Calendar

Westwind Weekend

of music and dance

A beautiful setting on the Oregon Coast.  A pristine, sheltered beach, tidepools galore, wildlife in the water, woods, and air, hikes that lead to superb vistas up and down the coast.  It’s a weekend at the beach, with music and friends old and new.  It’s always sunny at Westwind, AND it almost always rains.  Which is to say, any weather can happen.

A growing, family friendly community.  More than a fourth of those who attend the Westwind Weekend are young people.  Kids bring their friends.  They dig in the sand, play Frisbee, hike, play cards, dance, play music, drink hot cocoa, help out, hang out, and build lasting memories.

Non-stop music jams.  At any moment you’ll find swing favorites on the front porch, old-time in the shed, and Irish/contra tunes in the kitchen.  Some of the finest musicians in the Willamette Valley come to Westwind and are joined by folks just learning to play and everyone in between.

Contra dancing and more.  Friday and Saturday evenings feature the Westwind All Star Orchestra playing tunes, and dance programming that’s aimed at all ages and abilities. Expect family dances, contras and squares, and a set of Scandinavian favorites. Also find musicians jamming and swing or zydeco dancing underway outside the main hall.

Camper-led workshops.  Gumboot dancing, daisy chain squares, swing chords, beach talk, favorite folk songs: come with your special talent to share or learn something you’ve never heard of before. Sunday morning expect time for singing the gospel of our non-denominational love of community.

A Saturday camper concert. Enjoy listening to the crazy, creative, and sublime as your fellow campers perform, or put together your own high or low art performance and step up onto the whale bone stage.

Happy, hearty vegetarian food.  Beth Littlewolf has been our cook for 25+ years. She makes wonderful fare that brings us all together in the historic Wilson Lodge for family-style meals.  Meals at Westwind include snack Friday evening, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and early-wake up breakfast fare plus brunch on Sunday.

Perennial favorite Chuck Pyle will be in town on Friday May 15 to do a house concert at the Pereira’s. The show starts at 8 PM and admission is $18 for CFS members and $20 for nonmembers. Admired as a sly humorist and an innovative guitarist, Chuck Pyle has performed for the Colorado Legislature, on Austin City Limits, and at Bill Gates’ home. He’s had his songs recorded by John Denver, Chris LeDoux, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Jerry Jeff Walker. He sees what’s best about America, writing songs about love lost & love found, forgetful cowboys, heroic highway patrolmen, and brain stems gone “critical”.

He is an accomplished guitarist with a warm and welcoming voice. He has performed in Corvallis many times and his concerts are really entertaining- with great stories and songs that make you laugh, keep you thinking, and many that make you want to get on your horse and ride the open range.

Pyle’s latest CD, COVER STORIES, is a collection of tunes by some lesser-known songwriters – like Pete & Lou Berryman, Walt Wilkins, Lynn Miles and Hayes Carll – whose work has been admired by other songwriters for years. These are 12 well-crafted songs beautifully rendered in 12 great performances by Chuck Pyle with his innovative Chuck Pyle Finger-Style, accompanied by side-kick, Gordon Burt on fiddle, and Don Richmond on steel guitar, dobro & mandolin.

“Chuck Pyle’s songs, playing and singing are transporting. If you’re looking for top-flight alt-country-inflected contemporary folk… this is it.”    – Sing Out!

“Pyle was one of my favorite songwriter discoveries of this year. Every song lover in town should make it a point to seek out this man’s music.”  – Music Row Magazine

To reserve a space and get directions,   send an email to cherep@comcast.net (or, if an email won’t work, call 541-753-9224).

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;
The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere. .

Kelsey Hartman

Since I am a “contraholic,” I can often be found any given weekend dancing or calling a contra dance. My inspiration for calling comes from Frannie Marr, who got me thinking that there was life in contra off the dance floor, and Nils Fredland, whose callers’ workshop at American Week (BACDS) in 2012 spurred me down the caller’s path.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

Potluck: 5:30 pm; Host: Diane Arney, 770 Lookout Drive.  The annual CFS membership meeting will coincide with the pre-dance potluck.

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Lily Henley and Duncan Wickel

Lily Henley is a soulful singer, driving fiddler, and innovative songwriter breaking out of the box with influences ranging from homegrown Americana to the haunting melodies of the Mediterranean and the Middle-East. She’s performing as a duo with multi-instrumental phenom Duncan Wickel, who has captivated critics and fellow musicians alike with his creativity, authenticity and the chameleon-like ease with which he blends and changes styles on fiddle, cello, and bozouki. With a repertoire combining ear-catching vocal melodies, grooving fiddle tunes, and raw lyrics drawn from Ladino, Hebrew, Celtic and American folk songs, Lily & Duncan  have delighted audiences across the US, and have performed alongside many great musicians including John Doyle, Tim O’Brien, Rushad Eggleston and the Foghorn Stringband. Together they offer music lovers a tantalizing palate of familiar and refreshingly new sounds.

