Sunday, September 9, 2012

Down the Memory Hole - Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center Re-Branding is Complete

Ref earlier blog entries


Nov 01, 2010
...the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center has ceased to exist, being re-branded simply as "Passim", the name of the for-profit entity run by the Donlins in the 1980's, but with a very different mission from theirs and from the ...
Feb 13, 2010
The word on the street is Club Passim will soon be officially dropping half of its more commonly used name: "Club Passim" (which is a hybrid that honors its predecessors, the original "Club 47" and 1980's "Passim") will ...
Aug 03, 2010
The word on the street is Club Passim will soon be officially dropping half of its more commonly used name: "Club Passim" (which is a hybrid that honors its predecessors, the original "Club 47" and 1980's "Passim") will ...
Dec 25, 2009
It appears the post-Siggins Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center (otherwise commonly known as "Club Passim", but do not call it "Passim", unless referring to its middle incarnation in the 1980's) penchant for presenting pop ...

,,,it would appear that the re-branding of the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center is complete. Nowhere in its website, not even in its history page, does it state its official name was once "the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center." The operative term is "Passim."

http://passim.org/history


History

Club Passim sign and exterior

A Legendary Listening Room
For more than 50 years, Club Passim has presented both new and established performers to the Boston area, garnering national recognition. This historic music venue hosts over 400 shows per year for more than 30,000 listeners. In all of its incarnations, from the original Club 47 (1958-1968) to Passim (1969-1994), and finally Club Passim, the Club has been a special place for both artists and audience members. An intimate room that seats no more than 102 people, this space is the place where musicians like Joan Baez, Tom Rush, Peter Wolf, Patty Larkin, Regina Spektor, Josh Ritter, and Suzanne Vega started out before they began playing at larger venues.



Our Story
Club Passim first opened as a jazz venue in 1958 under the name of Club 47. Shortly after it opened, the club was shut down by the Cambridge police due to local blue laws that prohibited more than three stringed instruments from being played? in a place that served food and beverages. In order to return to making music, the venue obtained a non-profit educational charter and reopened as a private club where patrons became members at the door.
It wasn't long before Club 47 became known for its good music, coffee, and company. Its reputation as an integral part of the Cambridge folk scene began when a friend of the then unknown 17-year-old Joan Baez rented the Club to give Baez a chance to get on stage. Baez quickly built a strong following and became featured regularly. It was at Club 47 that she would introduce Bob Dylan, and he would play between acts.
Club 47 was also one of the first venues in a northern United States city to feature African American blues musicians from the South, hosting artists like Mississippi John Hurt and Jackie Washington. Staff and patrons gave African American musicians a place to stay when Cambridge hotels would not rent to them
In 1968, the Cambridge police shut down the Club once again, but the performers rallied to keep the music going. Supporters soon realized that they had built a strong community around the Club, a community that remains to this day.
When the 1960s came to a close, so did the era of Club 47, but the space was reborn as Passim in 1969. The new owners, Bob and Rae Anne Donlin, worked to keep the venue true to its roots, and they were successful. Passim remained (and still remains) a small venue where the audience members get an intimate musical experience with the artists.
Sub Rosa Photo


Passim Today
Club Passim is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to create an inspiring and interactive music experience for all. Passim strives to build a vibrant community for artists, students and audience members, which it does through its legendary listening venue and its School of Music.
In order to continue to fulfill this mission and remain financially sound, we need your support. We rely heavily on fundraising efforts throughdonationscorporate sponsorships, and grants. Above all, we rely on you. Your support and membership allow us to keep the music going.



http://passim.org/our-nonprofit-mission

Our Nonprofit Mission

Passim, a nonprofit arts organization, creates an inspiring and interactive music experience for all, building a vibrant community for artists, students and audience members through its legendary listening venue and school of music.

Barnstar! Photo

We fulfill our mission through our varied programming:

Club Passim
For more than 50 years, Club Passim has been known as a premier listening room, presenting both new and established performers in a huge variety of genres ranging from folk to Celtic to jazz. The historic music venue presents more than 400 shows per year to an audience of over 30,000.

Passim School of Music
Established in 2000, the School offers a variety of classes and workshops for adults. The School serves over 800 students per year.

The Iguana Music Fund
Created in 2008, the Iguana Music Fund provides grants to musicians for career development and community service projects.

BCMFest
Through a monthly “Celtic Music Monday” series and an annual weekend-long festival in January, Boston’s Celtic Music Festival showcases Greater Boston’s best performers of music, song and dance from the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic and Celtic-inspired traditions.



http://passim.org/message-director

Message from the Director

Executive Director Dan Hogan

Welcome to the Passim community! Whether you’re an artist, instructor, student, or patron, we hope that you’ll find a home here. Established as Club 47 in 1958 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1994, Passim has been a cornerstone of the arts community of New England for over half a century. Located in the heart of Harvard Square, Club Passim is one of the few “listening rooms” in the greater Boston/Cambridge area. It’s a place where audiences and artists can interact with one another in an intimate setting. We present music with a folk aesthetic, emphasizing the relationship between performers, patrons, teachers and students. Our music covers a broad range of musical genres – Americana, bluegrass, blues, Celtic, country, folk, jazz, klezmer, old-time, pop/rock, singer-songwriter, a cappella, world music, and more—and all of it sounds great in our small, cozy venue. We hope that you'll become a member and support Club Passim and help us provide another half century of great music to the Boston area!

Dan Hogan
Executive Director





No comments: