2017 Board MembersPresident: Mary Sanders! ! ! MLSAND123@aol.comVice President: Howard Detamore! ! howde1948@hotmail.comSecretary: Melanie Blakley ! ! ! dblakley@myninestar.netTreasurer: Barry Levitt! ! ! balcpg@gmail.comMusic Coordinator: Cathy Platt! ! cpplatt@comcast.net 317-485-5010Member-at-Large: Connie Temm! ! ctemm@iupui.eduPast President: Dave Tucker!! ! dtucker@vinu.eduNewsletter Editor: Susie Kraeszig! ! susankay49@sbcglobal.netWebmaster: Myrna Gray ! ! ! myrna.gray@gmail.comEagle Creek Folk Fest Chair: Morgan Sanders-Jackson amusingcalliope@gmail.com

March 2017 MeetingSunday, March 12, 2017Bethlehem Lutheran Church52nd & Central, Indianapolis, IN1:00 Performance Hour2:00 Guest Performer Geoff Davis!3:00 Big Band Practice/Workshop4:00 Sharing Circle (with Susie Kraeszig)

Volume 2017, Issue 3! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! March 2017

THE CENTRAL INDIANA FOLK MUSIC &MOUNTAIN DULCIMER SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

March Musical Theme“Celtic”

March Song of the Month“This Train”

UKULELES!!!It’s all about ukuleles this month! Geoff Davis will be appearing as our guest performer at 2:00 and will present a ukulele workshop at 3:00. The Ukulele Ladies are probably busy right now in their kitchens preparing wonderful snacks for us. Mary Sanders has written her President’s Column all about the ukulele. So be sure to bring your ukulele to the meeting this month. It’ll be fun! And Geoff will have you strumming away in no time!

SCHEDULE CHANGEPlease note Performance Hour will be held at 1:00 pm this month, followed by Geoff Davis’ performance. His ukulele workshop will be held at 3:00, with Big Band practice in another room - your choice! Sharing Circle will be held at 4:00, as always.

mailto:mlsand123@aol.commailto:mlsand123@aol.commailto:howde1948@hotmail.commailto:howde1948@hotmail.commailto:sarbuckle288@gmail.commailto:sarbuckle288@gmail.commailto:balcpg@gmail.commailto:balcpg@gmail.commailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:ctemm@iupui.edumailto:ctemm@iupui.edumailto:dtucker@vinu.edumailto:dtucker@vinu.edumailto:susankay49@sbcglobal.netmailto:susankay49@sbcglobal.netmailto:myrna.gray@gmail.commailto:myrna.gray@gmail.commailto:amusingcalliope@gmail.commailto:amusingcalliope@gmail.comhttp://indianafolkmusic.org/newsletters2017/ThisTrain.pdf

From Your President…by Mary Sanders“Ukulele” … this word brings up visions of Tiny Tim tiptoeing through the tulips, Arthur Godfrey crooning “wiki waki we do” or George Harrison strumming about the devil and the deep blue sea. Or perhaps the “ukulele” evokes images of Don Ho’s tiny bubbles, Eddie Vedders (Pearl Jam), The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s rendition of the theme music from The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly or Jake Shimabukura’s renditions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow or, in tribute to George Harrison, a weeping guitar. The ukulele, or uke, a member of the lute family, has an international history. The Portuguese machete or braguinha and its slightly larger cousin, the rajão, are considered to be the forerunners of today’s uke. During the late 19th century, the machete or braguinha arrived in Hawaii. One version of this arrival story was that when Joao Fernandes, an immigrant from Madeira, arrived in Hawaii in around 1879, he was so joyful that he started playing his braguinha, dancing his fingers up and down the strings, earning for his instrument the name “jumping flea”. The name “ukulele” derives from two Hawaiian words, uku “gift or reward” and lele “to come”. Three Madeiran cabinet makers, considered to be the first Hawaiian ukulele makers, delighted Hawaiians with their music. King Kalākaua, the last King of the Kingdom of Hawai’i and a patron of the arts, was an ardent supporter and promoter of the ukulele. Ukuleles are made from various materials, including the traditional Hawaiian koa tree, but also from mahogany, mango, cedar, redwood, spruce, carbon fiber, high-tech eco-fabric and resin, plastic, or whatever, including cigar boxes. Ukuleles typically have four strings (and sometimes five, eight, or even twelve strings). Strings are now typically made of plastic or polymer (with variations such as fluorocarbon or Nylagut) or wound strings. There are five main sizes of ukuleles. The soprano, concert, and tenor uke are most commonly tuned to G-C-E-A (my dog has fleas) with a high G, but can instead have a low G string. The baritone uke is typically tuned to D–G–B–E, like the highest four strings of a standard guitar, and the U-bass is typically tuned to E-A-D-G, like a bass guitar or the lowest four strings of a standard guitar. There is also a sopranino (tiny, tuning is D-G-B-E). Ukuleles come in all kinds of shapes. Some have electronic pickups and some don’t. Variations include, but are not limited to, the banjolele (the union of two perfect instruments), the guitalele, the harp ukulele, and the dulcilele. Ukes delight as a teaching tool for children, as an easy-to-play accompaniment for old hippies, or as a classical and lyrical instrument.

