April 2007 Folk Enews

Well, Folkies,

I took my own advice and attended the Bills concert last month at South Broadway Cultural Center. Actually, I ushered at the “will call” window, so I got to greet a bunch of you personally. WOW! The Bills were awesome musicians, and I saw at least twenty folkies in the audience too. Here is my folk enews for April. I update this entry as I receive new information, so check back occasionally if you want.

Corrales Sing CANCELLED, Friday, April 6
FOLK SONG CIRCLE CANCELLED FOR April 6, due to hosts’ contagious illness. They’ll meet in May and sing April’s theme of Greetings & Farewells, Immigration & Emigration.
Contact: Laurie McPherson 898-6978
Email: lauriemcpherson@hotmail.com or lmcpherson@salud.unm.edu

Albuq. Concert & Dance Party, Friday, April 6
GANGBE BRASS BAND with free pre-show dance party featuring
AGALU
National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St SW
Concert: 8 PM; Dance Party: 6:30 PM
Tickets: $20, $25, $30
Tickets are available at the NHCC Box Office, the Outpost and Ticketmaster outlets (505-883-7800, including all Smith’s stores).
The evening starts on the NHCC’s Plaza Mayor with a free dance party featuring AGALU, a Nigerian drum and dance group based out of Santa Fe. Decked out in beautiful handmade outfits and featuring exhilarating drummers and dancers, Agalu promises to be a superb way to start your weekend. The concert features the GangbĂ© Brass Band from Benin, West Africa. They look like a party even when they are just sitting around. There are 4 percussionists, 3 trumpets, saxophone, bugle, trombone and tuba, and everyone sings and dances. The music is an exciting hybrid that will swing from New Orleans brass to Fela-inspired Afrobeat to traditional Benin chants and rhythms. You can also hear echoes of King Sunny Ade’s juju and straight-up jazz. The band is known or their engaging and playful live shows that literally puts them in the laps of the audience. A few sound samples are at abqmusic.com.

Albuq. Dance Committee Meeting, Sat., April 7
Reminder: The Albuquerque Dance Committee will be meeting on Saturday, April 7 at 2:30 at Bob Cornish & Linda Starr’s house, 509 Aliso Dr. NE, 255-6037. Please come and help contribute your ideas for our dances, activities and music. The success of our dances depends upon the generosity of our dancer and musician volunteers!!!

Albuquerque Contra Dance, Saturday, April 7
Marj Mullany will call with Hands Five (Bruce Thomson on fiddle, Peter Esherick on hammer dulcimer, John Brinduse on guitar, Erika Gerety on bass and mandolin, Gary Blank on percussion) playing rollicking dance tunes. 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., acoustic jam at 6:30 p.m. and newcomers class at 7 p.m. Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista SE (1 block east of University, south of Lead/Coal). Bring clean dance shoes. No shoes with nails or that leave black scuff marks, please. $6 members, $7 others.

Durango Contra Dance, Saturday, April 7
If you happen to be travelling this weekend, check out the contra dance in Durango, CO . Dance is 7:30-10:30. $10, VFW Hall. Info: 970-903-9402.

Albuq. Concert, April 12
Thursday evening, April 12, 2007 at 7PM
Covenant Presbyterian Church, 9315 Candelaria, NE
Tickets available at the door
$ 10.00 SW Pickers Members, $ 12.00 General Admission
Jimmy Abraham will perform on April 12 as the lead act for the Stairwell Sisters. What a combo! Jimmy is an amazing songwriter and has a delightful sense of humor in his songs as well as his delivery. Plus he is a great story teller. You probably know this all woman old-time band the Stairwell Sisters. Learn more about these musicians, and listen to sample audio files by clicking on the URL’s below: http://www.jimmyabraham.com and http://www.stairwellsisters.com/ For additional information, contact Judy Muldawer at inquiry@siliconheights.com.

Santa Fe Contra Dance, Saturday, April 14
Richard Wilson calling, Bayou Seco playing (Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie on fiddles, maybe Scott and Linda joining them on guitar and guitaron). 8 p.m. -11 p.m., IOOF Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Rd. Instruction at 7:30 p.m. $6 members, $7 others.

