FolkMADS March - April 2008 Newsletter

New Mexico Folk Music & Dance Society

FolkMADS Newsletter

March - April 2008 Volume 11, Issue 2

P.O. Box 40421, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87196-0421

The FolkMADS Calendar and Notes are published bimonthly by the
New Mexico Folk Music and Dance Society, a nonprofit organization.

FolkMADS sponsors Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos contra dances, concerts, camps, and other special events. "Contra" dances include contras, squares, mixers, and couple dances. Unless noted on the calendar, admission is $7 for members, $8 for nonmembers. Students with ID receive half price admission and children up to 12 years of age are free. You need not come with a partner. Free instruction for beginners half an hour before the dance starts. Dances are smoke-free and alcohol-free. Children and teens are encouraged to participate if supervised by an adult. Albuquerque Dances: 1st and 3rd Saturday contra dances, 7:30-10.30 p.m. Second Sunday Dance (English and Contra), 7:00-9:30 p.m. Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista SE (south of Lead/Coal). Santa Fe Dances: 2nd and 4th Saturday contra dances and some 5th Saturday English Country dances, 8:00-11:00 p.m. Odd Fellows Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Road (south of Cordova Drive on the western side of Cerrillos). Taos Dances: 3rd Saturdays, call for details, 776-1580. ABQ Megaband: Albuquerque Megaband practice is held the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dance. All acoustic musicians are welcome. Visit the Megaband page for more info and to add your email address to the listserv, or contact Bruce Thomson, 268-6003, or click here to . Practice is currently being held in the new banquet room at O'Niell's Pub on Central, just west of Washington. Last minute changes will be posted, so check the calendar for location. Santa Fe Jam Sessions: Santa Fe Community Band practice at the ODD Fellows Hall on ODD (1^st and 3^rd) Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (contact Gary Papenhagen, 242-1104). Slow jam on the 2nd Thursday at 7 p.m. at Katherine Bueler & Gary Schiffmiller's house (995-1125). Beginning and experienced musicians all welcome

2008 Officers/Directors	Ongoing Events

Updated Admission Rates Begin March 1st The admission rates for the Albuquerque and Santa Fe Saturday dances and Second Sunday dances will be increased by $1 beginning March 1st. The cost will be $7 for members and $8 for non-members. New Caller & Band Scheduler in Santa Fe! Please give a warm welcome to Betsy Brown, a recent addition to the Santa Fe Dance Committee and FolkMADS Board of Directors. Betsy will be scheduling the bands and callers for the Santa Fe dances and she can be reached at (505) 986-9228 or betsybrown@lobo.net.

Albuquerque Dance Committee Meeting
Saturday, March 15, 2008 3-5 p.m.

The Albuquerque Dance Committee meeting will be held Saturday, March 15, 2008 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the home of Bob Cornish and Linda Starr, 509 Aliso NE, Albuquerque 255-6037. The Dance Committee deals with all aspects of the dances, including bands, callers, refreshments, etc. Please join us!

Santa Fe Dance Meeting
When: Tuesday, April 8, 7 PM
Where: Betsy Brown's and Jamie Hascall's House, 400 Cortez Place, Santa Fe, phone 986-9228
Who: whoever wishes to help out and have input to continue improving the Santa Fe dance

Coming Soon to an Inbox Near You!
The FolkMADS Board of Directors is currently working to create an email database of all members. We will be contacting all of our members via email initially to make sure that you want to receive emails from us. Once the member list is cleaned up and has only those that want to receive emails, we will be able to send reminders on special events, workshops and eventually even send out an e-newsletter. Don’t worry, if you don’t have email access or don’t want to receive emails from us, you will still be able to receive a paper newsletter. Of course, FolkMADS will not sell or share your contact information with any other group or organization.

Big Events in March and April!

New Mexico Folk Music & Dance Society presents
Groovemama
with Donna Hébert (founder of Boston contra band Yankee Ingenuity), old-time and Scots fiddler Jane Rothfield, and guitar virtuoso Max Cohen

Thursday Feb 28th
7:30 p.m.
House Concert in Corrales

Saturday Mar 1st
7:30 p.m.
Contra Dance in Albuquerque
Heights Community Center

Sunday Mar 2nd
3:00p.m.
Fiddle Workshops in Corrales
Guitar Workshop, NE Heights

Click here for all the details for these events.

March 29, 2008 - 5th Saturday Special Event!
Swing Dance Featuring
Le Chat Lunatique

Instruction at 7:00 p.m.; Dance 7:30-10:30 p.m.

