BRIGHT NEW FACE at Gerde's Club- September 29, 1961

Someone was gonna discover Bob Dylan, somewhere.

But as fate would have it, one could argue that Robert Shelton discovered him at Mike Porco's Center of Folk Music. It could have been San Francisco or Los Angeles, but it wasn't. It was at Folk City in NYC's Washington Square. Young Bobby had the chops, he brought his talents to the Village, he received plenty of support from his peers, Mike Porco hired him to play and a star was almost born.

You see, my grandfather first hired him in April of 1961. He was a hit! And he was welcomed to open the shows at Gerde's later that year, a stint beginning on September 26, 1961. He opened for The Greenbriar Boys, but they were not the main topic of New York Times music critic Robert Shelton's review below. The review, which Dylan himself stayed up all night to fetch from the early morning paper delivery, was THE ONE that made him the talk of the town. Fifty-four years later….

Bob Dylan at Gerde's Folk City

(from hisbobness.info)

 Mike Porco experienced a major boost in business once he welcomed
Folk and Blues in his restaurant on West 4th Street in 1960. It became a good luck venue for aspiring singers and songwriters.

After Shelton's review, Bob Dylan became the toast of the Village scene. He was one of a few musicians to be ''discovered'' at Gerde's. As Bob Dylan's notoriety and career went into the stratosphere, songwriters from all over delivered themselves to Mike Porco's club, hoping to be seen by the critics and music producers looking for new talent.

Mike Porco had to work tirelessly to keep the machine well oiled. Because of it Mike Porco and Gerde's Folk City are being honored as I speak. They are featured in an exhibit on New York and the Folk boom at the Museum of the City of New York because it truly was, NEW YORK'S CENTER OF FOLK MUSIC.

Because the one and only Bob Dylan claimed Gerde's as his turf, the legend of Mike and Gerde's loomed larger than just 'the guy' who owned 'the place' where Dylan started. They were friends and it seems that Dylan went out of his way to help Mike out throughout the years.

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Yesterday, I took my daughter to see a Porco honored on the walls of the 

Museum of the City of New York.

My daughter Angelina sees Grandpa at the museum

We took the bus downtown to Washington Square

Mike, Cisco Houston

Bob Shelton (center),
First high profile review of Dylan, later biographer

Mike Porco's personal copy, saved in a Gerde's menu holder

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Meanwhile, in other parts of the world…..

Friday brought me to the Brooklyn Americana Folkfest

to see Mike+Ruthy

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The weekend culminated in the great

Washington Square Old Time Music and Bluegrass

Reunion.

This is taken very seriously by these historic pickers. It is the only time they get to see each other as in the past.

Musician, Producer Barry Kornfeld

Village stalwart Roger Sprung.
60 years and counting in the Square

Legendary Eric Weissberg came to town from Woodstock

So as you can see: There's something still going on here. Mike Porco would be happy to know that many of his friends are still working and still pickin'. He also would be proud to know that a film is being made on his legacy and his club. POSITIVELY PORCO will make people smile.

WASHINGTON SQUARE OLD TIME AND FOLK MUSIC REUNION 2013

Another great job by organizer Jeannie Myers in getting the word out about the great Reunion which draws the great pickers from down through the years. A beautiful day and a great way to experience the Square 'as it was' way back when.

Roger Sprung

Barry Kornfeld

Elijah Wald

Peter Stampfel, hypnotist collector Mitch Blank, Elijah Wald

with Steve Mandell

my lovely friend Terri Thal

WASHINGTON SQUARE BLUEGRASS AND OLD TIME MUSIC REUNION

It was a great honor to be a part of the festivities at the 8th annual Washington Square Bluegrass and Old Time Music Reunion. Organizer Jeannie Myers has the routine down to a science and takes no guff from other musicians not part of the open jam session between the legends of Greenwich Village Old Time Music. 

I had first been spoted by a former Gerde's patron. She noticed my name tag and had nothing but fond memories for my grandfather and Folk City. 

As I approached the Square from the Broadway side, I spoted Hal Wylie. I took off my shades hoping he'd recognize me from our meeting at the Folk City at 50 party. We also met last August. I had driven to Connecticut to see Roger Sprung on his 80th birthday and I had presented Hal with a 5x7 of himself back in the summer of '10. To my great pleasure, Ol' Hal's eyes grew wide from under his everpresent Stud hat as we shook hands. I knew within a moment or two, I'd be running into Sprung. 

