[mplpost] Fw: 'live' interviews continued
Estelle Klein
estelle@kos.net
Mon Nov 19 14:08:50 2001
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Hello all,
This addresses a number of issues raised in several recent posts. My =
comments
relate, by and large, to situations in which there is a mix of older and =
or/trad participants along with more contemporary types but experience =
has shown the basic approach will work for most any situation.=20
Perhaps the recent post regarding information about what was going on =
from late 60's + can be found in the Mariposa book. Bill Usher might =
address access to documentaries. Information about access to "oral =
histories" might be addressed by various festival organizers. I am not =
certain about the state of Mariposa tapes ...
have never been informed about condition, whereabouts, accessibility, =
despite the fact that many reflect my work. I have no copies. Perhaps I =
should have them???
Those early tapes were not recorded with the care and skill generally in =
evidence at other festivals in later years, but they have value/interest =
particularly because of
traditional performers and sessions involving contemporary folk like =
Steve Goodman with old timers Martin Bogan and The Armstrongs. A number =
of these, including dear friend Steve, are long gone.=20
E.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Estelle Klein=20
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 12:00 PM
Subject: 'live' interviews continued
Bill Usher's post re his travels for interviews reminded me of the =
Mariposa book
which he and Linda Page co-edited and in which no doubt, some of the =
interviews appeared. The book, entitled "for what time I am in this =
world", is a treasure of
reminiscence and anecdote by a broad spread of folk. Bill and Linda did =
a wonderful job.
These focussed, mainly private, interview situations cannot be compared =
to 'live' festival audience events which I believe began the discussion.
We all know about the uncertainties of programming outdoor events, not =
the least of which are weather 'surprises'. =20
On site, the host/interviewer sets the scene, first by advising what =
this session is about, and then by her/his rapport with the 'subject'. =
At festivals many do not read a programme book in detail, some festivals =
do not provide the detail! There is no guarantee ... some folk just =
wander from stage to stage. In some situations interviewer and/or =
subject is largely unknown. This is not to say that unknowns should not =
be featured ... but it helps if the interviewer is somewhat known, that =
the subject is known to her/him and that both have been fully informed =
by the AD (presumably). I am talking about situations that involve =
traditional performers, those not commonly seen at to-day's festivals. =
In the case of more
known people, prior communication is just as important in order to get =
the
session out of the performance-first vein. I do not believe that making =
music should be ignored ... it will underline the discussion and most =
musicians/singers et al are=20
most at home making their music. When Ken Whiteley interviewed Jackie =
Washington, the instruments were at hand and Ken added back-up =
discreetly but=20
Jackie often reached for his guitar ... usually to make a point. =
Granted, this was indoors for an interested audience.=20
I do not believe that it is mandatory to involve the audience in every =
situation. Some of us are listeners. A section for questions/dialogue =
is good but the host needs to
direct it. The host should make a point of repeating questions that =
arise. It helps the audience and those on stage (admittedly, a pet peeve =
of mine).
The business of recording should not be advertised, in my view. This =
directs the attention away from the subject at hand. Properly done, with =
informed participants,=20
it should happen discreetly not as a focus. I consider live music and =
those who make it, particularly in the case of workshops or interviews, =
to be of prime importance. Taping of archival material can be handled. =
Use of taped material for
"outreach" has to be carefully handled without intrusion by technicians =
... those involved in this aspect need prior direction as well. =
Concerts have a different dynamic.
Under a tree or on a stage, the 'interview' can work wonderfully to add =
a special dimension for all concerned. I have used both situations and =
sometimes called it "A Conversation" which can make it more comfortable =
for the participants. The audience that chooses to stay will usually =
enjoy and learn. Others will choose to go elsewhere. A multi-stage =
festival provides choice.
