Summerfolk 2014

I was a first timer at this festival this year, and have already put it on my calendar to go again next year, despite the cold on Friday and pouring rain on Saturday.  Now, that's the sign of a fantastic festival!!!  

Did you attend the audience vs. performers game Down By The Bay?  Seeing Drew earn my team points with his "My Funny Valentine" rendition was a total highlight of the festival for me.

Another moment that made me happy was to find the wonderful musical petting zoo, an interactive exhibit of FOLK instruments.  At least 100 unique instruments!!!  It makes sense to me that Todd's Musical Petting Zoo is well received at FOLK festivals across North America, including Summerfolk, Mariposa and Home County, year after year.  Todd Crowley is an exhibitor, not a vendor, which I see as a shame in some ways, because I think the zoo helps to sell instruments, or at least sell the idea of playing a folk instrument.... What's the difference between an autoharp and a zither?  I can't wait to visit again to find out! 

I remember seeing a cello in action, and at least one fiddle.  I know there was at least one concert-sized ukulele, a banjo uke and a baritone uke, because I played each of them for a while.  Is there a difference between a bazooki and an octave mandolin? I think I tried both... as well as a regular mandolin.  With I was trying out the hammer dulcimer I said to the zoo proprietor that if this was MY zoo, there would be a laminated card taped to every instrument that told us what it is, where it comes from and a little bit about how to play it, ha.  I was happy to find the Merlin in tune and to have it in my hands when a celebrity passed by because you can't make a bad sound with that thing, and it really projects!  I think I browsed an accordian, charango, cuatro, harp, kantele, limberjack, psaltery, requinto, and a vihuela.  I forgot to try the saw, but enjoyed meeting the tres.  I thought the drum and percussion section was a little lame.  Was that because of the weather? I'd never known before how drum heads have to be protected from damp, rainy weather, even more so than all the stringed instruments... 

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At the late nite/early morning campfire, I don't know why I didn't think to borrow a guitar! Instead of continually crashing and burning on uke, with botched and unfinished tunes, because I have been practicing too much piano lately ha. D'oh!  For sure another of the magic moments for me was when Aimee did 100 Miles (both nights), and I also loved joining in with Heather singing accompanied by tuba and two harmonicas!

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It's true I broke my festival tradition of random wandering by ear, and checked out all 4 of the sets Danny Michel and Six Shooter had mentioned on facebook and twitter in advance.  I was glad I did, even though he never did pass around any of the percussion toys in his workshop suitcase!  I got to sit on Adam's couch for that workshop, while he borrowed my umbrella to return back stage - putting his djembe into said carrying case for him afterwards was hilarious, because I was trying to fit it in upside down!

Did I mention I really liked Allysha Brilla's music?  Groovy guitar, clarinet, saxophone and a delicious voice to singalong with -- And, the rest of her band was also really awesome!

Other highlights from the various stages included:

Seeing Union Duke from Toronto again was a blast, big-city rocking bluegrass-country, with banjo, boy harmonies, chicken-pickin’ electric guitars and a fast driving, heel-stomping beat. I love the tambourine cymbal technique!

Coco Love Alcorn was so, so awesome - especially at the gospel set with her tiny trumpet and extraordinary and stunning voice, and a fresh sounding mix of jazz, soul and folk.  What a playful, witty, joyful, genuine, and compelling performer.

Mike Stevens and Okaidja Afroso with their complex interlocking rhythms of Africa that meet the soulful and rich melodies of North American blues and country. 

Quique Escamilla is a powerful guitar player with a voice and passionate delivery to match, that fuses traditional Mexican styles of music such as ranchera and huapango with modern flavours of rock, reggae, ska, pop, jazz, cumbia, bolero, It was interesting to learn about the various social and political issues such as human and civil rights, immigration reform, global conservation, anti-racism and Indigenous rights that he supports.

"The strongest heart is a tender heart," Metis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume offers a catchy, moving singing voice and guitar style in her  accessible roots-pop arrangements.

24th Street Wailers blew me away. A most original and exciting band with a woman on lead vocals and the drum kit, one of the best guitarists I have ever seen - another young woman.  The quartet had tight grooves, inspirational energy and an unadulterated live show.

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It was also fantastic to meet an occasional jam buddy, and be thus encouraged to join in the Jumble Jam.  Out celebrity song co-writer was David Sereda.  Whether a cappella, solo at the piano, or with his stellar ensemble, David’s joy of singing is irresistible. He blends folk, gospel, soul and pop with a restless flair.  Ours was a piano based tune - I wish that I had a photo of our turn on stage to perform it.  I remember being willing to share a mic with Barry but not with one of the other singers, who's voice wasn't such an easy match for mine, and thus a whole new mic and stand had to be brought out, which made me feel so high maintenance I asked them if they could also bring me a new hat.

