Contents: My Favorite Things; LG at the BSMN; minutes; Waking up Little Suzy

Editor’s Note: It is NOT our intention to devote all of every future issue to Larry. This month, however, there were still concerts in tribute to him, so we are including some pieces on and about Larry. If you have a special piece you want in the FolkNotes, we’ll be happy to include it, but let’s get some other material in as well.

--Carol

My Favorite Things

It's natural to first turn to your favorite column in any publication. Everyone does it, and Larry's was always my favorite Folk Notes column, with his personal take on the latest issues in our musical community.

Even when there were no specific matters of communal concern, his knowledgeable commentary about popular, folk, blues and rock music was always enlightening and enjoyable. His column alone was enough justification for subscribing to FolkNotes.

He seemed to have an unlimited bounty of musical insights, knowledge and experience that he truly enjoyed sharing with us.

What a gift! His most recent Sarona workshop featured the blues roots of popular rock music that was an unforgettable musical and nostalgic tour de force. He astounded everyone at Sarona the year before by showing off the amazing

Larry & Harold c.Carol

multiple voices of his electronic keyboard and converted the skeptical nonbelievers and folk purists among us into enthusiastic devotees of synthesized

banjos, mandolins, guitars, etc. His most recent instrumental acquisitions

included harmonicas and an authentic Scottish bagpipe that promised the potential of Larry infusing his own unique musical spirit into us through these new voices. Sadly, this will now not happen.

He had so many out- standing attributes both as a person and as a musician

that I can only say that I am proud and honored to be among the many people

he called his friends. I know that the last few years filled his heart with immense pleasure and joy as his friends, both active musicians and active audience, each contributed so very much by just being there and by making our mutual musical experiences so very intense.

Usually musicians are applauded both after each performance and also in these pages, so I wish to take this unique opportunity on behalf of Larry to applaud some of the wonderful regular members of our esteemed audience, without whom there would be no folk scene. I applaud: Helen, Sherry & Vernon, Cecile, Janet & Charlie, Judy O., Hanna & Yitz, Hadar & Dina, Larry R., Hadar & Lucia, Ariela, Jay & Robin, and apologies to the folks whose names I’ve forgotten to mention. The musicians among us will miss Larry even more because there are numerous songs we had dreamt of doing with Larry's backup. His musical magic made us all sound so good and when finishing a number, his ear-to-ear smile and hearty laugh was sufficient recompense for the effort. I can personally say that there was no better feeling, than after finishing my set, while on stage at Sarona, to hear Larry say, “Come on -- do another one.“

Finally, everyone loved Larry's jam sessions. Check out the recording (available from Carol) of the Tzora Folk Club July 2003 A Ray of Cheer -- you'll be glad you did, because it portrays Larry as the catalyst for the most wonderful harmonies and instrumentation this side of the Petach Tikva line. This recording has now become one of my most cherished and favorite things. In honor of our most wonderful friend, keep the music and articles flowing. He would like that.

--Harold Jacobs

Jon Wasserman (under the new stage name of Jon Waterman) has a new

website at http://www. jonwaterman.com Also, the Boston Phoenix has started posting mp3 downloads of local acts, and you can download a couple of his songs at

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/Bost_mp3/artist.asp?id=662

LG at the BSMN

Let me set the scene for you: our dear friend, Larry Gamliel, had passed on the day before, his funeral was that afternoon and, barely five hours later, we held the Bet Shemesh Music Nite (BSMN). It was decided that it would be appropriate that this “Nite” be dedicated to “Lar.”

I started the evening off with the BSMNTS (BSMN Theme Song) followed by the Fred Woodlock hit, The Oldest Swinger in Town (Larry had once intimated to me that he was the “the”). After a short eulogy, all in attendance rose for a moment’s silence in Larry’s memory.

Ron Squires, a regular at the Nites (and a regular playing partner of Larry’s), and I had decided that we should make the Nite as upbeat as possible. After all, Larry would probably have cringed at the thought that an evening of entertainment in his honor should be anything but lively. So, we got told anecdotes and jokes about him (and, of course, mainly at

Ron Squire cCarol

His expense). After a few of Ron’s songs, and more jibes at Larry, I had a premonition and suggested that he would somehow get back at us by night’s end (no doubt he and his mate, Elvis, currently jamming, were already plotting revenge!)

After a few numbers known to Bet Shemeshites due to Larry’s appearances here in Bet Shemesh, our special guest for the evening, Erit Gill, kept the mood going with a set ranging from The Grateful Dead to Rubber Duckie (!) and even tap dancing (somehow, I could not imagine even Mr Gamliel attempting this, although he was known to try most things musical!).

Ron and I then did a couple more of LG’s typical 50’s to 90’s repertoire (Another Saturday Night and an Eric Clapton title), concluding with Ron’s personal tribute finale, Wind Beneath My Wings. During a touching last chorus to this ballad, one of Ron’s strings snapped suddenly on virtually the last chord. My earlier premonition had been realized and revenge had been exacted. (I guess that, even on the posthumous plane, revenge can be sweet.)

And on an evening dedicated to Larry, how fitting –- and indeed, satisfying –- that Larry should have the last word.

--Roby Shmerling

Protocol of Short General Meeting of IFS, December 31, 2003. Kibbutz Tzora

1. Proposed that Beverly Burge and Sherry Whetstone be added to the official signers on the IFS bank account to replace Larry Gamliel and Marc Gittelson.