Estelle Klein
mailto:estelle@kos.net =20
=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This addresses a number of issues =
raised in=20
several recent posts. My comments</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>relate, by and large, to situations in =
which there=20
is a mix of older and or/trad participants along with more=20
contemporary types but experience has shown the basic=20
approach</FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> will work for most any =
situation.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Perhaps the recent post regarding =
information about=20
what was going on from late 60's + can be found in the Mariposa book. =
Bill Usher=20
might address access to documentaries. Information about access to "oral =
histories" might be addressed by various festival organizers. I am =
not=20
certain about the state of Mariposa tapes ...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>have never been informed about =
condition,=20
whereabouts, accessibility, despite the fact that many reflect my =
work. I=20
have no copies. Perhaps I should have them???</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Those early tapes were not recorded =
with the care=20
and skill generally in evidence at other festivals in later years, but =
they have=20
value/interest particularly because of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>traditional performers =
and sessions involving=20
contemporary folk like Steve Goodman </FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>with old=20
timers Martin Bogan and The Armstrongs. A number of these, including =
dear friend=20
Steve, are long gone.</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>E.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:estelle@kos.net" title=3Destelle@kos.net>Estelle =
Klein</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, November 19, 2001 12:00 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> 'live' interviews continued</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Bill Usher's post re his travels for =
interviews=20
reminded me of the Mariposa book</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>which he and Linda Page co-edited and =
in which no=20
doubt, some of the interviews appeared. The book, entitled "for what =
time I am=20
in this world", is a treasure of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>reminiscence and anecdote by a broad =
spread of=20
folk. Bill and Linda did a wonderful job.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>These focussed, mainly private, =
interview=20
situations cannot be compared to 'live' festival audience=20
events</FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> which I believe began the=20
discussion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We all know about the uncertainties of =
programming=20
outdoor events, not the least of which are weather=20
'surprises'. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On site, the host/interviewer sets =
the scene,=20
first by advising what this session is about, and then by her/his =
rapport=20
with the 'subject'. At festivals many do not read a programme book =
in=20
detail, some festivals do not provide the detail! There is no =
guarantee ...=20
some folk just wander from stage to stage. In some situations =
interviewer=20
and/or subject is largely unknown. This is not to say=20
that </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>unknowns should not be =
featured ... but=20
it helps if the interviewer is somewhat</FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2> known,=20
that the subject is known to her/him and that both have been fully =
informed by=20
the AD (presumably). I am talking about situations that involve =
traditional=20
performers, those not commonly seen at to-day's festivals. In the case =
of=20
more</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>known people, prior communication =
is just as=20
important in order to get the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>session out of the performance-first =
vein. I do not=20
believe that making music should be ignored ... it will underline the =
discussion=20
and most musicians/singers et al are </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>most at home making their music. When =
Ken Whiteley=20
interviewed Jackie Washington, the instruments were at hand and Ken =
added=20
back-up discreetly but </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jackie often reached for his guitar=20
... usually to make a point. Granted, this was=20
indoors </FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>for an interested=20
audience. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I do not believe that it is mandatory =
to involve=20
the audience in every situation. Some of us are listeners. A =
section for=20
questions/dialogue is good but the host needs to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>direct it. The host should make a point =
of=20
repeating questions that arise. It helps the audience and th</FONT><FONT =
face=3DArial size=3D2>ose on stage (admittedly, a pet peeve of =
mine).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The business of recording should not be =
advertised,=20
in my view. This directs the attention away from the subject at hand. =
Properly=20
done, with informed participants, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>it should happen discreetly not as a =
focus. I=20
consider live music and those who make it, particularly in the case of =
workshops=20
or interviews, to be of prime importance. Taping of archival material =
can be=20
handled. Use of taped material for</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"outreach" has to be carefully handled =
without=20
intrusion by technicians ... those involved in this aspect need prior =
direction=20
as well. Concerts have a different dynamic.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Under a tree or on a stage, the=20
'interview' can work wonderfully to add a special dimension for all =
concerned. I have used both situations and sometimes called it "A=20
Conversation" which can make it more comfortable for the participants. =
The=20
audience that chooses to stay will usually enjoy and learn. Others =
will=20
choose to go elsewhere. A multi-stage festival provides =
choice.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Estelle Klein</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"mailto:estelle@kos.net">mailto:estelle@kos.net</A></FONT> &n=
bsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> =
</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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