Albuquerque Concert, Sat., April 14
Boulder Acoustic Society in Concert at 7:30 p.m. (All-levels ukulele workshop from 12 to 2 p.m. the same day at Apple Mountain Music, 10301 Comanche NE. Information is on www.applemtnmusic.com)
Church of the Good Shepherd, 7834 Tennyson NE, Albuquerque
Boulder Acoustic Society is an acoustic string quartet playing a wide range of music with sparkling vocals and humor that will keep you laughing. Band members play accordian, violin, mandolin, ukulele and washboard. All 4 play ukulele! Suggested door donation: $15, $10/seniors/teens, $5 over 6. All donations will go to the musicians. Doors to the Lower Church Hall will open at 6:45. No reservations are needed, there is plenty of seating. Refreshments will be available at no charge. Feel free to bring a favorite dessert to share. For more information, contact Linda Bolton, 856-7100 or nlightsmgt@aol.com.

Second (Almost) Sunday Dance, April 15, Albuquerque
Since Easter falls on the 2nd Sunday, this dance in April only is on the 3rd Sunday (there are 5 Sundays in April, so what does it matter?!) Noralyn Parsons and Kit French will call elegant English country and zesty contra dances; music by Della and Friends. Della will have just gotten back from a gig in Texas, so she’ll be rarin’ to go! 7:00 – 9:30 p.m., Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista SE (1 block east of University, south of Lead/Coal). Members $6; nonmembers $7. Bring clean dance shoes. No shoes with nails or that leave black scuff marks, please. Clean dance shoes and tennis shoes OK.

Albuquerque Megaband Practice, April 17
Join the Megaband in a jam at the Blue Dragon, 1517 Girard NE, Albuquerque, 7:30-10:30 p.m. More info: Bruce Thomson, 277-4729.

Albuq. Concert, Thursday, April 19
PERLA BATALLA with special guests THE HANDSOME FAMILY
Lobo Theater, 3013 Central Avenue NE
7:30 PM
$20 advance, $25 door
Available at www.abqmusic.com, Bookworks and Natural Sound.
The last few years have generated a number of Leonard Cohen tribute projects. Perla Batalla has been at the center of most of them, stealing
the show from folks like U2, Rufus Wainwright and Nick Cave. Perla, a one-time Cohen back-up singer, has a show stopping duet with Julie Christensen (another Cohen back-up singer) on the song “Anthem”. “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Fan” played at the Guild earlier this year and has just been released on DVD. Perla is all over the DVD and accompanying soundtrack recording. It also features Albuquerque’s The Handsome Family, who will make a special guest appearance at the show. Perla recently staged her own Cohen tribute in Los Angeles. The LA Times heaped praises upon it and Perla’s performance, as well as the unique Hispanic twist that was given to many Cohen classics. While Cohen songs will probably make more of an appearance at this year’s concert, it’s Perla’s heartfelt take on traditional Mexican songs that won her mid-show standing ovations last year in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. She has written her own material, in both English and Spanish, about growing up with mixed eritage in the United States. And, in recent years, she connected with her mother’s Argentinian family, which led to “What I Did on my Summer Vacation by Perla Batalla” which features fresh versions of popular Argentinian folk songs from the 20’s and 30’s.

Albuquerque Contra Dance, Saturday, April 21
Merri Rudd calls this Camp Benefit dance to the hot old-time tunes of the award-winning Albuquerque Megaband. 7:30-10:30 p.m., Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista SE (1 block east of University, south of Lead/Coal). Acoustic jam at 6:30 p.m. and newcomers’ instruction at 7 p.m. Tonight only: Members $7; nonmembers $8. Extra monies collected go toward camp scholarships at 15th annual Folkmadness camp over Memorial Day. Wear green and flowers and other “earth day” finery as you wish.

Taos Contra Dance, Saturday, April 21
Back to the regular location, dance at the San Geronimo Lodge, Witt Road. Starting time 7:30 as usual. Beginners and refresher course at 7. Richard Wilson calling, Taos Megaband playing. Five dollars per dancer. Call 776-1580 with any questions about the dance.

