My experience up in Buffalo was really interesting in multiple ways I am still enjoying. It was something of a moveable feast I keep thinking of Lars Gustafsson: "We go from warm rooms to cold/and from cold to warm again."
I always enjoy getting together with people who share my love for old time music, who really get it. Add in that they are all sharp as hell too and it makes for days filled with interesting conversation, just a fine and really stimulating time overall.
The symposium had the enticing title of "Uncanny America: The Coming Apocalypse, Tacos, and Folk Music in Babylon," and it has its own fine looking website. I was officially the "tacos" part, though of course I had some things to add about the apocalypse and about music. Hard to keep me quiet on those issues. Come to think of it, it is hard to think of a more perfect set of topics for me. I presented some Mexican migrant music from NC and VA and showed photographs I've taken through the Blue Ridge as a way to describe the Latinization of space in the region. Most of all I got to engage the other folks there and the really interesting faculty at Buffalo State, and that was a fantastic experience.
I arrived in Buffalo a bit clueless, I must confess. I thought there was only one school there (SUNY-Buffalo) but it turns out there are a few, including one called Buffalo State College, which is part of the State University of New York system. I had no idea. But all eventually was made clear to me and luckily I figured it out before wandering out lost in the city in the icy weather. A few days of being underdressed for the early winter and I have returned to the sunny South with the flu. Living south of the Mason-Dixon does seem to strip the body of its inborn Midwestern tolerance of cold.
Lance and Art were there presenting their two volumes of field recordings that Art made and which Lance has released. It is an amazing body of work. We also had the opportunity to screen and discuss Neil Rosenbaum's documentary film about the women musicians that Art found, which is an amazing document and a really enticing piece of work.
The Buffalo State students have been listening to those recordings and reading about the music, so they were very well prepared to ask questions. We spent one afternoon fielding questions and a morning session commenting on student writings, and at each of the events they were involved and interesting. I came away impressed by the students and by the learning community program they have there.
Charles McNair read from his book and from his new work, which was really interesting to hear. I so rarely get to hear an author read from his work that it was really welcome. I would say that Charles is among the most flat-out personable people I have met, and that engaging style is clearly evident in his work. I'm looking forward to reading his new book when it comes out.
The whole thing was put on by Allen Shelton, who also read from his new book Dreamworlds of Alabama. He has a really striking webpage that makes mine look about as dorkily handmade as can be.
I look forward to future times to get together with all of these people.
I always enjoy getting together with people who share my love for old time music, who really get it. Add in that they are all sharp as hell too and it makes for days filled with interesting conversation, just a fine and really stimulating time overall.
The symposium had the enticing title of "Uncanny America: The Coming Apocalypse, Tacos, and Folk Music in Babylon," and it has its own fine looking website. I was officially the "tacos" part, though of course I had some things to add about the apocalypse and about music. Hard to keep me quiet on those issues. Come to think of it, it is hard to think of a more perfect set of topics for me. I presented some Mexican migrant music from NC and VA and showed photographs I've taken through the Blue Ridge as a way to describe the Latinization of space in the region. Most of all I got to engage the other folks there and the really interesting faculty at Buffalo State, and that was a fantastic experience.
I arrived in Buffalo a bit clueless, I must confess. I thought there was only one school there (SUNY-Buffalo) but it turns out there are a few, including one called Buffalo State College, which is part of the State University of New York system. I had no idea. But all eventually was made clear to me and luckily I figured it out before wandering out lost in the city in the icy weather. A few days of being underdressed for the early winter and I have returned to the sunny South with the flu. Living south of the Mason-Dixon does seem to strip the body of its inborn Midwestern tolerance of cold.
Lance and Art were there presenting their two volumes of field recordings that Art made and which Lance has released. It is an amazing body of work. We also had the opportunity to screen and discuss Neil Rosenbaum's documentary film about the women musicians that Art found, which is an amazing document and a really enticing piece of work.
The Buffalo State students have been listening to those recordings and reading about the music, so they were very well prepared to ask questions. We spent one afternoon fielding questions and a morning session commenting on student writings, and at each of the events they were involved and interesting. I came away impressed by the students and by the learning community program they have there.
Charles McNair read from his book and from his new work, which was really interesting to hear. I so rarely get to hear an author read from his work that it was really welcome. I would say that Charles is among the most flat-out personable people I have met, and that engaging style is clearly evident in his work. I'm looking forward to reading his new book when it comes out.
The whole thing was put on by Allen Shelton, who also read from his new book Dreamworlds of Alabama. He has a really striking webpage that makes mine look about as dorkily handmade as can be.
I look forward to future times to get together with all of these people.
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