The 1999 AACI song contest was won hands- down by Sylvia Ber of Kfar Mordechai. She is a delightfully sweet and cheery grandma who has been singing all her life. Her winning contribution was a gem. It had a country air about it and it was sung superbly. While we were shmoozing, Sylvia handed me a copy of a demo CD she had recorded containing eight songs, or rather seven with two mixes of the same song.

What do I think of it? Let's start with the good news. Sylvia has a wicked voice, in the modern sense of the term. It is sweet, strong and powerful. It sparkles & shines. Her songs - how can I say this - are not hip. That is not a put-down. I think that they reflect tunes that people of her generation would write, and thus would probably appeal more to older sentimental types such as myself. You can't break-dance to these songs, but you can wallow in wonderful nostalgic feelings.

I hope with all my heart that, as a result of winning the contest, she gets the chance to achieve the recognition to which she is so richly entitled.

--Larry Gamliel

And just to stay in the spirit, here are the lyrics to the winning song of the contest.

You can hear it all live on January

Saw you at the corner, called your name as you passed by.

You didn't even notice I was there.

Lately, when we've been together,

I've come to realize there's someone else,

And you don't really care.

When you say it's over, are you going to tell me so?

Write me a letter, maybe call me on the phone?

Does it really matter, if at the end I know you're gone

And I am all alone.

Times have changed for you and me,

They're not what they used to be,

You don't say "I love you" any more.

Those days have gone, I can see, so all that's left for me,

Say it's over as if I didn't know

Words & music by Sylvia Ber (c1999)

The 12th Annual Inter- national Folk Alliance Conference is happening

February 10-13, 2000 in Cleveland Ohio. If you're in the region or can get there it's worth the effort. The Limelighters, Hazel Dickens, Eric Andersen, literally hundreds of acts covering every taste in folk music. And of course, work- shops, promotionals, jams, you name it. Check out their website: http://www.folk.org and write us back if you make it!

Somehow I have the Teddy-bear's Picnic bouncing around in my mind. We weren't furry woodland creatures perhaps, but we did gather in the woods adjacent to the Joe Alon Center on Friday the 12th for a jam picnic. It was advertised all around. Indeed the date was selected so as to allow our religious friends to partici- pate. However, just a handful of folks showed up. That turned out to be quite nice as we had an intimate picnic followed by an intimate jam.

--Larry Gamliel

On Thursday the 11th of December a group of Irish music lovers and musicians gathered at the Leprechaun Pub in Tel-Aviv. Karen (the only true Irish member of the group) was there with her fiddle, Bracha with the Irish buzouki, Gali and Roi with whistles, Doron with his banjo and Peleg with his guitar. There were even two couples of bones changing hands during the evening, although the only ones who could play them properly were usually occupied with another instrument.

Unlike the bartender at the Jacob's Ladder pub, not only did Steve, the bartender of the Leprechaun, turn off his music, but he also asked us to move to a place where we would be better heard and offered us drinks on the house. The "drinks on the house" policy cheered us all up even more. During the whole evening three or four pints of black liquid topped with creamy foam were resting promisingly on our table and whenever one got empty, another one was sent to us from the bar. The audience, mostly young Irish, enjoyed the music very much.

Undaunted by the forced delay in setting up the sound equipment, they flowedthrough their repertoire of mainly Scottish/Irish songs with some 50's rockand random country thrown in. While Frank, Batsheva and Bonnie maintain thedominant melody and harmony lines, at times the voices of Batsheva and Lennie add color, depth and shading, sometimes producing a brilliant sound.

We are very pleased to inform you that the Association of Ameri- cans and Canadians in Israel (Jerusalem Branch), in conjunc- tion with us, the Israel Folk Stuff Society, is reviving the late (and lamented) Folk Club which used to meet on Saturday nights for many years, under the very capable leader- ship of Bruce Brill. Sadly, Bruce left the Folk Club last March. The club was put in abeyance for a time as AACI was not in a position to renew it. But now it is, and we at IFS looto its renewal.

For the time being, the Folk Club will be bi-monthly. The first meeting is scheduled for January 29, 8:30 pm. Those of you who missed the AACI Southern Region Song Contest finals held last October will have a chance to hear many of the finalists sing their entries and other material.

As in the past, the club will meet at AACI headquarters at 6 Maneh Street, Jerusalem.

We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our dear friend Bruce Brill for all the years of enjoyment he gave us while running the club. We would also like to mention the splendid spirit of cooperation and co-participation of Janine Bahar and Rivka Schmell of AACI, who transformed the task of putting the whole thing together into a wonderful experience of working together. They, together with Carol, myself and IFS, intend to make this revived Folk Club better than ever.

By the way, don't anyone worry about the Jerusalem Folk Club -- it goes on as usual. (see calendar)

--lg

Happy birthday to: Malcom Admon, Naomi Deutsch, Bracha Fuchs, Sherry Whetstone

Happy anniversary to: Malcom & Judy Admon, Mike & Jill Rogoff, Menachem & Yehudit Vinegrad.

Wishes for a speedy and full recovery to: Dafna Lynn Whetstone and Shula Fuchs.

