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 otherwise, admission is $5 for members, $6 for nonmembers. You need not come with a partner. Free instruction for beginners starts at 7:30 p.m. Dances begin at 8 p.m. and 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. 2^nd Sunday Elegant English and Zesty Contra Dance, 7:00-9:30 p.m., $6/$7. Locations as noted on calendar.

Santa Fe Dances: 2nd and 4th Saturday contra dances and 5th Saturday English Country dances. 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 at the Blue Dragon Coffee House, 1517 Girard NE, Albuquerque, the Tuesday before the 3rd Saturday dance. Bruce Thomson, 268-6003, or email Jane Phillips (remove "NOSPAM" when emailing) for more info or to be added to the listserv.

Santa Fe Jam Sessions: Santa Fe Community Band practice at the ODDfellows Hall on ODD (1^st and 3^rd) Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (contact Gary Papenhagen, 242-1104, gpap@NOSPAMcybermesa.com). 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!

Acoustic Jam: 7 p.m. before the Albuquerque dances. All acoustic musicians are welcome and all types of music are played. Call Jay Cutts for more information, 281-0684.

2006 Officers/Directors

Ongoing Events

Please Note: The May 6 Albuquerque Contra Dance will be held at the Dance Studio, 4217 San Mateo NE.

The Adobe Brothers, Bruce Thomson on fiddle, Tim DeYoung on mandolin, Wayne Shrubsall on banjo, and Elliott Rogers on guitar, maybe even Janice Ryals-Rogers on bass, will play. This callers' open mike dance will be hosted by Merri Rudd. Please contact her BEFORE May 6 if you would like to call so that we can coordinate the evening's program. Her email address is abogada@aol.com and phone number is 268-3318. She prefers email. Thanks.

A Little Theory
Most music from Europe and the western hemisphere ("western music" in the theory books even though Beethoven and his pals never wrote anything about horses) is based on the 12 tones of a piano that constitute an octave. A sequence of these notes ascending from one octave to the next forms a scale where the nature of the scale depends on the intervals between notes. The ancient Greeks get the credit for most of the scales, and they're named after some of their tribes. Traditional old time American fiddle music usually uses four scales, two major scales and two minor scales.

The major scales are the Ionian and the Mixolydian. The Ionian scale is made up of the white keys on a piano and has half steps between notes 3 and 4, and between 7 and 8. "Fisher's Hornpipe" is an example of a tune that has runs up and down the Ionian scale. At the risk of over simplifying, Ionian tunes are usually pleasant, bright, and cheerful. The Mixolydian scale is the same as the Ionian scale but has a half step between notes 6 and 7 instead of between 7 and 8. Mixolydian tunes are thus a little darker and have a bit more tension. Backup instruments still use major chords and the banjoists don't use modal tunings. "June Apple" is a familiar example of a tune in Amix. The key signature for Mixolydian tunes uses one less sharp or one more flat than its Ionian counterpart. Thus, Dmix sheet music has only one sharp which normally signifies the key of G.

One of my favorite Dmix tunes is "Puff Adder Step Dance." Jim Hughes of the Fast Peso Stringband taught it to me over the telephone a long time ago when they were still attached to the wall and dinosaurs roamed the face of the earth. It emphasizes the C-natural note (flatted seventh) instead of C-sharp.

abc Notation

X:50

T:Puff Adder Step Dance

M:C

L:1/8

N:Transcribed by Bruce Thomson

K:Dmix

|z6DF|:"Dmix"AFDC D2DF|GFDCD4|"C"Acdc AGFD|"D"GFDCD4|

"G"B4"D"A4|"Em"G2AB"C"c2Ac|"D"dcAG FDGF|[1"C"EDC2"D"D2DF:|[2E"C"DC2"D"D4||

|:"C"[E3c3]d cAGA|[E3c3]d cAGA|"D"[D3d3]e dcAc|dcAG FED2|

"G"B4"D"A4|"Em"G2AB"C"c2Ac|"D"dcAG FDGF|"C"EDC2"D"D4:|

The Albuquerque Megaband:
Big, Loud, and Rowdy for More Than Two Decades

Way back in 1984 some members of the newly formed New Mexico Folk Music Society (later the Music and Dance Society -- NM FolkMADS) launched a project that has blossomed into a venerable institution, the Albuquerque Megaband. An open band that plays for a FolkMADS contra dance each month, the Megaband has proven both durable and valuable.

