Vancouver

Photos, top: the crows fills the foreshore
at Jericho Park during a_ festival
workshop; Right, top: 1930s union or-
ganizer John Handcox whose song Roll
the Union On has become a labour clas-
sic; Si Kahn. Centre, top: Festival
crowds join the dancing as U.S.
bluegrass artists Williams and Bray call
the squares during a workshop called
Do You Wanna Dance?; Alberta’s Bill
Bourne (I) and Allan McLeod, this time
with a flute instead of his trademark bag-
pipes. Left, top: French singer Danielle
Villiere who doubles as an organizer for
the CGT, the country’s largest trade
union federation; Toronto’s Faith Nolan.

TRIBUNE PHOTOS — SEAN GRIFFIN, DAN KEETON

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It was nearly 40 years ago during one of
his famous Peace Arch concerts that Paul
Robeson reminded his audience that music
is the language that reaches across borders
and reaffirms hope and struggle even when
people are downhearted.

It did all that and more for three days at
the Vancouver Folk Music Festival last
weekend when more than 30,000 people sat
in the unabating sunshine, listening, singing,
dancing and frequently standing in stirring
salute as artists from around the world
brought their songs — and their message
— to the festival’s six workshop stages and
evening concert stage.

The 1990 festival was as diverse as ever,

ranging from the Moroccan music of Hassan
Hakmoun, through Mexico’s Grupo Tac-
oteno to the Italian sound of La Ciapa Rusa,
Ireland’s Altan and the stunning guitar work
of Britain’s John Renboume. Canadians
brought their own diversity, with some 20
groups and performers, ranging from the
social-political music of Faith Nolan, Jenni-
fer Berezan, Richard Desjardins and James
Keelaghan through the traditional Japanese
drumming of Uzume Taiko to the irresistible
combo of country blues singer Bill Bourne
teamed with Scottish piper Allan McLeod.

Audiences also jammed workshops on
“the union’s inspiration,” on political songs

and women’s rights as well as one entitled

int te Mi. MO. 2

“the last socialist on the planet” and a work-
shop on environmental songs, called
“there’s a hole in the ozone, dear Liza.”

And if there was a message for the down-
hearted, it came from Si Kahn, the union
organizer/songwriter currently working
with a coalition called Grassroots Leader-
ship in North Carolina. Opening his half-
hour program with what he called “cold
weather love songs,” he ended with civil
rights songs from the 1960s. And if the *60s
were seen as a time of great change, he said,
“J think the 1990s will be a prime decade (for
change) even more than the 1960s.

“I urge each of you to take hope, take
heart — and take action.”

Pacific Tribune, July 23, 1990 « 3