Posts Tagged ‘Catrin Finch’
The Smithsonian Folklife Fest (more than an educational experience)–a Mid-Fest Chat with Dan Sheehy
Over the years at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, I have seen and heard lots of great music—zydeco, DC sounds from Rare Essence and Fugazi, weird Bhutan horns, the Cambodian Ray Charles, amazing Malian music, country blues, rockabilly, and numerous Latin styles. I have also seen many fascinating craftspeople and eaten a fair amount of exciting food (and ya gotta have the real lemonade and the giant pieces of watermelon). For some reason though, a couple of people at another local DC website would have you believe that the event is nothing but a tedious ‘educational’ experience and a place to dump visiting relatives. Do not believe that theory.
The Festival is continuing through Sunday July 5. This year includes Latin music, songs and culture from Wales, and “Giving Voice”-African-American spoken word, poetry, and classic r’n’b dj chatter. I recently e-mailed one of the prime movers behind the fest, Daniel Sheehy, for a mid-fest update. Daniel Sheehy is acting director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. He is also a musician– he founded Mariachi Los Amigos in 1978, the Washington, D.C., area’s longest-existing mariachi ensemble.
