Mary McCaslin's Roundup

Dec 20, 2001

A TIME OF WONDER AND DREAD

Having a birthday that falls three days before Christmas does nothing to brighten my personal holiday outlook. It's something to do with aging, the passing of another year and that everything comes at once. In spite of the best efforts of my husband and family, I can't help feeling short-changed. And the time just seems to go by so quickly.

Last year at this time, I came up with a wish list for musicians and other types of artists. It included things like health care coverage, community recognition and affordable housing. This year, I'm offering a list of gift ideas for the music lovers in our lives.

CDs are always a good bet, especially those put out by local artists or those who have made recordings on their own label. Often these "Independent" recordings are only available at concerts given by the artists who have made them. However, don't rule out finding a rare or independent recording at either Streetlight or Logo's in downtown Santa Cruz. Both stores have fine selections.

A couple of my favorite recently released CDs are Wake the Dead and George Winston's 20th Anniversary Edition of his classic December recording, which followed-up his Autumn record. This beautiful CD even has two bonus tracks not included on the original release and will bring back memories of candle lit nights for so many of us.

Wake the Dead is a group of incredibly talented folk musicians who mix Grateful Dead songs with Celtic tunes and have come up with a marvelous recording. My favorite track features an O'Carolan Irish harp air intertwined with Hunter and Garcia's Black Muddy River. It's these kinds of recordings that bring rock listeners into the folk music fold.

Another recent release is a re-issue CD combining the Harmony Sisters' two albums that were originally released on Flying Fish in the early 1980s, plus four cuts from concerts and radio shows. The Harmony Sisters are made up of Alice Gerrard, Jeanie McLerie and Santa Cruz's own Irene Herrmann, who teaches a class on American folk music at UCSC.

These women are all first rate musicians. All three sing and play the fiddle. Alice plays guitar and banjo, Jeanie plays guitar, and Irene plays mandolin and cello. E-mail Irene at herrmann@cats.ucsc.edu if you can't find this great recording in a store.

My final suggestion is a CD called Mariposa Wind by a singing cowboy named Mike Beck. This is his third recording. The jewel on Mariposa Wind is Mike's incredible song, Patrick. Telling the story from point of a horse owned by Salinas area cowboy Bill Dorrance, Patrick never loses its impact on me, no matter how many times I play it. Mike is a real cowboy and a gifted songwriter who often takes a more modern approach than so many of the current working cowboy singers. Check out his web site: www.mikebeck.com.

I know you'll like these CDs as much as I do. There are so many great recordings out there you can seldom go wrong if you have any idea of what music the people on your holiday list like. If you're not sure of what to buy or what they have, a gift certificate is always a safe bet.

Concert tickets are a unique and wonderful gift for a music lover and there is no shortage of live music events around here. Henflings in Ben Lomond continues to present the best of European and American folk musicians. Call them at 335-1642. Snazzy Productions has a steller line-up of shows starting off in January with Fred Eaglesmith and Lea Lawson Productions will be bringing more great performers to town. Call Snazzy at 479-9421 and Lea Lawson at 426-7828.

Folksinger John McCutcheon makes his annual return to Santa Cruz for two concerts on Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19. The Friday show is an evening performance, starting at 7:30 and the Saturday show is a Children's concert starting at 9:30 in the morning. These concerts are presented by the Resource Center for Nonviolence and serve as a fundraiser for this great organization. Call 423-1626 for tickets.

First Night Buttons make great stocking stuffers and you can feel good about supporting the performing arts in our community. Buttons are on sale at various locations around the county. Call 425-7277 for information.

THE GAIL RICH AWARDS

Speaking of supporting the arts in our community, the annual Gail Rich Awards ceremony will be taking place at a new venue this January. For the last few years they have been hosted at the Louden Nelson Center, but the 2002 awards will be presented at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. The identities of the recipients is still a secret and will not be made public until the Sentinel runs their names in very early January. There is no admission cost to attend this celebration of the arts and artists in our community. This is a great chance to meet some of the most creative people around.

DAVE VAN RONK

By now you may have heard that folk/blues legend Dave Van Ronk underwent surgery for colon cancer in November. His doctors are optimistic, but he faces a long period of recovery. While he does have medical insurance which will cover his surgery, he will not be able to work for many months. Like many musicians Dave relies on performing as his main source of income.

I have been one of Dave's biggest fans for many years. His guitar playing is simply spectacular and he is one of the most expressive finger pickers I've ever heard. His wonderful gravelly voice is perfect whether he is singing a 1930s jazz piece, a folk song, or "I'm Proud to Be a Moose". This classic was written for Mr. Moose to sing on Captain Kangaroo, but was never used because Mr. Moose didn't talk, much less sing.

Dave has influenced countless other folk and blues musicians and has taught a generation of budding guitarists how to play with confidence and creativity. He is true folk music royalty.

If you would like to help Dave in his time of need, please send a donation to: Dave Van Ronk c/o Folklore Productions / 1671 Appian Way / Santa Monica, CA 90401.

That's about it for now. The Turn Your Radio series about local radio stations will resume after the first of the year.

Stay in touch and Happy Holidays.

Contact Mary McCaslin at roundup@marymccaslin.com