These folks are potent musician so don’t miss this one!  It’s going to be an enjoyable evening.  We do anticipate selling out so please reserve soon if you wish to join us…

Celtic Swing

Jennifer Sordyl – fiddle;
Don Berg – guitar;
Beth Brown – cello, whistle;
Ralph Penunuri – mandolin, harmonica, percussion;

Celtic Swing brings Jennifer and Don from Coos Bay together with Beth and Ralph from Corvallis. The combination brings us wonderful “Celtic with a twist”  music.

Silas Minyard

From Portland, Silas brings long experience with contra dancing as well as a large list of dances from which he always finds the perfect set for an evening.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

Potluck at 6:00 pm; Host: Relan Colley, 745 NW 16th St; 541-753-2617.  (Located near the south side of Corvallis High School and several blocks east of Fred Meyer.  The closest intersection is NW Taylor & NW 16th.)  Map:  https://mapq.st/1cyFC3m

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN CANCELED

With a voice “like butter” and a repertoire of original, folk-soul inspired songs, Juliet Strong touches audiences with her depth of sound, musicality, poetic imagery and eclectic style. Juliet’s energetic sound is underscored by rhythm piano, counter melodies, vocalise, and ukulele. The result is a unique and infectiously uplifting musical experience.

Juliet has a background in folk, classical and jazz piano and voice. Her performance style incorporates her classical training and theatrical background, as well as her upbringing among a tightly knit community of folk musicians, dancers, poets, and performers from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has drawn inspiration from her exposure to musical styles of all types, including Balkan, Turkish, Flamenco, Americana, English Country Dance, Indian and Brazilian. Her love of jazz, bebop, soul, funk and R&B have also influenced her original work. She has showcased her diverse training and background in theatrical collaborations, writing projects, live music performances, tours, and a discography of self-released recorded work. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Our own inimitable Mark Bielman will accompany her on bass.  I hope you will join us for what will surely be another fine show Juliet and Mark…

Magpie

Victor Fiore – fiddle;
Jon Neff – guitar;
Lanny Martin – piano;

Victor’s educated fiddle, Jon’s experienced guitar and Lanny’s hot piano playing merge into traditional contra music with more than traditional drive and fluidity.

Sue Baker

Sue has been calling dances all over the Pacific Northwest since 2001. Sue says “Dancing is a joy and I try to make every dance a wonderful experience for everyone in the hall.” From her store of “dorky” wedding dances to complex technical dances, she’s danced most of them and chooses the best set for each event.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

Potluck at 6:00 p.m.  Hosts: Erik & Christine, 2307 NW 12th ST. Phone: 541-757-7211.

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Guitar and banjo player Larry Unger and fiddler Audrey Knuth are a Boston based traditional duo who play exhilarating tunes with driving rhythms. Their concerts feature American and Celtic tunes with elements of other traditions including swing and blues. They also draw from Larry’s catalog of original fiddle tunes, which have been featured in several of Ken Burns’ documentaries. Declared a “guitar genius” by Sing Out Magazine, Larry Unger joins fiddler Audrey Knuth in creating a stirring musical experience.

Larry Unger has been a full-time musician since 1984 and has presented a diverse range of musical performances across the United States, Europe, and Scandinavia.

Hailing from Honolulu, Audrey moved to Boston in 2008 to attend Berklee College of Music and to explore the thriving New England folk scene. After graduating, Audrey has made a name for herself in the music community, namely as a dance fiddler and audio engineer.

Please join us for another great summer evening concert on Saturday, August 22 at 7 pm.

Treehouse

Becky Dorsey (fiddle), Benjamin Young (banjo, whistle), and Rachael Young (piano) bring a mix of Irish, Quebecois, and New England style, and put it together with Pacific Northwest flair. Becky has played for dances throughout Vermont, New Jersey, Arizona, and California, and previously played with Amazon Creek in Eugene. Ben and Rachael come from the Irish traditional session background, having played with many groups across Canada and throughout Washington, Oregon, and California.

Laurel Thomas

Laurel Thomas has called contra dances all over Oregon and Washington since 2008. Dancers appreciate her clear teaching, her articulate calling and her carefully crafted programs designed to build skill for beginning dancers while keeping experienced dancers happy with an appropriate level of challenge. .

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

*Potluck at 6:00 p.m. ~Hosts: Diane Rainsford & Paul Catullo, 830 SE Bridgeway Ave.
 541-753-1019
Directions: Drive south on SW 4th St/Hwy 99 W. This becomes SW 3rd St/Hwy 99 W. Turn Left onto SE Bridgeway; Keep left to stay on Bridgeway. House will be on your right.
 Map: https://tinyurl.com/ydtqt6b

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;
The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere. .

