Contents: editorial - disappointment – Farewells: Philip, Hachmoni - CD reviews –

Since you all are a captive audience, I am going to utilize my arbitrary right to write whatever I please and wax personal for just a bit. You see, I have had reason to witness the special fellowship that exists among the musicians and audience which comprise this small but vibrant folk community of ours. In times of stress and trial through which we are currently passing, we would do well not to lose sight of those things we still have which make life worth living.

Two things happened to me during this last Sukkot festival, which illustrate what I mean.

Sherry and Vernon Whetstone traditionally hold a "hoot" at their home in Moshav Tsafririm on Sukkot. It is open to all that feel like showing up. This year a tremendous bunch of singers and musicians came along. We all gathered around the big tree in the yard. We ate and drank ourselves silly. And then we began to play and sing. How can I describe this adequately? Here are a bunch of singers and song- writers, many of them outstanding musicians. Each is known for their ability to engage in stellar solo performances in their own right. And here they all were blending themselves together into a heavenly band. Occasionally one of us would initiate a song of our choice, and the rest would take up the song. But wait. Darkness fell and the hour waxed late. We were all in a broad circle around the tree, with the Sukkah off to one side. People, as a matter of course had to leave. As they took their farewells, the circle began to contract so that we all came closer and closer together. And as we did, our harmonies seemed to take on an added strength and vitality. It was so moving and I felt so proud. Here we were, in the midst of violence and hatred, under siege and maligned even by our supposed friends. (This was a couple of days after we had been subjected to Mr. Rovics' masterpiece.) But at least we all had each other and we could all share each other's music. At any time, but especially today, that is nothing to sneeze at.

Now I told you that to tell you this. The following day was my birthday marking my fiftieth year. I have many friends who either will, or have endured that millstone, I mean milestone. Each has, in their own way, faced the ordeal with greater or lesser degrees of trepidation. As for me, I faced it with joy and serenity. Why? Because of you all. During my early forties I xperienced a mid life crisis. That is not unusual say the psychologists, but that didn't make it easier for me. What I was most afraid of was the notion that I would live and die without having left any kind of mark upon the world to show that I had come and gone.

Two things happened to me during the nineties to provide me with a more balanced perspective. First, my big brother, whom I loved very much, passed away. He was a wonderful actor who never looked for the big break, which never came his way. So he died dirt poor, his abilities not matched by his achieve- ments. And yet, literally hundreds of his friends attended his funeral, friends who loved him merely because he was who he was. I was awe struck. It didn't seem to me that I had the sort of friends he'd had, despite my success in my chosen career. I must have made some sort of sub- conscious decision to make changes in my attitude toward the important things in life.

And indeed, it came to pass that I returned to my music, which I had neglected for over twenty years. Slowly at first, and then with ever increasing rapidity, I met wonderful people who were eager and willing to be friends in general, and make music in particular.

In the spring of 1998, I was introduced to the folk community, where I found a home and where I could find peace. This was brought home to me in a very tangible way when I found myself in the midst of a surprise birthday party at the Tel Aviv folk club. It was so great! Judi Lewis baked an amazing chocolate cake. Lynn Lewis, Harold Jacob, Shelley Ellen, Ariela Orion, Yoav Biran, Diane Kaplan and Ada, the lady Fuchs, just to name a few, celebrated with me in grand fashion. Oh the music.

You can all understand why I embraced my big 5 0 with open arms. We all are making our mark and as a result the word is surely a better place. I thank you all for the joy and the love. I love you too.

More and more American taste seems to me to be packaged by the media for familiarity, comfort and sold for profit. Thus, you can't tell what town you're in because they all have the same shops. You also can't tell the music apart because it comes packaged in drums and electronics and it all sounds the same.

I had been looking forward to a great evening with Dar Williams at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. Inside this venue it looks like an upside-down ship and I had in mind a great bar meal (as in Britain), so we came early enough to eat and get good seats. I should have known: 6 choices of hamburgers which turned out to be 90% French fries and bread, 1% salad (plus a bottle of water and a small glass of wine inferior to Israeli wine, and drinks that had no prices attached). That was $23!!!! No matter we came for the music.

