datamusicata

In a hip hop world, where can the acoustic musician go? Nashville for country or the Folk Alliance International. If you are playing music that you are not hearing on “popular” radio or on TV, cable or otherwise, or if you like other music than the music corporations would like you to consume, then this is the place for you. I’m not trying to sound like commercial or a sound byte, I’m just trying to let you know that there are options and this is one of the best ones out there.

I have to do at least one post about the Folk Alliance Conference itself. It is an international organization of musicians, composers, singers, dancers, managers, agents, venue owners, bookers, house concert producers, luthiers, radio stations, dj’s, and journalists. They come from all walks of life, all races, creeds, religions, traditions and countries.

They come together to network, to nurture and to make music together. On any given night, you’re going to hear singersongwriters of all levels (some of them enormously successful), musicians of all levels, and instruments from all over the world. Singersongwriters, Traditionalists, Gospel, Folk Rock, even Jazz. It’s all here.

In addition to the usual guitars, banjos, basses, and keyboards, you are going to hear bagpipes and digereedoos and violins and accordions. You are going to hear songs from all over the world, played by musicians from all over the world.

And what was so wonderful was the amount of joy and lack of ego that accompanied all the performers and attendees. It truly was a community and everyone was trying to help everyone.

As for inspiration, I found it every single day and night, from simple kindness to some of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard. I think just discovering that there was this entire world of really good music from such a diverse well was exciting to me.

When I went to my first conference, I was afraid that I was too pop. That this was folk music and I need not apply. But as I walked around the music floors—two to three floors of a hotel devoted to live music with no amplification in each of the hotel rooms and the music changes every half hour, I heard every kind of music and found lots of people who came from the same area that inspired me.

I did a song circle with Caren Armstrong, Raina Rose, Jim Photoglo, Greg Greenway and John Batdorf. All truly remarkable songwriters and players. After a song, we’d discuss the tunings, the lyrics, the progressions. It was such a joyous learning experience and you could feel that everyone in the room wanted to hear what you had written, what you were playing, what you were saying and they wanted it to be good.

I’m telling you, you must check out www.folk.org. And in addition to the national conference that happens annually, there are regionals (which are a great place to get your feet wet, don’t cost very much at all and because they are smaller, are a little more manageable for the neophyte. It’s also easier to make an impact at the regionals.

But eventually you have to go to the national. It is such a joy and it reminds you why you originally started to play or listen to music. For the joy of it.

and check out http://commercialappeal.com/news/2008/feb/24/gathering-of-the-02/?partner=yahoo