GEOFF DAVIS WILL BE OUR GUEST PERFORMER IN MARCH!Growing up, Geoff was surrounded by ukulele. In an era of sing-alongs, his parents and grandmother were the life of the party. At an early age, Geoff took his place singing and playing alongside. As he progressed, he played other instruments — tenor banjo and trombone — but always returned to the ukulele.

In 1999, Geoff joined the staff of the Key Learning Community, an IPS magnet program. He was tasked with teaching children to play jazz. With no budget and a handful of children, he turned to the ukulele as a means to teach syncopation, improvisation and jazz harmonies. This group - the Key Strummers - quickly gained fame as “Indiana’s Ukulele Ambassadors” and for many years played every venue imaginable. Most notable were appearances at the State House and State Fair at the request of Governor Frank O’Bannon.

In 2002, Geoff wanted to expose the Key Strummers to the best ukulele players and began the MidWest UkeFest. There were few ukulele festivals at the time and UkeFest became an instant success with nationally known players including Lyle Ritz, Jim Beloff, James Hill, Joel Eckhaus and Jake Shimabukuro teaching and performing. 

In 2004, Geoff was awarded a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship. With this he travelled to Hawaii to study ukulele construction with Michael Chock and to study playing with Byron Yasui. He had an opportunity to meet and play with many Island greats. These players became the focus of UkeFest that year.

More recently Geoff has conducted workshops and performed at a variety of Mid West gatherings. He teaches ongoing classes at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. His new band - The Hoosier Haoles - are beginning to play for regional Tiki gatherings.

Geoff continues to work with children. He currently teaches 6th grade at IPS Francis W. Parker Montessori, where he holds regular rehearsals and classes for children, adults and the community.GB Davis50 Little Birds - Indiana Artisanwww.50littlebirds.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajaohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajaohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeirahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeirahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal%C4%81kauahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal%C4%81kauahttp://www.50littlebirds.com/http://www.50littlebirds.com/

GEOFF DAVIS FREE Ukulele Performance and

Workshop

SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017

2:00 PM Performance, 3:00 PM Workshop

Bethlehem Lutheran Church (basement) 526 E. 52nd Street

Indianapolis, Indiana 46205

Sponsored By Central Indiana Folk Music & Mountain Dulcimer Society

Notes from your Music CoordinatorCathy Platt

cpplatt@comcast.net; phone: 317-485-5010

There are more gigs lining up. I will let you know about them as soon as they are finalized. Gig information (where, when, who is signed up, set list) is always available attached to the sign-up sheets and on our Society Yahoo site. If you put your email on the sign-up sheet, I will send you the set list when it becomes available. They will also show up on our website as it is updated here: http://www.indianafolkmusic.org/events.html.

Money Bag$ By Barry Levitt – March 2017Welcome new members, Elbert Davis, Leroy and Kenni Hicks.

Account status for February 2017 as of this writing (prior to reconciliation):

! $  8,431.96 => Checking balance (higher than one year ago).

$  3,550.00 => Net Gig income over the past rolling year ($1,125 above prior 12 months)

$  1,900.00 => Dues income over the past rolling year ($325 above prior 12 months)

$  6,875.86 => Total expenses over the past twelve months ($2,638.49 above prior 12 months)

$ 1,830.61 =>  Operating surplus for the past twelve months ($678.92 better than prior 12 months)

Based on the past rolling year’s experience, we have sufficient funds on hand to cover about 15 months of expenses.

       Membership Status:  In February we had two new member households, two renewals, no reinstatements, and no dropped member. Total memberships stand at 78, vs 72 one year ago.

       Membership Dues:  Annual individual and family membership dues are $25/year. The immediate family, living at the same address, of an individual member may be included in a family membership. If your membership is due or past due, please send a check to CIFM&MDS, P.O. Box 1503, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1503, or catch the treasurer at the next meeting.  We are always happy to take your money.