Warm-up act was Toshi Regan. Fabulous! She sang a blues song her Mom had written (New Yorker) and had a full voice with a gospel presentation of songs on hot guitar (she even did Bob Marlen (sp?)) and she had the audience in the palm of her hand. She had a great electric guitar backup to. More for less.

Then came Williams. I had noticed the drums and electronic stuff on the back of the stage, and hoped it was being stored there. No such luck. Full drum set. Full electric keyboard, 2 electric basses and Williams on her 6-string acoustic. The bass percussion was so strong we couldn't understand a word she said during the songs. After 2 songs I realized that without the words, this was going to be monotonous. So I left our "good seats" and joined the last row "kids" on the floor. Ok, now I could hear some of the words. Then knees from those standing pushed into my back so I had to stand up -- someone had fainted 4 rows back. Dar later commented that in good New England style she saw the ambulance come and someone being carried away, but the rule was - pretend you don't notice - so she tried singing with more feeling.

Her banter was cute and personal and came off for me like a Patricia Hearst who maybe woke up before she robbed a bank. She finally came back for her second encore without her band and played "The Babysitter", but I was beyond appreciation at that point. Call me an old lady. Maybe you're right.

--Judi Ganchrow

--Sherry Whetstone

PHILIP GRIFFIN

About two years ago I telephoned Paul Graham for one reason or another and heard in the background some really great guitar picking. Knowing that Paul has a great collection of music I asked what the record was. To my surprise he said, "Oh, that's Philip". I immediately demanded that he put Philip on the phone and after a brief discussion of our musical likes and dislikes invited him over for an evening the following week and discovered that not only was he a wonderful musician but an extremely nice guy. By training Philip is a choral conductor, writes/copies manuscripts (tavim to you) and makes himself useful as a fretted instrument player whenever he can. He has had a long flirtation with Macedonian folk and other Balkan music using any number of ethnic instruments, but also plays classical guitar, Renaissance music using his various instin the lute family, is really hot on the jazzscene and with a bit of prompting from Avery Ellisman and myself has shown that he can be an accomplished Country and Bluegrass musician (no that isn't an oxymoron), easily in the same league with the likes of Tony Rice.

Philip Griffin, who with his wife Dom, has been in Israel for a couple of years while she has been on assignment here for Australian Television, is unfortunately returning to the Antipodes. With his multi- instrumental talents, Philip has made an enormous impact on the folk scene and we will be extremely sorry to see him go.

Philip has performed with many of the leading folk, country and classical artist/es who grace our music scene; Jill Rogoff, Marci Schreier, Larry Gamliel, Sandy Cash, Cyrelle Forman-Sofer, Yuval Berger, Ray Scudero and Marc Gittelson, Avery Ellisman, Paul Graham and myself, to name but a few and has also participated in the impromptu bands that we've formed to accompany visiting artists from abroad. He also sings but we have yet to hear him, and it looks like we've missed the opportunity.

The last folk club at Tzora featured Philip and most of the above mentioned artists and what a wonderful and varied and should I use the "P" word - yes - professional - evening it was.

I know Philip will enrich the music scene whereever he goes. What more can I say (he said wiping away a tear) except that we wish Dom and Philip the very best of luck and hope that they'll return to Israel some sweet day for another extended stay.

--Lynn Lewis

P.S. There are links to web-sites featuring some of Philips playing on our

1) Shades of White - Diane Kaplan and Ada Dahan

Oh won't you just look what I have here. I have a most extraordinary CD put out by two ladies who had to keep the production price way down, but concocted a rich collection of folk songs from all over the place. Dianne and Ada have played separately and together in a variety of groups, most recently in Joyful Noise. Now they have banded together and produced an amazingly eclectic disc.

Diane contributes her beautiful voice, which heretofore has song everything from bluegrass to folk rock to pop. Ada, who has a fine voice of her own, brings her special musicianship to bear. This lady plays an astounding amount of musical instruments, which she shleps around to her performances in a moving van. Or maybe it's on her head in a bushel basket. She has, flutes, drums, gongs, bongs, whistles, thistles and the kitchen sink. And she plays 'em all, by golly.

