SFS has started a YouTube channel! Thanks to videographer Mark Jaroslaw for filming some of our recent concerts, and to Richard GIllmann for setting up the channel. You can see short clips from concerts by Frankie Gavin, Joe Jencks, Jim Malcolm, and Low Lily, with more content coming soon. Take a look: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLZUJ8Fw8hVKnljoyhC9wyw
Category: Late Breaking News
Some members received duplicate Flyers this month
A few households accidently got two Flyers this month. We are aware of the glitch in the mailing and are in the process of working this out. If you were one of these households, please pass on your extra Flyer to someone who will appreciate it!
Thanks,
The SFS Membership Committee
Calendar Additions: Late-February through March
Please help us keep up with all the folk-related events in the Seattle area, by sending your listings for inclusion in our mothly newsletter. Email to flyer@seafolklore.org by the 15th of the previous month. Here are a few events that missed the dealine:
Thursdy Feb. 28 – Aunt Mama’s Story Table celebrates Black History Month! Seattle Storytellers Guild and Auntmama invite you to hear Jourdan Imani Keith, Amber Flame, Kathya Alexander 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Madison Park Starbucks, 4000 E. Madison Join us for Tales, Tunes, Poetry, Essay, You Say
Saturday – March 2 – Moon Dog Stringband, with Vivian Leva – 7:30 at the Ballard Homestead: Vivian Leva grew up steeped in the Appalachian and country music of her Lexington, VA home. On “Time Is Everything”, her label debut, Leva earns a spot in the lineage of great neo-traditional songwriters like Gillian Welch and Sarah Jarosz. The Moon Dog Stringband is a new old time/bluegrass trio featuring Seattle-born Leo Shannon (also of The Onlies) and Grand Ole Opry regulars Sterling Abernathy and Jake Stargel. Tickets/info: here
Sunday, March 3 – Shake the Hall, Smash the Wall Contra Dance – Fundraiser Contra Dance to benefit immigrant rights. 3 – 7PM: All proceeds from the event and CD sales go to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Washington Hall (153 14th Ave, Seattle WA) Music by Countercurrent & friends, Callers: Lindsey Dono, Michael Karcher, & Susan Michaels Minimum donation $10 (no upper limit!)
Light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be available, feel free to contribute those if you wish
Remembering Sandy Macdonald
Folk music took an early hit. Sandy Macdonald made it into 2019, but not for long. He felt ill on New Year’s Eve, asked his wife to take him to the ER. But three blocked arteries couldn’t be repaired. Swedish Cherry Hill doctors did their best to fix heart and brain damage. “Extensive,” they said. Totally unexpected to his family and friends, the gentle folk giant passed away just after 1 AM.
Raised up on music from his Wenatchee, WA home, college radio host in Colorado, a backbone of the Seattle Folklore Society, Happy Camper’s guitar player/founder, long time anchor for KBCS Sunday Folks, partipant and advocate for the Puget Sound Guitar Camp, retired from King County’s mediators circle, panelist and supporter of FAR-West Conference and Wintergrass Music Festival, Sandy was the essence of folk music, authentic to his core, friend to all, advocate for the best in all of us.
In Sorrow,
Mary Anne Moorman
“Auntmama”
Co-Host, Collaborator, Friend
See the February Flyer for some more reminiscences and thoughts. We are planning a special concert on May 5th in Sandy’s memory.
SFS Annual Meeting postponed (cancelled for February 5th, new date TBA)
The Board has decided to postpone the annual meeting as a precaution, due to current icy conditions. A new date – likely another Tuesday night – will be announced soon. This is the meeting where we elect our board for the next year and discuss the past year. The SFS Annual Meeting is open to all SFS members. Stay tuned (and stay safe and warm!)
SFS Flyer Electronic Delivery
Starting with the November 2018 issue, members electing to receive the monthly newsletter, the SFS Flyer, as a PDF will receive an e-mail with a link to download their edition instead of an attachment. This will allow a faster delivery for members and make it easier for our hardworking membership data coordinator. (Please consider opting in for the .pdf version to save SFS mailing and printing costs, and possibly receive your Flyer a few days earlier as a bonus! Once downloaded, you have the option of reading on your computer or printing the Flyer at home) If you have questions about your membership status, renewal, the format in wihich you receive the Flyer, or any other member questions, feel free to e-mail us at members@seafoklore.org
We had a database transition issue that left a number of members out of both the mailed and e-mailed Flyer lists for October. It’s being addressed and you can expect your November Flyer to arrive as usual.