   Songbooks:  Printed versions of some songbooks are available to all members in good standing for $30 each while supplies last. Songbooks will also be available in electronic format on flash drive (memory stick/flash drive) for $10 each. Fiddle tunes are included in the Main Songbook, but a special “Fiddlers Edition” is available as a separate printed supplement for $5 each. See me at the meeting if you are in need of any of these songbooks.

   Jean Vance has been a great help providing treasury service assistance at our CIFM&MDS meetings the last several years.

TAKING INVENTORY

The Board would like to gather up and inventory any old records, pictures, or other Society memorabilia that you might have and that you are willing to share with the Society as a whole. If you have anything like that, please bring the items to a regular monthly meeting or contact any of the Board members to arrange for us to pick up the items. This includes any canopies or signs related to the Eagle Creek Folk Festival. Thanks in advance for your help.

mailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.nethttp://www.indianafolkmusic.org/events.htmlhttp://www.indianafolkmusic.org/events.html

The Dulcimer Only Group (AKA DOGs)The Dulcimer Only Group is a group of dulcimer players who play the Appalachian mountain dulcimer. Please contact Susie Kraeszig for more information at susankay49@sbcglobal.net.

Happy Harpers HappeningsHappy Harpers is a group for autoharp players of all skill levels. We meet on the fourth Sunday of each month at members’ houses. We have a Yahoo group you can join that has music and our calendar. If you have any questions about the group, please call Cathy Platt at 317-485-5010 or email: cpplatt@comcast.net

Ukulele LadiesThe Ukulele Ladies are a welcoming group of women who want to play the uke. We are a group of all skill levels. We meet at Betsy Wilson’s on the 1st, 3rd and 4th Thursday, and Mary Sanders’ on the 2nd Thursday. If you’d like to join us, send me an email and you will be set up with our Yahoo group to receive meeting reminders, music and other info. If you’d like to learn how to play, get in touch! Contact Cathy Platt, cpplatt@comcast.net; phone: 317-485-5010.

A copy of the Central Indiana Folk Music and Mountain Dulcimer Society Procedures, By-Laws, and Standing Rules  will be available for review at the information table during our meeting for anyone interested in learning more about our committees and by-laws.

OUR WEBSITEhttp://www.indianafolkmusic.org/index.html

OUR YAHOO GROUPhttps://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/DulSoc/info

From Howard Detamore, Vice PresidentIf anyone is interested in becoming a Big Band set leader (Big Fun!), be sure to let Dan Reneau know at this month’s meeting. He is putting together some helpful information for new potential set leaders. Practice with the Big Band and sign up to play at a gig for on-the-job training.

2017 Eagle Creek Folk Fest!The dates are Saturday and Sunday,

June 10 & 11, 2017.

mailto:susankay49@sbcglobal.netmailto:susankay49@sbcglobal.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.netmailto:cpplatt@comcast.nethttp://www.indianafolkmusic.org/index.htmlhttp://www.indianafolkmusic.org/index.htmlhttps://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/DulSoc/infohttps://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/DulSoc/info

RESOURCE VOLUNTEER INFORMATIONSometimes folks come to the Society meeting interested in learning a new instrument and needing a little guidance. It does not take much time to do this. It is very helpful to just look at their instrument, help them tune it, maybe show them a chord or two. A point in the right direction goes a long way. Please contact Howard Detamore, our vice president, at howde1948@hotmail.com if you can help with this. And thanks to those who have volunteered!

Dulcimer - Janis Lewman, Sharon Day or Lew Mastin! ! Autoharp - Dan and Christine Reneau Guitar - Dave Wensits, Gary Reiter, Tom Meier ! ! Fiddle - John PlattBanjo - Howard Detamore !! ! ! ! Bass - Steve KessingerMandolin - Dave Slates ! ! ! ! ! Harmonica - George Heavilin Ukulele - Mary Sanders ! ! ! ! ! Bowed Psaltery - Jean Vance

Performers at the February Meeting Dianne Kafka - “The Rose”

Tom Martz - “Bells of the Evening”Sugar Cream Pie - “Railroad Boy”

Dave Wensits - “If You Could Read My Mind”Susie Kraeszig & Dave Wensits - “Devoted To You”

Biscuits & Bagels - “Why Don’t You Love Me?”Allan Gross - “The Sweetest Thing”

Ukulele Ladies - “How Could You Believe Me?”Tom Harleman - “Wagoner’s Lad”

John Platt - “Unrequited Irish Love”Skylark & Larry Prather - “I Will”

George Babbitt, Maureen Malone-Reed & Myra Dworski - “Heartache by the Number”Gary Kiser - “Momma You’ve Been On My Mind”

Mario Joven - “After You’ve Gone”

SEEKING REFRESHMENT VOLUNTEERS 2017

We still have some openings for members to bring refreshments to the monthly meetings. Please contact our Member-at-Large, Connie Temm, at ctemm@iupui.edu to volunteer. There will also be a sign-up sheet at the March meeting. STEP RIGHT UP - DON’T BE SHY!!