$8 for FolkMADS members / $10 for non-members

Le Chat Lunatique was voted "Best Jazz Act" in the Weekly Alibi's 2007 Best of Burque issue. They also won
the 2007 New Mexico Talent Showcase in the Jazz/blues/gospel division.

Ray Bierl
in Santa Fe -- April 11 & 12

"No one knows how to weave you into a song quite like Ray Bierl. The music on this record is
down home elegant. You can hear the highway in his voice.
From road dust to Stardust and every town in between."
- Tom Waits' blurb on Any Place I Hang My Hat: (Sep 18, 2007)

Friday April 11, 2008 7:30 p.m.
House Concert in Santa Fe
400 Cortez Place, Santa Fe
Phone 986-9228 for details
See Ray live in an intimate setting!
$10 FolkMADS members
$12 non-members

Saturday April 12, 2008 2:00 p.m.
Special Fiddle Workshop with Ray Bierl
Phone 986-9228 for details
Odd Fellows Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe
$15 FolkMADS members
$25 non-members

Saturday April 12, 2008 7:30 p.m.
Santa Fe Contra Dance with Ray Bierl & Friends
Odd Fellows Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe
Instruction at 7:00 p.m.

Have you moved?
Changed phone numbers? Changed your e-mail address?
Keep FolkMADS up to date so you'll continue to receive the newsletter and we can contact you.
Contact Rob Campbell with your current info.

MegaBand Tune of the Month: The Caller and The Band
by Bruce Thomson

Several years ago I wrote a couple of columns about the interactions between a dance caller and the band. It’s a topic worth revisiting from time to time as callers, bands and the dance scene evolves. I’ve discussed these topics with many callers, but would especially like to thank Merri
Rudd from Albuquerque (www.merridancing.com) and Wendy Graham from Durango (www.folkmads.org/wendy.html) for their help. If you
ever pass up a chance to dance to one of these ladies you’ve missed an evening of great fun.

I suggest that the issues between callers and bands fall into two categories 1) communication, and 2) music.

Communication is clearly the most important aspect of caller-band interactions, and there are two types (this seems to be evolving into a binary column!): 1) discussions before the evening begins, and 2) discussions before each dance. Once the music starts and pandemonium breaks out, opportunities for dialog disappear. Before the evening begins, there should be discussion about the style of music needed, a bit about
tempos, how many dances will be called, and whether the caller has any special requests such as tunes that are either especially appropriate or inappropriate. If they haven’t worked together, the caller should know the band’s instrumentation, a bit about their repertoire, and who’s in charge. Because you can’t hear anything once a dance starts, it’s a good idea to discuss hand signals for communicating things like tempo adjustments, changing tunes, and stopping.

Before each dance, the band needs guidance from the caller regarding tune selection and perhaps most importantly the tempo. The band needs tune ideas for the next dance as soon as each dance ends because it takes a while to figure out what’ll work best and retune the banjo. Thus, though it’s hard to remember, the caller should let the band know what’s coming before starting to teach the next dance.

Tempo is, in my mind, the most important single musical contributor to success or failure of a dance or a musical performance – one of these days I’m going to write a whole column on nothing but tempos. Right before each dance starts, Doc Litchman, one of the best callers anywhere, gets right in the band’s face and, using his arm as a metronome, sets the tempo. For the whole band. No questions asked. Every dance. Better not foul up. It’s great.

For whatever reason, most bands seem to rush, especially when playing reels. Sometimes that’s o.k., but most times it’s not, and may lead to catastrophe on the dance floor. The whole band has got to watch the caller for tempo cues throughout the evening, and not stare at the cutest young
thing out there bouncing around the dance floor (Mama told me it’s not polite to stare). A cue to the band to slow down does little good if only one person sees it. It’s important for the band and caller to figure out how to address the “oops factor” – what to do when there’s a foul up. Keeping with the binary theme, there are two types of band mistakes: 1) picking a wrong tune, and 2) general foul ups. At a couple of dances recently the band picked tunes that just didn’t go with the dance; they were too notey, or had a balance-&-swing in the wrong place or whatever. Both the band and the caller saw the problem and the band was able to switch to a more appropriate tune on the fly.

General band foul ups consist of either 1) forgetting the tune, especially the second or third tune in a medley, or 2) playing one part of a tune too many or too few times. To recover from the first type of problem the band should keep a few old chestnuts in reserve that everybody knows
without hesitation. Most folks can play tunes like Soldier’s Joy or Blackberry Blossom without thinking about them, and they’ll fit most dances in a pinch. The second type of mistakes is harder to recognize and recover from. While the caller’s teaching a tune it’s a good idea for the band to
learn the moves at the beginning of the dance, then watch for them. If that doesn’t correspond to the first A part in a tune something’s wrong. At the same time, the caller should be paying enough attention to the tune to recognize the A part and know that if it doesn’t coincide with the right moves, disaster is near. Once the problem’s recognized it’s a matter of getting the band back on track by playing an extra part or one less part as needed. Getting off track is embarrassing, but it happens to all of us, including the very best musicians I know.