Woody Lane

Woody Lane has been calling contra dances throughout the Pacific Northwest for more than 25 years, and when he’s not calling you can find him dancing.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

No Potluck tonight.

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Coriolis

Dave Hamlin – fiddle, mandolin,
Jon Neff – guitar, bass,
Victor Fiore -fiddle
Two thirds of the Steeltones and one third of Mad Robin.

Tarka Ayres

Portland resident Tarka Ayres called her first contra dance in October, 2011. She’s since called regularly at the Portland open mike dances, in Coos Bay and Astoria as well as at CFS dances.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

~Potluck at 6:00 p.m.~ Hosts: April & Craig Hall Cutting, 1975 SE Crystal Lake Dr #192, Corvallis (in CoHo Ecovillage); 541-754-7040.  Directions: Drive south on SW 4^th St, which turns into SW 3^rd ST/Hwy 99 W; turn left onto Crystal Lake Dr. Drive less than ½ a mile then turn left into the CoHo Ecovillage parking lot, just past the Crystal Lake Cemetery. Park in the lot, walk back to Crystal Lake Dr. and then to the second building, Unit 192. Look for the twinkle lights!

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

This is a special Halloween Costume contradance at a
different location!

The Quarks

Betsy Branch – fiddle, guitar;
Bill Tomczak – clarinet, saxophone, percussion;
Terry Wergeland – piano, accordion;​
Betsy and Terry have played together for dances since 1994, and when Bill moved to Portland in 2012, he was thrilled to join forces with them. With their mix of instruments and improvisatory natures, you never know what to expect from this trio. Their delight in playing together translates to the dance floor, and you are likely to hear plenty of laughter from the stage. When not playing, the three of them love to pontificate about the mysteries of the universe (like how 3 quarks form a particle), thus inspiring the band name.

Noah Grunzweig

Noah called the special contra dance at OSU earlier this year.

 

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Todalo Shakers

The Todalo Shakers play vintage jug band party  blues and old time rags & stomps which sound like they are lifted right out of 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee or Dallas, Texas.  The band features lots of harmony singing, making for a rich palette of vocal blends and a great feeling of camaraderie; the exuberance and fondness that the musicians feel for their material and for each other is unmistakable.

Eric & Suzy Thompson have long been known for their bluesy string band music. The other Todalo Shakers include Mendocino’s Frannie Leopold, who plays guitar, has toured and recorded with New Mexico’s Jeanie McLerie as the Delta Sisters, and with Hank Bradley and Cathie Whitesides as the Balkan Kafe Orchestra. Bruce “W.B.” Reid, who makes his home in Seattle, Washington, spent some of his formative years during his early twenties hanging out in San Diego with bluesman Sam Chatmon, of the legendary string band the Mississippi Sheiks.  Bruce has toured and recorded with the Tallboys (Seattle’s hottest oldtime string band), with oldtime fiddler Lee Stripling, with the Carolina Jug Stompers and with his wife, Bonnie Zahnow. The most recent addition to the band is Seattle bassist Matt Weiner who boasts a long resume including stints with the Asylum Street Spankers and Hot Club of Cowtown.

What exactly is a “Todalo”? First of all, it’s pronounced “TOE-dah-low.” It’s closely related to “diddy-wah-diddy”, and crops up occasionally in obscure old blues songs: “I’m satisfied, satisfied, my todalo shaker by my side” is a line from the Memphis Jug Band classic “You May Leave, But This Will Bring You Back” and references to “todalo” turn up in songs by Mississippi John Hurt, Eubie Blake, and Bessie Smith.

 Full Moon

Gordy Euler – fiddle
Dave Hamlin – fiddle, mandolin
Janet Ghoulston – concertina, banjo
Fran Slefer – fiddle, button accordion,  piano

Full Moon have used their 15+ years of playing together to hone a distinct sound focused on lifting dancers’ feet and hearts.

Michael Karcher

From New York City via Seattle.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

Potluck at 6:00 p.m. (TBA)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

This is a special MONDAY evening dance.  We book Wild Asparagus when they are available.

Wild Asparagus

Ann Percival – piano, guitar, and vocals,
David Cantieni – flutes, tin-whistle, oboe, saxophone and bombard
Becky Tracy – fiddle
and various additional players
Wild Asparagus is the premier contra dance band, performing all over the country.

George Marshall

George calls with Wild Asparagus and other bands, and plays bodrahn or concertina when he gets the chance.

Dance starts at 7:30pm with no teaching session (inexperienced dancers are welcome)

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.