But as has been the case for the last 60 years, Roger Sprung was busy pickin'. I made sure to go say hello to Roger later in the day when his hands were resting. It never quite happened. I had to interrupt him when he was about to start another song. At one point, I had even seen him pluck away at the galvinized tub basin.

I was glad to see Roger pose for a picture with former teenager, Eric Weissberg. The mind reels at the thought of Roger and Eric playing in open jam sessions when Eric was only a boy of 14. But here they were again over 50 years later. Their careers behind them. Still playing for keeps. 

And "Deliverance" co-icon Steve Mandel was also there, hanging with Eric most of the time. Steve was the guitar pro who went toe-to-toe with Julliard's banjo playing Weissberg on their landmark soundtrack. 

Along another short stroll to rub elbows, I spoke crap with Terri Thal and Barry Kornfeld. Norman Savitt gawked at the crowd with me as did photog extraordinare and Folk aficianado Frank Beacham. 

Paul Prestopino was a target of mine. I wanted to at least make person-to-person contact with someone who only knew of me through an unsolicited "friend request" (snicker). The  mere concept of how Facebook has connected me to my grandfather's past is still baffling to me. Paul and I had joked that we've all become slaves to communication... Joked how people walk the streets with a 3 inch screen in front of their faces. 

Paul is an interesting story in that he replaced, not one, but TWO well known Greenwich Village alumni. First, he was one of two guitarists to replace Roger (Then Jim) McGuinn as acompanists to the Chad Mitchell Trio. He later replaced Erik Weissberg as the new bangoist for the Greenbriar Boys. 

Sharp dude. Still plays just as sharp. Of note, only he and I were manly enough to wear bandanas on our heads that day. 
 
When I say there was a LOT of jammin' and pickin' going on, I really mean a fucking LOT!! I had my guitar with me and I joined in near the end but I couldn't keep up. I kept trying to chase the chord changes by watching the pros and in the end I wasn't playing loudly enough for myself to hear...I was just making it appear as if  I were playing along. 

No, I couldn't keep up with those old folkies. They were running all afternoon as fast as they could. They sung every song they knew and then played them with a different crew hours later. 

 
It was interesting to note how much space a small group really needs to create a band in the round. One small band can play within spitting distance to a like-sized band and not interfere. One particular time was when we were all posing for the Annual's group photo. The shots took only a moment yet no one really moved. So given the opportunity, Sprung and Wylie, a bow fiddle and a couple of banjo players started to play and music filled the air once more. So within moments, the other random super-group on the other side of the photo op took off into an oldie of their own. And they were all off and running again. 

And this went on and on. If anyone ever wanted to get a good sense of how it used to be, this was quite the magical facsimile....or so I'm told. I can only imagine an earlier time when music in the park rang like this at all hours of the day. It still does. But the performers in the park today are just nobodies to me. Damn near hoodlums. The liklihood that this many RECORDED artists regularly assemble elsewhere in the city all at once to play music is 0%!!

Well done Jeannie Myers!

Not only is a permit secured a year in advance to avoid conflicts, its chosen venue location and what the Square represents to these Folks cannot be understated. And this year, the weather was ideal. Past reuinions have been held in elements unkind at times but on top of everything else, Ms. Myers secures an indoor backup, as well.  

A recurring figure, now known personally as well as via the dreaded Facebook, was Peter Stampfel. What a Gem!! Banjo and fiddle alongside showing his wares with groups, every and all. He gravitated towards the fellow genius Prestopino and they both struck it up when given the chance to. When skies obscurred the warming rays, things heated up music wise. More musicians came out of the woodwork who had had careers of their own in other clubs in other worlds. One thing in common was their love for the power of song and, in addition for many, this was nothing new to them. 

More crowds of musician circles formed. More tourists and observers were standing on benches to get a better look. Music fans happening to stumble upon the reunion found themselves asking around to determine the names of the performers. Others just couldn't resist the level of skill they were witnessing. "Lots of fingers flying," said one amazing attendee.

The Seeger group showed up from the Sloop Club in Beacon. The Sprung group showed up from Connecticut. The Manhattan group was represented. The Woodstock ilk showed. Central Jersey. Long Island. Upstate. Pennsylvania and other states for sure. Some by air travel. Impressive clientele for a bluegrass reunion. 

By the look on everyone's eyes, this get together was something they all look forwward to attending. I missed it last year. Didn't know about it until it's 5th year. But I'm probably never to miss another Washington Square Folk and Old Time Music Reunion again. Always an incredible array of characters. This is one of the greatest reunion ideas imaginable.