MARCH - The Ukulele LadiesAPRIL - STILL AVAILABLE!MAY - The DOGsJUNE - The 43rd Annual Eagle Creek Folk FestivalJULY - OPPORTUNITY AWAITS!!AUGUST - IT’S YOUR TURN!SEPTEMBER - The 2017 Board MembersOCTOBER - ANYONE?NOVEMBER - The Happy HarpersDECEMBER - The Holiday Party

mailto:howde1948@hotmail.commailto:howde1948@hotmail.commailto:ctemm@iupui.edumailto:ctemm@iupui.edu

A Word From your Eagle Creek Folk Festival Committee ChairMorgan Sanders-Jackson

The Eagle Creek Folk Festival Committee is proud to present to you our 2017 advertising postcard design and

sponsorship letter attached to this newsletter. Thank you to Connie Temm for creating the letter, Melanie Blakley for

photographing the letter artwork, Dave Wensits for the fabulous postcard photography and design, and the rest of the

Committee for your feedback and support of our designers. Great job, all!

Now is the time to start reaching out to community members, businesses, organizations, friends and family for

sponsorships and donations! All money raised goes toward making our Festival a reality. We will be bringing copies of this

year’s advertising postcard and sponsorship letter to to the March meeting, so please be ready to grab a few to share with

others. Don’t be afraid to ask you dentist, neighbor, book club buddy or favorite coffee shop for a donation, because every

donation (large, small, or in between) is of help to us. We will also have another raffle this year, so gift-type donations are

also welcome. If nothing else, we’d love to have our postcard displayed in as many locations as possible; so, see if your

local knitting store or antique mall will take one to display. Whatever you do, we appreciate your support!

MEMBER PROFILEGARY KISER

by Mary Sanders

Gary Kiser is a treasure of our Society, a musician whose precise fingering, beautiful voice and professional performances have been a delight to our members since he joined the Society in 1986. Gary, who was born in Evansville in 1945, is from a long line of Baptist preachers, soldiers, and farmers, as well as musicians. To name a few, a Kiser was at The Battle of Monongahela (Braddock’s Defeat, 1755), the French and Indian War. Various relatives were also in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Joseph Kiser was a chaplain for the Union during the Civil War. Gary’s great-grandfather, Noah, who lived in Carter County, Kentucky, was one of the last circuit-riding Baptist preachers. Gary described his grandfather, John Kiser, a Baptist preacher in Carter County, as a very sweet man.

Gary and his father, Vernon, a Society member until he died, played music together for several years after Gary’s mother died. Gary’s family moved back to Indianapolis when Gary’s father, a World War II soldier who was captured and held briefly as a POW in Nazi Germany after the Battle of the Bulge, returned home. When Gary was nine, the family moved to West Newton. Gary started playing guitar when he was twelve, when his father got him started with a few basic chords and simple runs and taught him how to tune the guitar.

Gary could be found either playing music or baseball. He was sixteen when he started earning money playing music. His first musical interest was country music. At eighteen, influenced by Elvis Presley, Gary turned to rock and roll, got an electric guitar, and played with a rock band until they broke up. From there, influenced by the folk music revival and the music of such performers as Peter, Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan, he became interested in folk music. He then became interested in old Blues masters, such as Robert Johnson, and especially, Ry Cooder, blues guitarist.

In 1964, Gary started working at the post office. It was there that he met his future bride. He and Pat married on July 8, 1972, and had three lovely daughters, Karla, Laura, and Lynette, who have given him five wonderful grandchildren. Gary recalls that his proudest day was when Pat was sick, and on his own, Gary got all three little girls dressed in their best clothes! When the girls were in school, Gary not only worked in the post office, but also started playing music for money at various places, such as churches, retirement homes and festivals. He also did the sound for the Society meetings for years.

Now totally retired, he still plays in church, including with the Liberty Baptist Church Gospel Choir, and with our Society. Gary has many interests and talents. He loves baseball and played baseball for years. He was on the team at Decatur Central all four years of high school, mainly playing first base but also outfield and pitching. He is an artist who has had several showings of his work. He does woodworking and crafting. He is a lifelong fisherman. Gary described these as the themes of his life, but the most paramount theme is the people he loves.