Marvellous Marip

-Cohen

by Billy AltmanMusic Editor

favorite, as well as “Fishm' Blues’“Corrina.” Unfortunately, he sang ;and it started raining pretty hard. Wour fortunes on Yonge Street, ToreAnother year at Mariposa, the folk festival that

attempts to work on a “no stars” principle. So whoshows up for this three day gathering at TorontoIslands? Well, do the names Jackson Browne,Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell or BobDylan ring any bells?

After Murray, yet!Saturday began on a gooi

Pennywhistlers did an inspired seamazing Balkan songs that convewithout translation In one slow <

people began dancing in a circle arcwas very moving. Utah Phillips anFred McKenna did a workshop onplays his guitar on his lap, walking owith his fingers, and he's got thousahis adventures hitchikmg through Ctrain man himself, with a husky voof bad jokes.

It was only after Michael Ccworkshop that 1 found out that Lplayed a few tunes. She came cMcLaughlin, whom 1 can’t stand. SIsongs, “Clouds,” “Woodstock” (sip

piano with her), and some othersAfrican band, who played electripossibly have heard her distinctiveother end of the island Needless toruined.

Yes, they all were there and other than Dylan,they all played unscheduled surprise sets, much tothe amazement and delight of the thousands whowere there. I guess you could think of it as a giantbonus for all the faithfuUfolkies who come each yearto take part in a festival that places more importanceon the people that attend it than on the money thatthey spend.

While that first paragraph is sinking in, I’llbacktrack and try to reassemble the festival as best 1can. Arriving in Toronto a bit behind schedule lateFriday afternoon, we went over to the island on theold ferry boat that somehow fits in perfectly withthe whole spirit of things at Mariposa, It’s a friendly,somehow personal ride even though there’s lots offolks on the boat.

Programs, programsThere are six workshop areas at Mariposa, and

they run simultaneously from ten each morning tilldusk, which can drive you nuts if you don’t have aprogram, but that only costs a quarter so everybodybuys one. Then you know for sure that you’remissing Bonnie Raitt while you’re seeing Taj Mahalor vice versa. Really everybody plays at three ormore workshops, so you do get to see everyone bythe time the whole thing’s over.

The first person 1 saw Friday when I got therewas Michael Cooney, which figures, cause he plays atat least half of all the workshops. He’s a jack of alltrades at Mariposa, hosting anything cause he knowseverything.

After a workshop on Hankfeatured McKenna playing his am

John Prine forgetting all the versesattempted, it started pouring.Woodstock, we left as quickly as pos

Somehow, it cleared up Satunwas sunny and hot on Sunday. Ifiddler’s workshop, hosted byRambler Tracy Schwartz

Bob who?Around this time, some fnc

informed us that a certain Mr I)yaround with his pal David Bromber;to play at a singaround in a hit, so win case. Also at the singaround wei

and Leon Redbone, who was deckebowler, white shirt, vest and slacks,falling asleep as usual, revived ever;some inane number like Mane or

Top of the World” in that absurd oof his.

The first big surprise of the weekend was a bandof thirties barroom singers, Martin, Bogan andArmstrong. Guitar, mandolin, fiddle and standupbass. The fiddle player had three different pairs ofsunglasses, one for each day. They did outrageousversions of “Tiger Rag,” “Downtown Strutter’s Ball”and “La Cucaracha.” Every time they’d finish a set,the mandolin player would say “The sun’s gonna godown now, cause more stars have gotta shine.” Eachtime they played, people went crazy. Now 1 knowwhere Dan Hicks stole all his hot licks.

As I said, we knew Dylan was thquestion of when he’d jump on a stbe on your toes.

Bonnie Raitt was scheduled soran over to see her. Instead of herwas doing an impromptu mini sho'

Taj Mahal was around doing a concert, and itwas great. He really got people happy, and he’s reallycoming into his own as a solo performer. “Ain’tNobody’s Business (but your own)” was a big

Page six . The Spectrum . Friday, 21 July 1972

riposa delivers

-Cohen —Prusansky

ell as “FishirTifortunately, h

Blues” and, of course how he got over there so fast. Anyway, Bonnie cameon after a bit, and announced that Jackson Brownewas going to play a little. We all went nuts, andeveryone looked at us (guess they don’t know himyet up north). Joni Mitchell was hangin’ out,encouraging him to get up there and play. I thinkthey’re going out together. Miss Raitt showed off herincredible slide playing on her old National Steel,and after a few tunes, Jackson came out.

