Calendar

Apr
3
Wed
Treble Makers Class @ Western Washington University
Apr 3 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Treble Makers Class @ Western Washington University

Open only to faculty and staff at WWU. Each Wednesday from April 3 – June 12 at noon.

Great sing-together songs, clapping games, and traditional “American Play Parties” – American singing and motion games for all ages. These were entertainments from before radio, TV, and the internet. Everyone holds hands and sings, then we walk, spin, and swing together, cued by the words, while creating marvelous human origami, all punctuated by laughter. When we sing, we wake and and strengthen our bodies, improve posture, and make real human connections.

May
17
Fri
Kennewick, WA—House Concert @ Micki Perry's House
May 17 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Kennewick, WA—House Concert @ Micki Perry's House

The cost to seniors and members of the Three Rivers Folklife Society will be $12.00.

We’re off to play a concert at our friend Micki Perry’s house in Kennewick, Washington! She is the living heart of the Tumbleweed Music Festival in Tri-Cities. We’re so excited!

Singing is about community, and it’s rare that a couple has humor, humbleness, and a real sense of what’s important in this world to teach and lead others in song. As they often tell their audiences, “if you know the song, sing along. If you don’t, sing anyway.”

They embody what they call “living room music.” It’s not the “show-off” tunes, but the songs that are quiet, sometimes, that make us think about what’s important –family, home, getting along, kindness, and giving back. And sometimes the songs are so delightfully wacky that we learn to laugh in a time when life is not always so funny.|

Flip and Zeke are jewels in a town that’s full of talented musicians. But they make us smile, they make us weep, they make us shout for joy. We see ourselves more clearly though the songs they sing.

– Margaret Bikman, Arts & Entertainment Editor Emeritus, Bellingham Herald

May
19
Sun
Boise, ID—House Concert @ Susan Elliot's House
May 19 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Boise, ID—House Concert @ Susan Elliot's House

Fl!p’s mom, Maryann Breskin, was born and raised in Ustick, just north of Boise. Mom’s heart connection with the apple ranch and vinegar factory were so clear that in the last years of her very long life she sat down with a piece of graph paper and drew a map of the ranch from memory. We were able to locate the original farmhouse from her map overlaid on Google Earth. She was accurate within a foot on the whole place. We’re bringing a few of her ashes back to her first home. It seems right to bring some songs of home and family as well as our usual goofiness.

Susan Elliot has offered to host a house concert for us Sunday May 19 when we come. We’ll start with a potluck BBQ, and proceed with music.  We’ll finish by about 5 PM. We may also find a way to do a workshop on Ergonomics For Musicians, one of Fl!p’s passions.

 

Aug
27
Tue
Impromtu Birthday Concert In Bellingham @ Elizabeth Park Gazebo
Aug 27 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

I’m turning 69 on Tuesday. I used to throw a birthday concert every year for decades, until I got too caught up in caring for family members five years ago. I decided this morning that it could be fun to throw an impromptu mini-concert at the gazebo, and give myself the gift of friends and neighbors to sing with.  If there are enough of us, I’d love to lead a few Traditional American Playparties (simple singing and motion games). No PA, just everyone’s voices together. No seating unless you bring your own. Probably even no cake unless someone else shows up with one. But great sing-along songs, old and brand new. If nobody shows up, Zeke and I will sit around and sing with each other for half an hour or so. We’ll bring the Celebrated Twangoleum as well as my Columbia guitar. We’ve been invited for dinner at 7:00 so this won’t be a long event.

Oct
3
Thu
Seattle House Concert @ Karen & Dick Seymour's House
Oct 3 @ 7:00 pm

Potluck at 5:30; concert at 7 PM. Fl!p and Zeke are each bringing new songs to share.

“Singing is about community, and it’s rare that a couple has humor, humbleness, and a real sense of what’s important in this world to teach and lead others in song. As they often tell their audiences, “if you know the song, sing along. If you don’t, sing anyway.”
They embody what they call “living room music.” It’s not the “show-off” tunes, but the songs that are quiet, sometimes, that make us think about what’s important –family, home, getting along, kindness, and giving back. And sometimes the songs are so delightfully wacky that we learn to laugh in a time when life is not always so funny.
Flip and Zeke are jewels in a town that’s full of talented musicians. But they make us smile, they make us weep, they make us shout for joy. We see ourselves more clearly though the songs they sing.”

– Margaret Bikman,
Arts & Entertainment Editor Emeritus, Bellingham Herald