Initially the Megaband was intended to provide musicians who were not in regular bands an opportunity to play for dances and as a source of live music for dances when regular dance bands were in short supply. Since its inception it has provided a place for experienced musicians, those just starting out, and anyone in-between to play together. New Mexico is home to a large old-time and traditional music community, and though there are now plenty of bands in rotation for the dances, the Megaband fills more than one important role. The Megaband plays for "the love of playing" (for free), which helps the organization maintain a positive cash flow for the monthly dance series. More valuable than the monetary benefit, though, is the Megaband's role as an inclusive learning community.

The band's open policy brings challenges. The ideal dance band has a balance of instrumentation including a mix of melody and rhythm instruments. Because of the free form nature of the Megaband, the composition of the band varies, which can result in an unbalanced mix of instrumentation and abilities. Underlying our usual lassez-faire facade is an attempt at some minor structure -- a core of experienced players who commit to playing the dances whenever possible. While this has been largely effective, there have been evenings when the entire band consisted of two rhythm guitars, or a mostly novice band led by an inexperienced fiddler.

The group held weekly practice sessions in the beginning, as the early members worked to build a functional band and expand its base. For the past decade we've held monthly practice sessions prior to the dance, loosely coordinated by a few experienced musicians. Though only semi-organized, the regular practice sessions have been helpful in maintaining some consistency, while also giving newcomers (new to us, new to their instruments, or new to old-time music) easy entree to the group.

One thing that has helped make the Albuquerque Megaband especially successful in recent years is the availability of a great place to practice, the Blue Dragon Coffee Shop, a university-area hangout. Private residences have been used, but a public venue such as a coffee shop provides a more open and less threatening environment.. Interested folks and potential participants can come and listen, and, if they feel comfortable, pull up a chair and join in. Participants can wander in and out at any time without causing disruption. The Blue Dragon has been very supportive of FolkMADS and the Megaband, and we encourage participants to return the favor; however, it's important to remember not to get the banjo players too caffeinated.

Practices are pretty loose, with most players seated in a circle. We attempt a democratic process for picking tunes at practice sessions, to give everyone a chance to play something they know, and try to play at least a few chestnuts, especially if there are new folks there. Even when we wander from a more standard repertoire at practice, the sessions allow folks a chance to play together at dance tempo, and learn some of the ingredients of live, called dances (i.e. how to smile and nod when the caller explains that there's a balance in A1, gypsy in B2, etc.). We play mostly Southern tunes, and will grumble when asked to play jigs or hambos. Who's going to argue with twenty-some cranky musicians holding large pieces of spruce and maple? Because of its tendency towards anarchy, one thing the Albuquerque Megaband doesn't do particularly well is keep an up-to-date list of tunes. New tunes come and go; the lucky ones make it into the regular rotation.

These sessions are not rehearsals in the strictest sense -- they are more like open jam sessions, and in the egalitarian nature of the organization, attempts are made to follow the 10 commandments of jamming (see below). Recorders (or tune suckers as Hank Bradley calls them) are encouraged; the soft glow of their red LEDs provides a tranquilizing effect to observers and limits shouts of "play the Devil Went Down to Georgia."

While it's fun to practice, the opportunity to perform provides incentive for members to work a little harder. And as any musician who's ever done so knows, playing for a dance adds an amazing amount of energy to a good old-time tune. While the quality of the music is variable, the dancers almost always feed off of the enthusiasm of a stage full of musicians pumping out "the big band sound." As long as the band doesn't fall apart, most of the dancers aren't in a position to judge the sound; they're too busy doing whatever it is dancers do (don't ask us -- we're musicians).

The average size of the band varies; with an on-stage record of twenty-eight musicians (luckily we didn't outnumber the dancers). Our current turnout at dances runs between ten and twenty and our active membership is about thirty-five, with fairly even numbers of men and women. We use a variety of low- and high-tech communication tools to keep folks informed and connected. Our practice dates are listed in the FolkMADS calendar each month, both the paper and online versions, and we also have a website with sound clips (also available to members on CD), that includes much of our standard repertoire. Band members and newcomers can access the MP3 files to learn a tune or be reminded of how one goes. FolkMADS' bi-monthly newsletter features a "Tune of the Month" column that is a source of new tunes and musical ideas for the group.

From time to time the issue of pay has come up. Our philosophy is that either everybody gets paid or nobody gets paid, so as with desperately poor volunteer organizations everywhere, nobody gets paid. For many years the unpaid services of the Megaband has made FolkMADS financially viable because they haven't had to pay for a band for one of the three Albuquerque dances each month.