So what do you get when you get these two together in the studio? You get sixteen songs from all lands. There's the Irish stuff, as well as French, African, Arab, folk rock, South American, and everything else in between. They sing together and they play together like a hand fits a mitten. They've got various guest artists to help them out, playing cellos, ouds and instruments made out of armadillos. Dianne strums her guitar with the best of them. Ada toots on the flutes and xylophones like you wouldn't believe. Actually she doesn't blow the xylophone, at least on this disc. As far as the overall sound is concerned, if I hadn't been told that the whole thing was low budget, I wouldn't have known. It sounds great and it is great. Highly recommended.

--LG

2) Shot out of the Night

Shelley Ellen has been waiting for months for someone to review the disc she released around the beginning of the current year. I gather she actually had someone in mind who agreed to do so, but didn't. So she told Carol that perhaps I ought to do is, seeing as I always have such nice things to say and all that. My my, what presumption! Although it must be admitted that she's right. Her disc is lovely and here is why:

First of all, this disc is all Shelley and nobody else. There are ten songs, most of them originals, consisting of Shelley's voice and guitar. Shelley is an accomplished guitar teacher, and her playing shines throughout. Some of the songs are bluesy, but even on those which are not, her guitar has a homespun bluesy color which is wonderfully fresh and entertaining. Her style is very distinctive. You can hear one of her licks from a mile away and instantly know it is Shelley. You might say of her playing that it is more country blues oriented than folk. And this is a city girl playing!!! Surely her guitar playing is one of the causes of her immense popularity at our folk clubs.

The same may be said for Shelley's voice. Indeed Shelley has a gift that makes her unique among all the ladies on the folk scene. I think she is the only one who can sing low down and dirty when she has a mind to. This is not to imply in any way that she can't sing sweetly and gently, which she does to great effect on this disc. But if you've got the blues in your soul it has to come out with grease from the kitchen sticking to it. And Lord have mercy, she can do it. Perhaps her voice is not as rough and tumble as Marc Miller's, but that is all the more reason why she can authentically show us how half of us live. Incidentally, I was fortunate to see Shelley and Marc jamming together last summer. I can tell you folks, it was resplendent.

Getting back to the singing, we have here a voice that turns out to be surprisingly subtle for a blues and country lady. She knows how to sing with gaiety and melancholy. Her voice can as rough as dishpan hands and as soft as a baby's tushy. Not only that, this woman has a range, not the one you cook with either. I suspect she hasn't had voice training but never mind that. She has a naturally sweet and warm voice, which is well suited to her material.

Speaking of which, Shelley writes very personal and sensitive songs. I love them all, so I will not single any one of them out. They portray a woman who has had more than her share of hard knocks. She's been around and endured much, and has the scars to prove it. But she is gutsy, and she has survived. This disc is a self-portrait of Shelley. If I had a hat, I would take it off to her as a person. I am honored to be able to salute her wonderful disc. Everybody, go out and buy it, right now.

--LG

Happy Birthday to: Deborah Fields, Don Ganchrow, Haim Gefen, Yael Landau, Fern Meiersdorf, Orit Perlman, Nechama Silberman, Sue Tourkin- Komet, Rony Weiss, Shelley Ellen

Happy anniversary to: Marc & Ora Clarfield

NOT TRAD ADS - fee is NIS 10 (NIS 5 for members).

**SHELLEY ELLEN guitarlessons, available for performances (03) 674-5356. **Jill Rogoff's "THE CELTIC CRADLE" and ACROSS THE NARROW SEAS (ALC 129) are available on cassette. Tel/Fax (02) 679-0410.

**SUZALEH'S SILK ART - Glassed and Framed, modestly sized and modestly priced, door signs, mazal tovs, etc. Handmade by Sue Tourkin-Komet (02) 676-3346.

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FolkNotes Staff: Sherry Whetstone, Larry Gamliel, Carol Fuchs