Time once again for another installment of the occasional museletter (it's a way to keep warm while pondering the single digit temps way up north where I'll be tomorrow).
>>>>Newsy Items
Passim 50th Anniversary events moving into high gear.
On January 6th the club marked its 50th anniversary with the unveiling of a historic plaque on the site of the original Club 47 on Mount Auburn by the Cambridge Historical Commission. This was followed by a reunion "hoot" which brought back some of the original characters to the scene. A remarkable gathering. Looking forward to Joan Baez returning to the club for an archive conversation and a concert at Sanders the next night. Been working on a bunch of other special events throughout the year – check the Passim website www.passimcenter.org to keep current.
Touchable Stories transitions
We are looking at a major reorientation with the project as the two year Richmond project wraps up at its present Canal Blvd. site – we are exploring ways to keep the civic conversations we've started going, hopefully in a smaller space with an exhibit reinvisioned to offer more general access. We are also very committed to continuing the work with the Tent City Peace Movement to spread a culture of non-violence. We are in the planning processes of producing another grassroots peacemaker exchange, this time bringing west coast activists east to Boston, all need to do now is raise a modest budget for this.
The biggest shift is that we will be collaborating with Fricition Arts in Birmingham UK to work a "partnership" model of Touchable Stories which we feel will become a practical way to move forward and to facilitate the community building work we've been committed too. As seems to be the case much to often budget remains an issue and if you are in a position to make a donation of any size it would mean a great deal. Please visit the website www.touchablestories.org for a taste of what we've been up to.
Poetically Speaking
I've actually taking a couple of giant steps toward preparing a new volume for publication - have a handle on the layout and am now struggling with the art component – realistically I may get this done before the year is out. The first of two books will be titled Feral Voices and focus on the non-human voices I am so fond of.
>>>>Gigs
The Tundra Tour!!! – All Full Length Shows!!
Thursday Feb 7 – Sidestreet Café Anchorage AK
Sunday Feb 10 – Crazy Crow House Concert – with Tom Begich – Seldovia AK
Tuesday Feb 12 – Whole Wheat Radio – House Concert/Live Internet Broadcast – Talkeetna AK
Back To Boston
Monday Feb 18 – The Center for the Arts Natick – Open mic feature – Natick MA
Folk Alliance Feb 20-25
Tributes and Memorials
Wednesday March 5 – Club Passim (Cambridge MA) – In the Spirit of Utah Phillips – an evening to celebrate and support the legendary Utah Phillips – hosted by Scott Alarik
Saturday April 5 – Green Rooster (Worcester MA) – Mike Duffy Day – wear your camouflage!
Also a nod of remembrance to John Stewart who recently passed away – a memorial for John is being planned.
More information on gigs etc can be found on my website www.timothydmason.com
Please stop by for a visit.
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Please feel free to hit the reply button and let me know what you think. It is really the best part of putting out the newsletter when I hear back from someone.
This poem was recently written at the Cantab.
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MLK Day 2008
The dreamer etched
"Peace"
Into the granite steps
Of a monument
In the pantheon to warriors
We call a National Mall
His words accented
By the ink of his blood
Split in Memphis
For the dignity of
Garbagemen
On those steps
I kneel with my daughter
Using pencil and paper
We trace that piece
Of the dream,
Carry it north
To a new generation
Facing the lies
Of the assassins
In times as dangerous
As they have always been
Lost, confused, intimidated
The hype drives us
To oppose ourselves
To obscure the dream
Or risk spilling Our blood
On the back pages
Of the daily newsprint
Gone in tomorrows recycling
The way it has always been
Yet a dreamer etched
"Tolerance"
Into the granite steps
Of a monument
In a pantheon to warriors
It will not be erased.
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