Dance Weekend in ABQ to Benefit MS
A WEEKEND FULL OF FUN TO BENEFIT THE NATIONAL MS SOCIETY
WORKSHOPS DANCES ENTERTAINMENT
April 20-22, Albuquerque, NM
CHAMPION WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS:
Yvonne Benavidez, Jason Wayne, Nick Jay, Damon & Lisa D’Amico, Maryann Harvey, $142 per person
Pre-Dance on Friday at Graham Central Station
Post-dance on Sunday evening (Pizza party & WCS lesson w/Yvonne & Jason included)
The special rate includes 10 workshops, 2 lunches, dinner show and dance. Click on: www.becauseyoucan.us to print a registration form and for more details. For additional information for DBYC and/or Friday or Sunday evening dances, Albuquerque Swing & Country Dance Club activities/workshops, New Mexico Dance Fiesta Sept27-30, please contact Susan Kellogg at glkello@nmia.com or call 505-299-3737.

Las Cruces Contra Dance, Friday, April 27
Lewis Land calling this 4th Friday instead of the usual 3rd Friday dance. SNMMDS House Band playing. 7:30-10:30 p.m. $5 all. Mesilla Community Center, 2251 Calle de Santiago, Las Cruces. It’s actually the adjacent town of Mesilla, and hall is 2 blocks west of the plaza. For info contact 505-522-2421 or 915-755-7371.

Santa Fe Contra Dance, April 28
Will McDonald calling this Camp Benefit dance and Santa Fe Megaband playing. 8 p.m. -11 p.m., IOOF Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Rd. Instruction at 7:30 p.m. Tonight only: Members $7; nonmembers $8. Extra monies collected go toward camp scholarships at 15th annual Folkmadness camp over Memorial Day.

Fun on the Web
Well, you experience the power of the internet when you get an email from New Hampshire telling you that a Chicago Tribune column has linked to a youtube video featuring you calling in Arizona. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it:
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2007/03/coming_out_of_t.html

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_514yYNEZS8 (Watch 2006 Maymadness folks dancing William Watson’s “The Devil’s Backbone.” Privy Tippers playing, Merri Rudd set it into motion. You should recognize some NM dancers.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOw1-g_la_I (A high-spirited rendition of Cis Hinkle’s “Rollin’ and a Tumblin’.” Privy Tippers playing “Music for a Found Harmonium” at end, Merri Rudd on stage.)

Albuquerquean on the Web
Visit sdfne.org, Square Dance Foundation of New England – and click ‘Library’. Albuquerque’s own Bob Sharp interviews folk icons Larry Edelman and Dudley Laufman. Plus Bob is also interviewed.

New Contra DVD Featuring Dudly Laufman & Rodney Miller
Last year’s Folkmadness guest caller David Millstone has produced a documentary about Dudley Laufman. Grants from CDSS, NEFFA, and the NH State Council on the Arts helped make possible the inclusion of archival footage of Dudley and the Canterbury Orchestra performing at the1965 Newport Folk Festival. History, humor, music and dance combine to make a 99-minute DVD packaged with a second disk containing two hours of additional material– is now available for sale. Contact David at millstone@valley.net for ordering info and costs.

Albuq. Folk Festival, Sat., June 16
It’s not too early to mark your calendars for the all-day and evening music and workshop festivities. Visit www.abqfolkfest.org for details.

Zoukfest, Santa Fe, June 10-16
Nor is it too early to mark your calendar for this June 10-16th event at the College of Santa Fe. Log onto http://zoukfest.com for information. Class Descriptions for ZoukFest 2007 are also up on the website at http://zoukfest.com/classes/.

Special English Workshop/Dance, ABQ, June 30
And while you’re marking your calendar, save Saturday, June 30 for a fancy dress English ball preceded by an afternoon workshop at Heights Community Center. Watch Folkmads newsletter and www.folkmads.org for details.

Hope some of these events interest you. Have a fun summer!

Merri Rudd
Albuquerque, NM
www.merridancing.com