By most measures the Albuquerque Megaband has been a resounding success, having played together at least once a month for over 20 years. While there's been a fairly stable core, a lot of beginners have joined over the years and many have continued to participate. A number of band members have developed musically to the point that they've joined working bands. In a somewhat self-congratulatory vein, we think the Megaband has helped improve the traditional music scene in the region through cross pollination of musical ideas and tunes. Best of all, the Megaband provides a friendly and stimulating social environment for traditional musicians to get together, swap tunes and tales, and enjoy the company of folks from all walks of life brought together by this common interest.

We attribute the success of the Megaband to three factors. First, it's fun. Practices are low key and involve a lot of banter (i.e., B.S.), jokes and tall tales in addition to the music. It's an opportunity to reconnect with friends a couple of times a month. Second, practices are regularly scheduled, open to the public, well-publicized and held in a great place. As mentioned before, folks can participate at whatever level they're comfortable with, from simply listening while drinking a decaf double latte to joining the circle and leading a tune or two. Third, most importantly, the organization provides a supportive and non-judgmental opportunity for musicians of all abilities to play together, learn tunes, and hopefully improve their musicianship. Most of the long-time members recognize this function and make special efforts to welcome new musicians and encourage their continued participation.

We play for contra dances on the third Saturday of every month, and practices are held on the preceding Tuesday. Itinerant musicians are welcome to play for both. If you're passing through Albuquerque around that time of the month, please join us.

(This article is scheduled to appear in the summer '06 Old Time Herald.)

Jane Phillips began playing with the Megaband in 1989, hiding in the back row as a rank beginner. She also plays with Hey!, wrangles the FolkMADS website, and enjoys a good modal tune. Jane can be reached at jphill@NOSPAMunm.edu.

Bruce Thomson has played with the Megaband since the early years. He writes the Megaband "Tune of the Month" column for the FolkMADS newsletter, and fiddles with a number of "regular" bands, including the Adobe Brothers, Virginia Creepers, and Hands Five. He can be reached at bthomson@NOSPAMunm.edu.

10 Commandments of Jamming

(Abstracted from forgotten web sites and modified by the Albuquerque Megaband)

1. Pay attention to what's going on. Sit so that you can see and hear the other musicians.

2. Keep the beat, do not rush, do not drag.

3. Keep your instrument in tune and play in tune.

4. Play extra softly if someone is singing.

5. The musician who starts a tune is generally the one who decides when to end it. Refer to Rule 1.

6. Be mindful of the banjo section; do not change keys more often than necessary.

7. Do not practice licks on your instrument between tunes.

8. Do not come to a jam session expecting to impress others with your virtuosity. Jam sessions are opportunities to share tunes and songs.

9. Play some tunes that everybody knows.

10. It is never a sin to play too softly.

--The Golden Rule of Jamming: If you don't know what you're doing, play softly.

Calling the June 3rd Contra: Peg Hesley from Phoenix

Peg Hesley attended her first contra dance in Baltimore in 1987 and has been dancing ever since. She has performed as a member of Baltimorris, a Morris dance team as well as Chesapeake Sword, a long sword and rapper team. She began calling seven years ago. She has attended intensive contra and square dance calling workshops under the tutelage of Kathy Anderson, Tom Hines, Robert Cromartie, and other noted dance callers. Peg writes, "In both easy and challenging choreography, I look for dances that flow naturally from one figure to the next. I try to introduce key teaching figures using a dance appropriate for all: one that will interest the experienced dancers, but will not overwhelm the less experienced. I vary the dynamics during the evening by alternating smooth flowing dances with dances that have lots of balances. I avoid using two dances in a row that begin with the same move and make sure that the timing for the balance and swing is varied."

Peg and Joe, her husband, moved to Phoenix from the Baltimore-Washington area two years ago, and she has been calling regularly throughout Arizona. She is the resident caller for the Phoenix contra dance. Other regional calling gigs have included dances in New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and So. California. She is the founder of the Callers' Collective in Phoenix and co-sponsors a gender-free dance every 4th Sunday.

Durango Contra Dances

Held the 1^st Saturday at VFW Hall, 1515 Main Ave., Durango, CO. $10 (first timers get a pass to come back free.) Need a place to stay? No problem! We'll find housing for you. For more information call Wendy Graham (970) 903-9402 / Wendygraham00@NOSPAMhotmail.com.

New Mexico Royal Scottish Country Dance Workshop and Ball

June 2-4, 2006, UNM. Teachers from England and Virginia. Traditional Scottish music. Dance party, concert, dance lessons, ball. No partner or experience necessary. Housing available at UNM. Workshop fee: $98.00 ($115 after May 1). Ball only $30.00. (505) 294-0042 or www.losalamos.com/nmrscds