2. Seconded by Dena Maltinsky

3. Passed unanimously.

4. Meeting ended

Waking up Little Suzie

Beating the system in Israel is one of those achievements that provide a temporary sigh of satisfaction and respite from the ongoing lunacy. So when driving back from Jerusalem and reading the electronic signpost that the Ayalon Expressway ahead was jammed, I had just enough time to swerve out of my lane and zip up the Geha exit ramp. By some minor miracle this enabled me to circumvent the city and afforded me a quick unimpeded passage into Ramat Aviv from the North. After depositing my passengers at home, I was soon again on the road, traveling in the opposite direction towards Tzora for the celebration of Larry Gamliel's life. While barreling back onto Geha I should have heeded the telltale sign of trouble ahead, when 5 cars in front of me reversed back off the entry ramp, but a whole day of bumper-to-bumper crawling had already made me too road-weary to brave the choice of heading east to the unknown new toll road that may perhaps have taken me out past the airport. Minutes later, and wham -- gridlock. A police helicopter circling overhead and ambulances tearing down the road shoulders were more bad signs, and it became evident that I was just a few meters from a suicide bombing. After half an hour of advancing by millimeters, the road opened up and I was speeding towards Tzora again.

Having never been to a wake, I imagined it would be, uh, wakeish? Actually, all I could detect was a lone flask and a few beer cans; but lots of homemade food platters & cakes. About 50 or 60 people sat in a big circle with musical instruments scattered about. Judi Lewis did a superb job of delicately guiding the imaginary microphone along to everyone, who would either recount something about Larry or chose a song that Larry liked. A senior Tzora kibbutznik, while making an early to bed exit, was overheard muttering that it was really worth coming, especially since Eli Marcus's memorial song blew him away.

Ray and Joanna’s disk

Poor Working Slob

is out of print. If you want to order a copy of the next printing, please send an email to Joanna : joannak1@netvision.net.il

In truth, there was a heck of a lot of testifying going on about so many different aspects of this man's life that one wondered how he was blessed with so many multifaceted talents; of which his interpersonal skills were the most extraordinary.

Since he was a not-so-closet rocker, there was also a bit of rocking going on, but too often someone would call out "who knows the words to…?" and it was apparent that Larry did, but he couldn't make it tonight. I know Larry admired Billy Joel, who described death as a special spiritual part of you, entering each of the people who knew you, and that piece of your spirit then gets passed on again in the same way. So let's keep on truckin’ with his special spirit in each and every one of us as we get back on that road again. And if it's jammed, just turn up the volume and jam back.

--Harold Jacobs

MILESTONES

Happy Birthday to: Bev Burge, Harold Jacobs, Vered Kater, Roby Shmerling, Rosanne Weiss, Adar Wesley

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C A L E N D A R

February 2004

JERUSALEM AREA:

Saturday, January 31^st 8:30 pm. AACI and the Israel FolkStuff Society (IFS)

present A Very Special Saturday Night Sing Thing! Thanks for the memories: an evening of music celebrating the life of Larry Gamliel z"l with Yoav Biran, Batya Walker, Sharon Neeman & Scott Fields, Shelley Ellen & Marcie Schreier. AACI, Rehov Mane 6. Admission is free. For information call, Carol (053)850-098 or email.

Israel Dulcimer Society has resumed Sunday (or occasionally Monday) night weekly sessions. Dust off your dulcimer and join us. Or, if you want to try out other instruments to see how they sound with dulcimers, speak up. One session a month welcomes all instruments, with other options possible. For general information, contact Dena at (02) 561-8910 or Judi at (02) 679-8448.

Thursday, February 12^th 8:30pm. JERUSALEM FOLK CLUB, with Tarnation (Josh

Goodman and Judi Ganchrow, Laura Fink, Harold Jacobs and Lauren Ornstein. At the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo Auditorium. Admission NIS 25/20. For information call Carol (053) 850-098.

TEL AVIV AREA:

Wednesday, February 4^th 8:30pm. TEL AVIV FOLK CLUB with Michael Greengard, Sandy Cash introducing her new album, and Jordan Klein, a visiting banjo player from the U.S.xxx. Admission NIS 30. Bikurei Ha'itim, 6 Heftman St. For information call Ariela (03) 683-7441.

Wednesday, February 18^th 8:30pm. TEL AVIV FOLK CLUB with the Three's Company trio from Karmi'el: Avi and Lee Cohen and Leah Shalek, Hal Wrobel and others. Bikurei Ha'itim, 6 Heftman St. Admission NIS 30. For information call Ariela (03) 683-7441.

KIBBUTZ TZORA and area

Monday, February 2^nd 8:15pm. BET SHEMESH MUSIC NITE with Batsheva Fleishman, Moshe Flam, Larry Fogel, Elliot Dobin, at Hayasmin 6a, (Nofei Aviv). Admission NIS 12. For further details, call Roby (02) 999-2106.

Wednesday, February 25^th 9pm. KIBBUTZ TZORA FOLK CLUB in the Pundak. For information call Judi & Lynn Lewis (02) 990-8382 or (051) 348-061, or email them at judilynn@tzora.co.il Also see their website: www.oocities.org/tzorafolk

KARMIEL and North

Thursday February 5^th 9pm. Karmiel Folk Klub with will bring the return of Laurie Ornstein, , Bracha Ben Avraham, and CJ & The Hammer. At Beit HaNoar Matnas. Admission NIS 30. For more information call Larry Rosenfeld at (04) 990-2455 or (053) 414-544, or see his website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/israelfolkcommunity