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2003 Festival |
This was a community effort, and many members of the community worked long and hard to make the musicians and visitors welcome. It was such a great festival and many newcomers to Caspar went away with a rosy view of our village. |
 Alexandria Alexander, volunteer extraordinaire |
 Mickie & Beth Zekley's son turned a small profit |
The spirit of the event was free and easy. Music was everywhere (as befits a folk festival.) |
The big tractor tire in the playground was a focus of interest throughout the weekend (as you will see...) |
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 Pickin' in the SouthWest Tent |
Contrary to rumor, there were padded chairs for musicians. Even with such cushy amenities, not as many jam sessions developed as were expected. |
Likewise, many childrens' activities were planned, but not many children arrived. Could it be that there aren't many children left on the North Coast? Or could it be that their parents just didn't care to come to the Festival?
Either way, the children who were there had a great time. |
 Face Painting at the Satellite School's booth |
 Music cropped up in the most unexpected places |
The weekend of August 9th and 10th was one of the sunniest, warmest August weekends in Caspar ever, and musicians sought shade to talk and play. |
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During the Fiddle Summit there was a wonderful moment when Judy Stavely taught a lick she called "the Yelp." About her onstage experience she writes: "When I was asked to play I agreed, but I was really scared because I've never played alone in front of an audience that just sat there listening like it was a concert. The thought of that was frightening. But, when the time came to do it, I got so interested in what all the other fiddlers were doing and saying that it became a conversation between us, and I forgot about the audience. It was actually a lot of fun, and afterwards I just felt happy about how it turned out, and glad that I had gotten to be part of it. I learned a lot too."
So about that Yelp, how do you do it? Judy recounts "what the fiddler from Appalachia said was, 'well you just put your finger there and then you wiggle it a little.'" |
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This couple found a new use for the tire in the playground. |
Shortly thereafter, someone noticed that Art was taking photographs... |
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Folk instruments are often quite extraordinarily beautiful. We noticed several other good things about folk musicians: they listen well. They are pleasant to be around. They attract a similar audience. It was a quite amazing weekend. |
Music came to Caspar from around the world. This trio entertained their audience with American folk music. |
 Franny, Bonnie, and Bruce |
 Pam Swan accompanied Chris Caswell |
Eyes are almost as important as ears to folk musicians. Here and in other photographs you see hawklike attention to cues from the leader's fingers. This music was delighting the audience at the Mendocino Jewish Community's Shul. The plaque says "Shalom" -- Peace. |
 Wake the Dead filled the stage and the hall with a beautiful, big sound | ||
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Wake the Dead was the first of two headliner acts on Saturday evening. Their celtic renditions of Grateful Dead songs had everyone smiling. |
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 Paul and Sylvia following Danny's lead |
Folks weren't just smiling for nostalgia; the quality of Wake the Dead's musicianship is world class. Here the three vocalists blended their voices and instruments well enough to wake the dead. |
 look at the eyes of these musicians | ||
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Again, I was impressed by the way the musicians watched each other in order to anticipate and blend their play to produce the best ensemble. Music is a marvelous teacher. |
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 members of Panacea playing in the Shul | ||
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While the Center was hopping to the sound of Wake the Dead, a different kind of delightful intensity was being produced by Panacea in the Mendocino Jewish Community's Shul. The great acoustics of that hall were especially welcoming to Panacea's eastern European music. |
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Back in the Center, the next act dragged the audience right out of their chairs and got them salsa dancing enthusiastically. |
 The Peña-Govea family got the audience up and dancing |
 Miguel Govea |
Miguel and his family ended the Saturday night Center concert with wonderful salsa music. Miguel is an accomplished musician who plays in a couple of bands, but this was his family, and if there was a star...
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...it was René, his fifteen-year-old daughter. Aside from her luminous enjoyment of the music, she's a master of the old accordion forms, and brings a young perspective to this old instrument. Not pictured here, but clearly the heart of this wonderful group: Miguel's wife and mother to the young virtuosas, Susan Peña. |
 young virtuosa René Peña-Govea |
 Wait! Who's got the accordion? |
And there is another brilliant Peña-Govea musician coming along: Cecilia. It was after midnight, but the youngest daughter gamely kept the rhythm going. Note that there's been a swap, and now René's playing the guitaron and singing her young heart out. |
Caspar Community Center 15051 Caspar Road - box 84 Caspar, California 95420 707.964.4997 gather@CasparFest.org |
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for more information, email Caspar World Folk Festival,
gather@CasparFest.org
: : last updated 26 August 2003 : 8:26 Caspar (Pacific) time : :
photos on this page
copyright © 2003 Art Mielke text and page design copyright © 2003 Michael Potts, Caspar Institute
printed with 100% recycled electrons! |