Exported (temporarily): If you spent last Wednesday searching up and down Massachusetts for master balafon player Balla Kouyate, here's why you couldn't find him. Balla, a recent Artist Fellow in Traditional Arts, was in D.C. performing at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and later at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. Our sibling blog, Keepers of … [Read more...]
Kristin Andreassen: by voice, strings, or clog
A few months ago, our sibling blog Keepers of Tradition highlighted a video with singer-songwriter Kristin Andreassen. The video (which you can watch, below) features Boston schoolkids, Kristin's irrepressible music, and a great premise. Intrigued by the video - and also by Kristin's singular blend of songwriting, percussive dance, and ebullient wit - we asked the … [Read more...]
It’s deadline day for Artist Fellowship applications
Today (Tuesday, October 13, 2009) is the deadline for Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship applications in the Drawing, Painting, and Traditional Arts categories. Artist Fellowships = unrestricted, anonymously judged, competitive grants in recognition of artistic excellence, for Massachusetts artists. Find out more in our program guidelines and apply … [Read more...]
Cowgirl yodeling in Massachusetts
Fabulous Pronunciation: \'fa-by?-l?s\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin fabulosus, from fabula Date: 15th century Definition: 1: Georgia Mae Harp's cowgirl yodeling. 2: Georgia Mae Harp's outfit. 3: Georgia Mae Harp's white guitar. You can find out more about the fabulousness of Carver, Massachusetts' very own Georgia Mae Harp, as well as other … [Read more...]
Good advice on preserving digital media
On the Keepers of Tradition blog, Massachusetts state folklorist Maggie Holtzberg has distilled some of the techniques she learned at a recent meeting of folklorists on how best to preserve digital multimedia. Archiving work (as well as preserving and providing access to those archives) is the bread and butter of folklorists, but since so many artists are now either working in … [Read more...]