So, once everything gets going how do you stop it? My preference is for the caller to let the band know to play through two more times by holding up two fingers during the B part of the tune. And the last time around hold up one finger (caller’s choice of fingers). Make sure the whole band sees it (make ‘em stop staring at that cute young thing out there). A few months ago we played for a caller who gave us cues for “four more times.” Sorry, I’m a binary kind of person and can’t count higher than two. This column is a reflection of that part of my brain.

Next time we’ll talk about the music, things like tune personalities (Merri’s term) matching tunes to dances, jigs vs. reels, transitions, arrangements and such.

Hawks and Eagles is a traditional tune originally with only an “A” part played twice down low then twice up an octave to fit a dance. Bill Northcutt, an old friend from TX, found a “B” part somewhere that makes it a much better tune. In NM, the high and low “A” parts are often
alternated making it a 4-part dance tune, but because they’re essentially the same parts - different octave, it can be played for a regular contra dance.

Archive of featured ABC tunes can be found here.

The Albuquerque Megaband is an open, all-volunteer, rockin' wall of sound that plays every month at the 3rd Saturday dance in ABQ.

A big thank you to all the Megaband musicians!!

The ABQ Megaband currently meets on the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dances, in the new banquet room at O'Neill's Pub on Central.
Check monthly calendars to verify location.

Visit the Megaband page for more info or to sign up for the Megaband listserv (for e-mail reminders of practice dates and dances).
Contacts: Bruce Thomson, 277-4729 or Jane Phillips, 898-2565.

Other Events

Goddess of Arno - Balkan dance Band hosts its annual Spring Balkan Dance Party

Saturday, April 12th, 2008

On Saturday night, April 12th, New Mexicans will be celebrating the spring season Balkan-style with the exciting and exotic music of Albuquerque's premier Balkan dance band 'Goddess of Arno'. Upbeat dance tunes and traditional songs from Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria - many in the the Romani (Gypsy) style and language - are all part of the repertoire of this award-winning Balkan band. Band members sing and accompany themselves on traditional ethnic string and percussion instruments as well as violin, guitar, electric bass, accordion, clarinet and alto saxophone. Veteran folk dancer Patsy Gregory will lead the traditional Balkan line dances on Winning's wood floor and she'll give a crash course in the basics at 7:15PM. When the party officially begins at 8PM you can also dance your own dance - or just sit, relax and enjoy the music and ambiance. The Spring Balkan dance party will take place at Winning Coffee House, which is located at 111 Harvard SE (south of Central near UNM) -- admission is $5.00 at the door, kids 12 and under get in for free.

The band personnel line-up for April 12th includes Leanne Mennin-percussion (tapan, daide & dumbek) & vocals; Barbara Friedman-electric bass, Bulgarian & Macedonian tamburaci & vocals; and Beth Cohen-violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura & vocals; Randy Edmunds-guitar; Joey Friedman-clarinet & alto sax; Jamie Edmunds-alto sax, accordion and vocals, and Mary Masuk-percussion (riq, doumbek, and daide).

Goddess of Arno's band members have been performing, studying and teaching Balkan folk music for over 24 years together, and each musician has extensive experience in Balkan and other styles of music:

Leanne Mennin, percussionist and vocalist, has been involved with Balkan music and dance since the 1960's. She was a dance director for eight years with the renowned, Los-Angeles-based, 'Aman' Folk Ensemble, and has taught and performed extensively in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Leanne is a respected teacher of Balkan music who has taught workshops throughout the Western U.S. and Hawaii. In Albuquerque, she was the director of the popular 'Svirka-women's Balkan chorus' for over 25 years. As a performing musician, Leanne's rich voice and her skills as a percussionist provide a strong foundation for the group's tight sound. Leanne is the director of Senior Arts, Inc. and she also works for ABQ Public Schools as a substitute teacher.