Gonna drive, gonna drive across the prairies to the mountains

So alive so alive I can almost taste the sea

Gonna drive gonna drive thru the mountain to the the coastline

So alive so alive wanna feel you close to me

                           floating thru the afternoon

                             knowing i will hold you soon

Seattle in the Summertime (with echo)

Seattle in the Summertime (echo)

 ~ spicy bazouki and bell solo

I'm never gonna go back again X2

Seattle in the Summertime etc etc  including la la la's

[G] Gonna drive, .... across the [Em] prairies to the [D] coastline

We're alive ... [ same chords]

[F]And I'm never gonna  [C]  go    back  [G]  again ,

[F]And I'm never gonna  [C]  go    back  [D]  again ,

[G ] Seattle in the summertime  [Em  D]

It is true that I did buy myself a nice new warm layer from Sylph!  

Hillside 2014

So great to see a pic from last year's uke workshop in the program!!!

Instead of a write up of what I loved about the festival, here's a few radio shows to check out:
1. Live to Air, Sat Jul 26
2. Hillside Revisited

Mariposa 2014

here's the view from the tent

Overall it felt like quite a feminist line up to me, with Hydra, Rosanne Cash et al as closers, and the chance to dance a bit to Ani Defranco, and also Dar Williams (yes, I did cry once), as well as the chance to sing along with Ariana Gillis and Craig Cardiff, twice each, ha.

 

One of the highlights of the festival this year for me, was seeing my very first guitar teacher and a bass/cello teacher I have been woo-ing for the shop, each supporting different acts, at a workshop. Steve was actually staying on from the previous guitar playing workshop, at the request of the next acts up on stage!

 

Another of the highlights was being asked  "what song would you play Kim, if you were to play a song?" at a late nite campfire, with random strangers, as i was passing by, with a uke, and wanted to SIT down ha…  Some of the other tunes moments before had been kind of intimate, "Probably a quiet one" I was suriprised that I actually answered, and sort of experimented with the fingering of a song I know, and then suddenly she was singing backing vocal sounds, as was my other seat neighbour, with all the words and the melody I was essentially whispering, although trying to project...  i left room for an instrumental and the host on the guitar took it when i nodded at him. What a treat!

I also loved serenading Annie while she swam the next morning.  I hadn't had a chance to do my personal private uke sing on her loaner instrument yet, but she wanted to meet up for the pre-breakfast coffee and swim.  She wants the paperwork for the Miss Ohio ditty, reminded me about the Have An Awesome Day song and then I also noodled around with Dreams, Werewolves of London, the Peg and Cat problem song, before turning to her paperwork... it was a fun little singalong.

And, what about that instrument petting zoo!?  I stopped in there every time I passed by...  One time, I was singing and playing the L&N on an out of tune Luna teeny tiny acoustic, with a pic a kid had brought over specially to me, just before i had a great conversation with an older girl.  She was wearing a purple Girls Rock Camp Toronto t-shirt, and I told her I liked it, and asked if she went there.  She had. And, of course she'd met Magali! She'd also found a bandmate who'd written a song there, that she taught me:  verses Am Em G Am, chorus Am Em G C Am;  That was after she tuned a resonator guitar by ear and I explained to her what all the metal stuff was, and then she tuned my zoo-guitar too! Did she say she was 11?  By the way, shortly after our jam, the zoo owner stopped over to ask her if she needed a guitar tuned lol, If he only knew. (I saw him perform later as a tweener, mostly on autoharp).

 

 

Summer 2014 Uke Club Meetings, Sundays at PennyWhistle 7-9pm

Working Man
Book of Love
Best Day of My Life
Yellow Bird
I'll Fly Away
I Will
Stand By Me
That's The Glory of Love
Tiny Bubbles
Spiderman
Lion Sleeps Tonite
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Mr. Bojangles
What Colour R U
You, Me & Mexico
Boots
Bye Bye Love
The End of The Line

I think we were 9 participants at the uke circle/jam on July 13, 2014.  Here's what we played:
- Stand By Me
- Will The Circle
- Paradise
- Dear Abbey (no paperwork, Jude will email out)
- Brown Eyed Girl x2 with more sha la la's
- It's A Heartache
- Ruby Tuesday
- Down By The Bay
- Don't Worry
- Raindrops Keep Falling
- Lace & Pretty Flowers
- Me & Julio
- Lay Down Sally
- The End of The Line

We had a fun time last night! I think you'll like meeting at the Penny Whistle. We even got some applause! I wanted to pass along the song list, it's not in order because I wrote it on a small piece of paper…

- You Ain't Going Nowhere
- Brown Eyed Girl
- Wagon Wheel
- End of the Line
- You Can't Always Get What You Want
- What Colour Are You
- Lion Sleeps Tonight
- Moody River
- Paradise
- Three Little Birds
- Lace & Pretty Flowers
- Wake Up Little Susie
- Five Foot Two (Eyes of Blue)
- These Boots Were Made for Walking
- Tennessee Waltz
Both Steve and Jim also performed a song each, but I didn't get the names…