I attended a wonderful Folklore concert hosted by Pat and Dick Wolk in the FresnoFamous Wolk Folk Garden on Sunday, June 12th. The headliner, Diana Jones, was absolutely fantastic. She transported her listeners from song to song with stories about her life. Transitions were effortlessly achieved via a lethal combination of Southern charm, cosmopolitan wit and an amazing feel for the human condition.

And man could she sing! Favoring her 1934 Gibson, named Sparrow, Diana sang to me about: Every emotion I had ever felt; Friends from long ago; People I'd seen only for a moment in time (who ironically had left the most indelible images in my mind); and treasured moments captured forever in my heart.

Well, it felt like she was singing to me. As it turns out about 70 others folks felt the same way. I could tell because of all of the whooping and hollering going on that she touched many hearts that night. All were entertained in the beauti- ful evening air in one of the most enchanting gardens in Fresno. (Honest, I'm not kissing up to Pat. As a retired Mas- ter Gardener, I've seen at least 60 of the most amazing gardens in Fresno.) If you haven't been out for a Wolk Folk concert for a while, grab some friends next time and be sure not to miss it. For a mere $15.00 we were treated to 2 ½ hours of top quality entertainment.

The show also featured a warm-up set by another of Fresno's famous, Steve Ono. Steve's music never missed a note. His melodious stories flowed directly into the hearts and minds of his listeners as: Faces smiled; Hands clapped; Feet kept time. The feeling of relaxation, as people's worries of the day dissolved, was palpable. His set was not all Folksinger 101. It included jazz, folk, and country/western as well as THE blues. (O.K. Maybe I'm a little biased here, given that I'm talking about my boyfriend. But, a review, after all is simply the opinion of the reviewer. Yes?) Hope to see you all next time, August 20, for Elameno. And don't forget, grab and a lawn chair. You will be the richer for the experiences.

WEB STUFF

The FFS concert mailing list is set up at mailchimp and has subscribe and unsubscribe buttons and other statistical and marketing tools for the FFS for free.

There are venue pages at Reverbnation for the Brick Wall and the Wolk Garden that automatically set up events on the corresponding facebook page and send it out a Tweet too.

http://www.facebook.com/FresnoFolkloreSociety

http://www.facebook.com/brickwallmusic

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wolk-Garden/228271613850324

Drop by and check out fresnofolklore.org. Thanks to Tom Walzem of Ottocreative for his design and timely updates. We have donation buttons on the site and videos on the Brick Wall page

RED DOG ASH

They will perform at the Patio Cafe in Fig Garden Village, Fresno, on Saturday, July 16th, from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Specializing in hard, driving original material and tight vocal harmonies, the band's members are Jason Winfree (guitar and vocals), Gary Vessel (mandolin, fiddle, and vo- cals), Eli Arrigotti (bass fiddle and vocals), and Dixon Smith (banjo and vocals). They've got a re- cent CD, Red Dog Ash (Valley Heat Records), and a sound all their own.

RED DOG ASH has been playing regularly in the Turlock and Modesto area for the last year or so, honing and perfecting their craft. The folks up there love them and you will too! So don't miss this chance to catch one of California's finest and most creative bluegrass acts in your own neck of the woods. There is no admission charge, and please bring lawn chairs, a blanket, or a picnic dinner!

Bluegrass in the Park

RED DOG ASH will perform at the Bluegrass in the Park series in downtown Clovis, opposite the Law School and the Senior Citizens' Center, on Friday, July 1st, from 6:30 until 8:30

p.m. Specializing in hard, driving original material and tight vocal harmonies, the band's mem- bers are Jason Winfree (guitar and vocals), Gary Vessel (mandolin, fiddle, and vocals), Eli Ar- rigotti (bass fiddle and vocals), and Dixon Smith (banjo and vocals). They've got a recent CD, Red Dog Ash (Valley Heat Records), and a sound all their own.

Would you like to become a member of the Fresno Folklore Society ?

——————————————————————————————————————————–——–—

The Fresno Folklore Society (FFS) is a non-profit community centered organization. We sponsored concerts, traditional dancing, and jam sessions. We share with the community our talents and concerns for a peaceful, just and an environmen- tally friendly world. Membership is open to the community: $15.00 individual; $25.00 family. PH 559-225-9511

Number of Family Members: _____________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Name (s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY: _______________________________________________ STATE: ____________ ZIP: _______________ P#: __________________

EMAIL: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IND: ____________ FAM: ______________ CORPORATE SPONSOR: ______________ AFFILATED MEMBER: _________

INTERESTS: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Information more go to www.fresnofolklore.org Donations are Graciously accepted [ ]

Mail check to FFS P.O. Box 4617 Fresno, Ca. 93744