Beth Cohen is featured on violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura and vocals. She is a well-known vocalist, string musician and music teacher in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas and received her Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from the University of New Mexico in 1991. Ms. Cohen has been running her own music studio in Albuquerque since 1983, where she teaches voice, guitar, violin and piano to students of all ages. Since 1995, Beth has been the musical director and cantorial soloist at Congregation Nahalat Shalom, where she also directs the 20-piece 'Community Klezmer Band', 'Alavados' ensemble, and produces the annual klezmer music and dance festival 'Klezmerquerque'. Beth performs as a soloist and also with 'The Rebbe's Orkestra-Klezmer & Judaic band', 'Village Idioms' and she was a member of 'Svirka women's Balkan chorus' for over 14 years.

Barbara Friedman artfully combines her expertise in Balkan singing, language and ornamentation with her experience in instrumental music on the Bulgarian and Macedonian tamburas and electric bass. For over 25 years, Barbara has sung and played music professionally as a member of Svirka and many other Middle-Eastern and Balkan groups. An avid collector, student, teacher and performer of Eastern European music, she regularly attends workshops and studies with the top musicians and ethnomusicologists from Europe and the USA, including Esma, the Queen of Macedonian Rom (Gypsy) singers. Barbara is a member of the ABQ- based bands 'The Rebbe's Orkestra-klezmer and Judaic band, 'The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band' and 'Alavados'. Barbara also works part time as public health nurse for the state of New Mexico.

Dance teacher and leader Patsy Gregory discovered the fascinating rhythms and tricky footwork of Balkan dancing as a teenager when she was active in her hometown international folk dance club in the late 1950's. Since that time, she has participated in recreational and exhibition Balkan dancing as a dancer, teacher and choreographer in Utah, Florida and New Mexico. In recent years, Patsy has concentrated on promoting Balkan dance in its more natural setting: THE DANCE PARTY WITH LIVE MUSIC. She had been attending Balkan-American ethnic music and dance events, both public and private, and found dancing to live music to be infinitely more satisfying than executing choreographed dances to recordings. Feeling that dancing is the natural way to appreciate traditional dance music, she has developed methods of teaching basic dances quickly in party settings to allow both ethnics and non-ethnics to enjoy Balkan music to its fullest. European and American Balkan ethnics alike often comment that Patsy "dances like our best."

For more information about the Spring Balkan Dance Party and Goddess of Arno please contact:

Beth Cohen at (505) 243-6276

E-mail: cohenedmunds@netzero.net

Band web-pages: http://members.tripod.com/arnoproductionsnm/GoddessofArno/index.htm

CD: www.cdbaby.com/cd/goddessofarno

ZoukFest 2008

June 8 - 13, 2008

More classes... More diversity... Guest Artist Andy Irvine!

Class descriptions, staff, and all details are now up on the ZoukFest website:

http://www.zoukfest.com/classes/

http://www.zoukfest.com/staff/

The deadline for the FREE TUITION RAFFLE is midnight April 1st!!! Enter soon to be eligible for FREE TUITION (a $480 value)at this year's camp. If you register by midnight, April 1st, you will automatically be eligible for the Free Tuition Raffle.

ZoukFest 2008 starts with dinner on Sunday, June 8th. Classes run Monday June 9th through Friday June 13th and our Student Concert is in the afternoon on Saturday, June 14th. Staff Performances will take place every evening, Monday-Friday from 7-9pm.

In addition, we'll be hosting the 2nd Annual New Mexico Luthiers Showcase on Sunday, June 8th.

Don't forget our Instrument Raffle. Tickets are still available: http://www.zoukfest.com/raffle/

GAMELAN ENCANTADA SPRING CONCERT AT THE HARWOOD ART CENTER

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

Gamelan Encantada, founded in 1991 in Santa Fe and now residing in Albuquerque, NM, is a percussion ensemble with roots in the metallophone orchestras of Southeast Asia, specifically those of Central Java in Indonesia. In addition to presenting traditional Javanese music, Gamelan Encantada is committed to commissioning and performing contemporary and experimental music, with a focus on works by New Mexican composers.

On Saturday, May 3rd, 2008, the ensemble will be performing an evening concert of both traditional Javanese and contemporary American Gamelan music at the Harwood Art Center, featuring works by Barbara Benary, Daniel Schmidt, Lou Harrison and the premiere of a new work written specifically for the ensemble by New Mexico composer Beth Yip.

The concert starts at 8 pm and will be held in the "cafeteria" space, which is on the main floor at the south side of the building. Admission is $10/$8 students/seniors. For more information, and to make reservations, please call 242-6198.

Performance location: The Harwood Art Center
1114 7th St. NW (at Mountain Ave.)
Time: 8 pm
Admission: $10/$8 students/seniors

For more information please contact:
Jenny DeBouzek (505)242-6198
E-mail: jenny@gamelanencantada.net
Website: www.gamelanencantada.net

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