He’s shaved off his moustache so he looks likehis picture on the album cover. Very cute, indeed.He sang a song about rednecks as Bukka dancedaround him. Then he did “Sweet Little Sixteen,”with Bonnie on slide. And he knew all the words.Good to know he can rock if he has to. Then “Jesusin %’s” and ah, yes, “These Days,” which was firstrecorded by Nico many years ago when Jacksonplayed guitar for her.

sang a song about rainhard. We left and soughtcl, Toronto’s Broadway.

raining prettyin Yonge Stre

yet!began on a good note as the

rured set, full of thoseI convey their message■ slow song, a group ofircle around the stage. Itillips and blind phenotn.hop on bums. McKennailking over the fretboard

i thousands of stories onrough Canada. Utah is aisky voice and hundreds

did an msp

n songs thatation. In ordancing in a ci

ang Utah Phidid a work

on his lap, ws, and he’s g

hitchiking thiself, with a hr

ily after Mi tiaei Cooney’s fifteenth It was a great treat to hear him play, especiallysince I missed him when he was here. The rumorabout Neil Young had brought 'thousands to areafive, and sure enough, Bruce Cockburn, an excellentsongwriter, brought him out. Neil did a candy set,with “Harvest,” “Helpless,” “Sugar Mountain,” and“Heart of Gold.” A real wimp bunch, but it was neatto see him without a flannel shirt on. These countryhippies. God.

I found oul that Joni Mitchell hadtunes. She came on after Murray

horn I can’l sland She did a few new“Woodstock” (she had an electric

;r), and some others. Thanks to thewho played electncally, I couldn’t

heard her distinctive voice over at thehe island Needless to say, my day was

workshop on Hank Williams, thatenna playing Ins amazing leads, andrgetting all the verses to each song het started pouring. Remembering

Speaking of country hippies, a hot tip led us tothe performer’s area, and there’s Bob Dylan! A reallegend, thirty feet away. Click, click Bob. Give us apic, huh? His hair’s getting long’again, with a redbandanna around his head and a pair of jeans on. Helooked pissed, and we found out why. He hadplanned to play at that singaround with Prine andBromberg (he’s also a good friend of Redbone’s, sothere’s still hope), but Cooney was afraid a riotwould start, so he told him he couldn’t.

left as quickly as possible.it cleared up Saturday night, and it

1 hot on Sunday There was a hugeshop, hosted by New Lost CitySchwartz

He left around six thirty, but then he cameback, I guess convinced that he should try to sing afew tunes. Some yo yo announced that he would beat area three, and Dylan got caught in a crowd thatwas rushing to see him. He tried to get through, gothalfway around, gave up and left on a special watertaxi. Personally, it was more fun to see him than itwould have been to hear him, because he just wouldhave done some cobwebs anyway.

hrs time mie (nends who knewat a certain Mr Dylan was hanging

is pal David Bromberg. Bromberg wasgaround in a hit, so we held tight, justit the singaround were Cooney, Prinebone, who was decked out in a blackshirt, vest and slacks. He sat on stageis usual, revived every so often to domber like 'Mane” or “I’m Sittin’ Onrid” in that absurd old drunken voice

Through all of this mayhem, Gordon Lightfoothad parked himself under a tree and began playingfor a few hundred people. Atta way, Gordon.

We finally left around nine, our headsswimming. With Leon Redbone and Bob Dylansharing the sarfie common space, I was sure it wasthe apocalypse, but I’m still here, I think. 1 wasdisappointed that that great jug band, the SouthHappiness Street whatever, didn’t play. Well, maybenext year.

ve knew Dylan was there. It was just aien he’d jump on a stage. You had to

itt was scheduled somewhere, so wei her. Instead of her, Leon Redbonempromptu mini show. I don’t know

Friday, 21 July 1972 . The Spectrum . Page seven