mark your calendars for the outlets: rest of the summer, note that Ju- ly’s sing-along will be held on the • Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Mon- fourth Friday, July 25, (not the roe Street usual third Friday), and August 15. The sing-alongs are free, but • Spruce Tree Music, 851 East Johnson Purchase tickets ONLINE for Mad Folk concerts via Brown Paper Tickets (with $1.62 service charge): https://www.brownpapertickets. com/producer/10879 You can also purchase advance tickets by mail. Send a stamped self- addressed envelope with your check payable to Mad Folk, PO Box 665, Madison, WI 53701. If all else fails, call 608-846-9214 for information. SILVER LADER - PETER MULVEY SIGNATURE SOUNDS ~ 2014 as the former can be a bit extravagant, London,” repeated over the swirling back- DePrato is a force of nature. The rest of ground. The darkly wordy “If You Shoot the band is just as well-pedigreed: bass- at a King You Must Kill Him” fares better; ist Tom Freund plays with Ben Harper, disconcerting on first listen, it becomes while drummer David Kemper played on addictive after several. While Ladder is Dylan’s Time Out of Mind and Love and still quite definitely a Mulvey record, it’s Theft. Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins adds nice to hear him taking some chances. violin and vocals. Perhaps the sweetest Bringing in Prophet was absolutely one touch is Phil Parlapiano on accordion, no- that paid off. tably on the rocking “Sympathies.” Mulvey will be playing the Mad Folk It seems strange to label this record a stage this year at the Willy Street Fair. It rocker, but for its first half it most certainly will be a great chance to hear these new is. The record kicks off with the slick “Lies songs, as well as old favorites, live. Review by Kiki Schueler You Forgot You Told,” a smart, sexy Every review that you will see of Peter strut of a song that also provides the Mad Folk News is published monthly by the Mulvey’s new Silver Ladder is going to rather cryptic record title, “I gave you Madison Folk Music Society, a non-profit, start by mentioning that it’s his first record faith when it deserted you, kisses till volunteer-led society dedicated to fostering of new songs in five years. Obviously it hurt, climbed the silver ladder to folk music in the Madison area. I’m not going to try something different; the very top rung.” Jangly follow-up Contact us at [email protected] though I am not sure exactly why it is “You Don’t Have to Tell Me” features about concerts, membership, scholarships, so significant. It’s not like he’s disap- yelped backing vocals from Prophet and volunteer opportunities at peared from the public for the last half and a sweet guitar lick from De- www.madfolk.org. decade. Since the excellent Letters from Prato. Despite head-scratching lyr- a Flying Machine in 2009, which inter- ics like “in the middle of the ocean, Madison Folk Music Society Board spersed thoughtful letters to his nieces there is a dolphin with a head cold, and nephews between live favorites like and you probably think about him “Some People” and “Dynamite Bill,” he’s as often as he thinks of you,” it’s still DarleneBuhler...............President,Concerts, released a live Redbird record, an instru- the record’s strongest track. Prophet Advertising mentals record with David Goodrich, and again makes his presence known on 225-0710~ [email protected] a collection of favorite covers appropri- the aforementioned “Sympathies,” PegMichel….…..............................Treasurer ately titled The Good Stuff. All that on top which rounds out the opening trio of 831-1876 ~ [email protected] of an exhausting touring schedule, the under-three-minute hits nicely. “Re- Tracy Comer ........Membership & Web Site man’s been keeping busy. Five years member the Milkman,” a sweet duet 729-4498 ~ [email protected] seems pretty quick. with Watkins, returns Mulvey to more NorbertWodke….......................…Secretary The real story here is that after a long familiar territory, much like “Where 836-8422 ~ [email protected] association with Goodrich on production, Did You Go?” does later in the re- DedeGoldberg..............................Newsletter Mulvey worked with Chuck Prophet for cord. The latter had been written for distribution this record. Mulvey had seen Prophet Anita Suhanin to sing on her record, 246-4332 ~ [email protected] play only once, but was so impressed he but Mulvey decided to cut it here with Neil Morris....................................Newsletter knew that was who he wanted. Prophet Suhanin, whose sweet, sultry voice editor is a live wire, an energetic and outrageous complements Mulvey’s nicely. 358-5855 ~ [email protected] entertainer, and a clever songwriter him- There are some experiments that Meg Skinner.………............... Scholarships self. From all accounts the recording don’t quite work. The trippy “Co- 238-6950 ~ [email protected] process was an enjoyable and productive penhagen Airport” is decidedly not a David Eagan..................................................... one, with Prophet’s enthusiasm showing follow-up to Kitchen Radio’s “Denver, 249-0409 ~ [email protected] in the finished product. He introduced 6 a.m.,” also set in an airport. In- Ron Dennis …........….....................………. Mulvey to a whole new band. The big- stead, there is only one lyric, “Sweet 226-9472 ~ [email protected] gest switch was replacing Goodrich on bearded Jesus, the girls in the Co- electric guitar with James DePrato from penhagen airport are so good look- Prophet’s Mission Express band. Where- ing, and not a one of them is going to plays tuba, and has joined us various The washboard, and the choice of mate- times over the years (photo at bottom left rial, gives the group a jug-band compo- of Tom and Lou in 2010). John Stevens, nent which I absolutely love. There are © 2014 world famous UW-Wisconsin tubist, ar- certainly other New Orleans street bands by Peter Berryman ranger, professor, and tuba music com- with similar makeups, but Tuba Skinny is archived at louandpeter.com poser, arranged our Wisconsin songs for the absolute best I have ever heard. The Tuba Skinny a brass quintet and was the featured Please have a look and listen. Go to tubist for our resulting concerts and re- YouTube and search for Tuba Skinny; Once upon a time I had it in mind to write cording, released way back in 1988. they are phenomenal. a song inspired by the Christmas stan- And there have been others. dard, Little Drummer Boy, and to call it Little Tuba Girl. I love tubas; I even My own experience playing the tuba has love the name tuba. I think I'll start call- yet to occur, though for a while in the ing my guitar a boxa. And BTW, I mid-sixties I played the thought that years ago the government jug (photo at left, me of Wisconsin chose the tuba as the Offi- with jug, 1965) in our cial State Instrument, but in Googling jug band. People may about this, I find otherwise. The Wiscon- argue that tubas are not sin State Instrument has yet to be cho- folk instruments, but the sen, as of March 2014, though the ac- jug is unarguably the cordion and the tuba are running neck folkiest of folk tubas. and neck, or should I say horn and bel- lows. Wisconsin's State Dance is the Anyway, what I'm lead- Polka so it only seems reasonable that ing up to in such a In thinking about why I like this band, one of these peculiar instruments even- roundabout way is this. aside from their being hypnotically good tually will be chosen, as they are both So I was Googling for at what they do, it's partly because I like fairly common in the oompa-style polka Little Tuba Girl, which I polyphony in music. Wikipedia de- bands of Wisconsin. never found, to my re- scribes polyphony as "...a texture con- lief. These days I al- sisting of two or more simultaneous lines Many people probably don't consider the ways Google when I get of independent melody, as opposed to tuba a folk instrument.