Thanks for your understanding and, as always, your support of SFS!
-the Membership Committee
Correction in the September SFS Flyer: Dusty Strings Music School celebrates ten years!
CORRECTION: Contrary to the article printed in the September SFS Flyer, Doug McLeod will NOT be teaching at Dusty Strings this year. An article from 2017 was mistakenly included in the recent issue. The Flyer editor regrets the error.
Here is the correct article, which will be in the October Flyer:
Dusty Strings Music School celebrates ten years!
As Education Director for Dusty Strings, it’s an ongoing joy to work with our artists and teachers as we continue developing a program for students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds to learn and grow. This month marks Dusty Strings Music School’s tenth anniversary and, thanks to our teachers, students, staff, and visiting artists, we’re thriving more than ever!
At Dusty Strings, our mission is simple: to help bring music into people’s lives. Ten years ago, we were already a thriving retail business. The idea of creating a whole school within our store where students could have access not only to private lessons, but also to group classes, free jams, and exciting concerts and events, was an irresistible challenge we wanted fully to embrace.
Each year we’ve added more teachers with the goal of introducing our students to more types of musical styles. Just as in our retail store, we’ve sought to provide only the best knowledge and expertise of musical instruments and how to play them, in an environment that’s friendly, welcoming, and non-judgmental. Our core belief is that anyone can play a musical instrument and sing!
Today, there are forty teachers on our roster, all of whom are professional, working musicians that represent a broad spectrum of musical styles. More than 300 students come regularly for private lessons and group classes, many of whom have become familiar faces to our staff. Throughout the year, our concerts and special events continue to draw top-notch performers and eager audiences alike.
Music is for everyone. We strive to be a community where folks can play music together, make new friends, and endlessly explore the fabric of American musical forms and traditions. To all our students, parents, teachers, audiences and performers, we say thank you. Our School would not be what it is without you, and we look forward to the next ten years!
Jonathan Shue
Education Director
Dusty Strings Music Store & School
Make Music Day is this Thursday, June 21st!
Come to the Phinney/Greenwood neighborhood for all day activities! Here are a few highlights of Make Music PhinneyWood (see an updated schedule at www.phinneycenter.org/calendar/makemusicday/ after June 19th)
Please help share pictures and experiences on social media #MakeMusicSeattle.
- Diff
erent Drummer, a multi-genre chamber ensemble comprised of violin, cello, double bass and percussion, invites listeners to an open rehearsal in the Heart of Phinney Park 10am – 1pm - The Greenwood Library features storytimes in the morning, instrument making and Junk Jam Band with Seattle ReCreative 3-5pm, an Instrument Petting Zoo with Music Center of the Northwest 4-5:30pm, and a Rounds Singing workshop for adults (all ages welcome) led by Sandy Buchner aka Zelda Starfire 6-7:15. Workshop participants have a chance to show off with a short performance at 7:20 in the Library Courtyard! https://www.spl.org/…/greenwood-br…/greenwood-branch-events…
- A-1 Piano will have a piano on the street for passersby to do impromptu concerts.
- Seattle Song Circle hosts an open sing (5-7pm) and the Ukestra performs and leads a “strum -a-long” (concert 7-7:45, hosted jam for singers and all instruments 7:45 – 8:30pm) on the lawn of the Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N.
- An open jam of northern dance tunes (French Canadian, Irish, New England & beyond) will be hosted by Brad, Valerie, & friends, and a participatory dance by Sarah Comer’s Open Old Time Dance Band and the Seattle Collaborative Contra Band will take place in the Greenwood Hardware parking lot. (Jam session 5-7:15/ Easy Dances for All! 7:30 – 9pm )
- Salmon Bay Community Lending hosts 2 participatory jams: Jazz from 6-7:30 & Tango 7:30 – 9. Bring your instrument; lead sheets provided! There is also an open kids musicmaking area.
- Betsy Alexander teaches a free “Fiddling from Scratch” workshop 6pm at Illuminations Learning Studio (7720 Greenwood Ave N ) for all ages of the fiddle curious. Loaner instruments are available for both children and adults for the workshop.
