Kenyon College - Reveille Yearbook (Gambier, OH)

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18 STOP HERE FIRST GAMBIER FOLK FLSTlVflL Ihe seventh annual Gambier Folk Festival, sponsored by the Gambier Folklore Society and headlined by nationally renowned folk musi- cian Mike Seeger, took place during the week end of October 27. Members of the Society, whose purpose is the preservation and propaga bon of American folkways, worked steadily to line up the participating musicians and crafts- men, and the excellent mixture that they were able to produce reflec ts this effort. Blues guitarist Andy Cohen opened the Festi- val and Friday night's concert in Rosse Mall with the help ol a little impromptu harmonica play- ing from a friend in the audienc e. Following Cohen, West Virginia story-teller Martha Owen gave the usual Festival activities a new twist, and her reception was so positive tFiat the Soci- ety hopes to inc lude a story-teller in future Fes- tivals. She and David Liden also performed tra- ditional songs and led the audience in a singa- long. Ihe evening finished with the North Fork Rounders, a string band from nearby I ic king County. Saturday morning and afternoon were devoted to workshops at Ihe K.C., where Festi- val performers shared music al knowledge and taught an enthusiastic group of students the fundamentals of folk danc ing. Saturday evening saw two more performances in Rosse; the» first by I lying Cloud, a trio from New York spec iali ing in Irish music, and the second by Mike Seeger. Seeger has been playing traditional American music for more than twenty years, and his work has been one of the forces behind the popularization of folk music in the United States. As one listener observed, having some- one of his stature appear was like a visit by God. A rail show and sale on Sunday in Gund Commons ended the weekend. Ihe works of weavers, spinners, potters, and other craftsmen showed the many who attended that folklore is more than music and added another layer of diversity and prestige to what is becoming one of the most respected folk gatherings in the Midwest. tins PAGE. top to BOIIOM Participants in a music workshop, a spoon player; Paul Michel, folklore Society piesiilent, clanc ing with Ihe North Fork Rounders OPPO- SUI PAC.t Mike Seeger in concert. Andy Cohen (right) and Inend folk Festival