We are thinking about having a "doo wap" special at the Jerusalem Folk Club

at some unspecified time in the forseeable future. We are looking for people who might be interested in singing that kind of music, and

especially for bass singers who are well versed in the doo wap

language. Which is to say that they are shameless enough and without moral scruples, so as to be able to sing such things as the following:

yip yip yip yip

wep a-wep wep

bo -bu-bo bo

bumumumumum

heaaaaart aaaaaaaches.

etc.

Anyone who feels like making a fool of him/ herself in such a manner is invited to get in touch with Larry Gamliel at 053- 801-202. If you don't get him live, you'll get him dead... I mean leave a message and he'll get back to you. As it is written: Why do fools fall in love?

**SHELLEY ELLEN guitar lessons available for performances (03) 674-5356.

**For Sale: Franco Esteva concert model (top of the line) classical guitar with Scudero pickup, plus hard wood case, in MINT condition. Con- tact Marc Gittelson (02) 671-6803 or (053) 962-600 or NURSEMARC@NEWMAIL.NET

**Jill Rogoff's "THE CELTIC CRADLE" and ACROSS THE NARROW SEAS (ALC 129) are
available on cassette (NIS 40) or CD (NIS 60). Tel/Fax (02) 679-0410.

**Bar/Bat Mitzva or Weddings: Have a foot- stomping party with Debby Elnatan,

fiddler & caller, square and line dancing, clogging. Have wheels, will travel. (02) 678-9778, 053-806-281.

C A L E N D A R

Sat., Sun., Mon. 8-12 P.M. Folk music with Ray Scudero at the 7th Place, Beit Agron, 37 Hillel, (02) 625-4495 Call ahead.

Sundays, biweekly. Israel Dulcimer Society: Get that dulcimer off the wall and join us for biweekly music sessions. All levels welcome. Alternate Mondays, 8:30 p.m. For more information: Judith (02) 679-8448 or Dena (02)-561-8910

Thursdays, 8:30-11 P.M., Balkan Dancing at Moadon Hasport, 30 Hatsfira, Moshava Germanit, call Cyrelle (02) 566-2682

American Square Dancing Group. for info: Brenda (02) 561-2435

Sat. Jan 1, 8 pm. Scottish Folk Dancing at St. Andrew's Scottish Hospice, David Remez 1 (near Rakevet). Please call to verify time, etc. (02) 673-2401

Wed. Jan. 12, 8.30 pm: JERUSALEM FOLK CLUB, 7th Place Restaurant in Bet Agron Building, Hillel Street, Jerusalem. Admission: 30 NIS including first drink. Open mike at 8:30. Headliners: UNSTRUNG HEROES with Basata on warmup. For Info call Larry Gamliel at (053) 801-202 or Carol at 671-4007.

Sat. Jan. 29, 8:30 pm: AACI-IFS FOLK CLUB. Reliving the AACI 4th National Song Contest with among others: Sylvia Ber.

First Friday of every month. Oppenheimer English Storyteller Center for Adults. Come listen, learn, share, and enjoy. Please call ahead and reserve a place. Email: dvoras@netvision.net.il or call Dvora at (03) 546-2913. (11 Yotzer Blvd, near Assuta Hospital)

Tuesdays (every): Country & 60's Dance, with Meir at Moadon Naamat, Rehov Ha-Kuzari corner Mazeh, Herzlia; NIS 18 entrance, for details call Meir (03)613-0071 or Meshi (052) 595-030; 8-9:30 P.M. beginners, 9:30-11 P.M. advanced.

Thursdays: Irish Music at the Leprechaun Pub, 8A King George St.

Wed. Jan 5., 8:30 PM.: Tel Aviv Folk Club, with Yehuda Shimi, Uri Shamir and others. Bikurei Ha'itim 6 Heftman St. For more details, call Ariela: (03)683-7441

Wed. Jan. 19, 8:30 PM.: Tel Aviv Folk Club, with Eddie Goldfine and Rabbi Joe Black - singer/songwriter of Blues/Folk/children's songs, and others. A night not to be missed. Bikurei Ha'itim 6 Heftman St. For more details call Ariela: (03) 683-7441

Wed. Jan 26, 9 P.M.: The usual great line up. Call: Judi & Lynn Lewis. (02)990-8382 or (051) 348-061 or judilynn@gezernet.co.il

KARMIEL FOLK KLUB

Thurs. Jan 6, 9 pm. An evening with the UNSTRUNG HEROES and LARRY GAMLIEL and MARCI SCHREIER. Entrance: NIS 15. For more infor- mation, call Larry (04) 990-2455.

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Try to get your information to the appropriate persons for the Calendar, as early as possible, so we can meet publication deadlines (15th of each month). Contact Sue Tourkin-Komet (02) 676-3346 for Jerusalem activities, Angela Silman (03) 696-4653 for other areas, Larry Gamliel at (02) 641-1043 or (053) 801-202,

or by fax: Carol (02) 675-8376.

For late-breaking updates, join our email listing, contact Carol:

carol@mdlib.huji.ac.il