Watch for these performances (subject to change):
All-ages performances in the Screening Room of Naked City Brewery
(8564 Greenwood Ave N) Happy hour prices 3-5pm
The Temporaries 3:15-4:00
Little Sara and the Night Owls 4:15 – 5:00PM
Heart of Phinney Park (67th & Greenwood, east or west corners):
Steve Church -folk, blues, & jazzy originals 3:30 – 4:00pm
Do Peterson Band – classic soul & folk 5pm
Strawberry Rocket – original rock trio 6pm
Phinney Ridge Orchestra 8:00
Phinney Ridge Youth Orchestra 8:30
The Phinery (6500 Phinney Ave N)
Phinney School of Music 5-5:30 pm
Starbucks (outside) 5-6pm
Ken Elia – Solo classical guitar and arrangements of pop/rock/jazz
Phinney Books: Mathew Benham – Jazz Guitaist 6-8 pm
3 Wishes Clothing: TBA
Couth Buzzard (in front of the store):
Jim Page – Seattle’s great songwriter and activist shares stories and songs starting at 3pm and throughout the evening.
Stage Door Cafe:
Stewart Hendrickson – solo fiddle, mostly Scandinavian 4pm
Johnson & Johnson Antiques (6820 Greenwood Ave N):
Cedron and N’Shama Sterling – Music that Touches the Heart – 7-9pm
Beats & Bohos (7200 Greenwood Ave N):
Kelly Blanchard & Blue Star Creeper 7 – 8pm
Makeda Coffee:
Abby London 6pm
Ethos 7pm
The Lost Boy presents the Kewl Kidz 8pm
Verity Courtyard (8533 Greenwood Ave N):
Abraham Neuwelt – percussion & handpan 3:30 – 5:30
SaeMonae – solo rap 7pm
Phoebe Kinks – indie alternative band 7:30 pm
Moon Candy – all-women country rock band 8pm
Jav DaHart – solo songwriter a mix of hip hop, pop, rock and poetry 8:30pm
Recruiting Participants and Volunteers to Be Part of “Make Music Day,” June 21
Make Music Day is a celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 800 cities in 120 countries. It is a true celebration of music, bringing together all ages, amateur and professional musicians, and music lovers, with all events free and open to the public.
As we shared in the past two issues of the Flyer, SFS is part of a group planning coordinated events along the Phinney Greenwood neighborhood for “Make Music PhinneyWood!” From 3 to 9pm on Thursday, June 21st, we aim to fill the streets, courtyards, and parks along the business district of Phinney & Greenwood Avenues with as much music as possible. Volunteers are needed to help stage manage some locations, guide people or help with participatory events, help with a “make your own instrument” craft station, document with photographs, or simply add your energy to the event. We are looking at proposals for mini-workshops, song leaders, street musicians, and more. This will be the first “Make Music Phinneywood.” You can see more information, as well as links to apply to perform, lead a workshop, or host events at www.phinneycenter.org/calendar/makemusicday/
E-mail volunteer@seafolklore.org to share your suggestions, ask questions, or otherwise get involved.
If you are not in the Phinney neighborhood, we also invite our
members to start events all across town. Host a jam, flash mob,
singalong, or song circle in your neighborhood! We would love
to see SFS mentioned as part of your folk-music-related
offerings. To see other events from last year and to get ideas
and info about registering an event for this year, see
makemusicday.org/seattle. After you have registered with Make Music Seattle or another city in the Puget Sound region, please
let us know, so we can list a compilation of events.
Nordic Fiddlers Bloc in Concert on April 28, workshop on April 29
The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc returns on April 28 and 29 for a Saturday night Seattle concert and Sunday Workshops. From driving dance tunes to dreamy airs, this wildly popular band of master Nordic musicians, from Norway, Sweden and the Shetland Islands have gained a reputation for their gripping and unique blend of fiddle music since 2009.
The Saturday concert is now sold out. There is a very small chance of a couple of tickets being released at the door
Music workshops by Olav Luksengård Mjelva (Norway), Anders Hall (Sweden) and Kevin Henderson (Shetland Islands) will be presented by Skandia (co-sponsored by SFS and the NW Scottish Fiddlers) on Sunday April 29. If interested, see below for more info.
Fiddle Workshops with The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc
sponsored by Skandia Folkdance Society, Seattle Folklore Society, and Northwest Scottish Fiddlers
Sunday, April 29, 2018 beginning at 10:00 a.m.
at a private home in north Ballard (Seattle), WA For address and additional information: music@skandia-folkdance.org
10am – 11:15am Olav Luksengård Mjelva
10am – 11:15am Kevin Henderson
11:30am – 12:45pm Anders Hall
Cost: Skandia , SFS , & NWSF Members: two sessions $30, one session $20, Kids $10/session.
Non-members: two sessions $35, one session $25 Note: Cash or checks only