Folk Alliance Highlights 2013

I guess Folk Music is just where my heart lies. And so, for the first time in Toronto in 2013, I attended the International Folk Alliance. An annual conference that draws together music industry professionals from throughout the world to share ideas, network, amid showcase upon showcase upon showcase. It is an event of celebration, education, and entertainment. I am never sure why I go to these things, besides the amazing opportunities to experience such great music, so up close and personal, in such a grand party atmosphere.

I got a lot of good hugs, and inspiration and opportunity to meet people, although I admit to keeping a low profile, ha.  I wish I read my horoscope about speaking up with the whole story instead of hiding feelings ha.  My song topic was "nature deficit" and I may try and work with it yet.  I saw a great Ken Whiteley set with Treassa Lavessuer and some of the boys from New Country Rehab. I loved catching Jonathan Byrd again. Dar Williams made me cry, Sheesham and Lotus made me laugh, and I finally got to see Jimmy LaFave. I have a nice pile of new CD's taunting by broken cd drive. So far Grayden James and the young novelists feel like my best new find.  I am thinking a lot about being a Folk Music DJ, and what kind of Roots Music Canada show I wish I had.

Some of the other highlights for me included:

Gurf Morlix's "GUITAR FOR SONGWRITERS" SESSION

- demos to help up think: iconic riffs/musical hook
- different rhthym demo
- alternate chords
(straight on pic angle, hold tight)
- learning the degrees of a scale
- sing a melody, then learn to play it
- play another instrument
- alternate tunings:
1) tune E-string down to a D or even C
2) take E string off, lower A string to G
- fingerpicking took Gurf about 3 years, recently, after a life of thinking he couldn't do it

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE
- leave beats out, leave out more and more

Also, the ukulele workshop by Ben and Tony

At the Beginner's workshop, I liked the phrase "re-entrant tuning" about the high G unique to the uke


1) To tune, he had everyone play their G string out. Etc.
2) Then we learned the Z chord
3) C chord
4) strum technique
5) Row Row Row Your Boat (just in C)
6) F chord, explaining steps to move fingers and then we practiced the change
7) The More We Get Together
8) G chord
9) This Land is Your Land
10) This Land is Your Land with C7 + Am

Playing music together is like reviving good medicine, and improving the health of our passive, listening society
other thoughts:

>i wonder if i could get a projector
> i like the idea of open mics during the meeting
> get input on the songs
> what about a google doc for song pages?
> aim for 10 songs in 2 hours

Other Workshop Notes:

check out Next Big Sound

Spotify

> talking to a webcam once a week
every minute 72 hours is uploaded on youtube

Sun Feb 16, 2013

After we did Werewolves of London at the Campfire Sessions I felt a bit shaky, with the repeating phrase "i DID it. i DID it." reverberating in my mind, lol.

Today In The Life, Yay

Beside The Electric Guitars, while Tuning 20 or so Ukes:
Miss Ohio
She Wore Flowered Dresses
a few C scales

Piano Scales, check
also GCEA while saying so out loud

While Tuning 2 Mando's
West Virginia

Wishing for a pick while Tuning a Small Bodied Cheap-A$$ folk guitar
When Doves Cry
The L&N

Uke Walk About
Dreams

*
And then i went to a choir practice and tried reading music, and, being a tenor, proper. ha
i wasn't even sure if i was looking at the page full of lines and dots, aka our sheet music, upside right.

Ukulele Club in Guelph!

The uke is as popular today as it has ever been. Interested parties of all ages and skill levels are invited to get together in a song circle to celebrate an instrument that is easy (especially to play and sing at the same time), portable, and fun!

The newly formed Uke Club will host its second gathering on February 23, 1pm at L&M Guelph at 30 Arrow Rd (at Woodlawn), and will be hosted by Gayle Ackroyd.

Bring your uke (or borrow one) to join in this friendly, informal group session! Seating is limited so an RSVP is recommended by email to guelphlessons@long-mcquade.com or by phone at 519-763-6709. The small fee of $6 will be requested of attendees.

"Minutes" of UKE CLUB MEETING #1

Attendance: 16 participants varying in age from 4 to retired. At least half of the attendees were new visitors to L&M Guelph!  Overall, the session generated a positive customer experience and created a sense of community.  Since the store is a SOCAN licensed venue, a Notice of Live Music Performance was submitted.  Why not?  Here's some feedback from participants:

"Barb and I are looking forward to the next one, Kim. Enjoyed the first meeting a lot."

“Both Blake and I enjoyed the uke meet. I think it went really well for a first meeting. I like the idea of everyone bringing a song... Once we have found a few that people like and either know or want to learn, maybe we can focus a bit more on sharing strumming patterns and techniques. There seem to be very proficient musicians in the group and they seem willing to share. I also really like that some of you shared your original pieces.”

“Thanks for hosting today.  It was a very enjoyable session.  Lots of enthusiasm!”   

Set List:

You Are My Sunshine

Love Call, Kim Logue  this tune is a repetitive, simple ballad, but with a kooky sing-along-bird-call-inspired-chorus, that i was disappointed more people didn't sing out their very own do-do-do-tweet-chirp-caw kind of vocal jam part to.  should i have suggested they whistle or clap as desired? ha.  i remember singing, "and nobody is helping with the singalong part la la la,"  and making gayle laugh at least.
Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon

Freight Train, Elizabeth Cotton

Starfish, Ian Reid

Island in the Sun, Harry Belafonte

Its Alright, Cheer Up, It’s Okay, Gayle Ackroyd