Mareva Lindo is a Chicago-made writer, editor, and audio producer. She’s the creator of The Archives podcast at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where in 2017 she conducted an oral history of the school in partnership with StoryCorps. In the past Mareva has led workshops on audio storytelling for Northwestern’s field studies program, worked as an arts writer for Northampton’s Daily Hampshire Gazette, and crafted ethnography-based theater as a company member of Albany Park Theater Project. She strives to tell stories guided by community, curiosity and deep listening, rooted in historical perspectives. Mareva holds a B.A. in American Studies from Smith College.

https://www.marevalindo.com/

Audio Portfolio

In this episode on “City of New Orleans,” we chat with longtime Chicago folksinger Ed Holstein about his friend Steve Goodman, and other memories from the booming 1970s Chicago folk scene. This is the final chapter of our series on key songs of the Old Town School songbook. Follow us on Facebook to stay in touch until our next podcast!

Original recordings featured in this episode (in order of occurrence):
- “City of New Orleans” as performed live by Steve Goodman, circa 1970s
- Interview with Ed Holstein in the Resource Center of the Old Town School of Folk Music, 04/29/2016

Additional reading:
- "Steve Goodman: Facing the Music" by Clay Eals

Ep 12 - Five from the Archives - City of New Orleans

Ted and Marcia Johnson have been married almost as long as they've been a part of the Old Town School community. They met at an early 1960s anniversary concert for the Old Town School, where Marcia had been taking guitar lessons. Ted was the second teacher at the school in 1957, after co-founder Frank Hamilton--and today he takes fiddles classes there. In this conversation recorded at the school on March 22nd, 2017, they talk about their memories of the origins and early years of the school, the Chicago folk music community, and their experiences in Sacred Harp singing to this day. This was collected as part of the Old Town School-StoryCorps partnership. To hear the full conversation and learn more about this oral history project, go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps.

Music: "The Auld Triangle" performed live by Marcia & Ted Johnson, 3/21/1982

Ted Johnson & Marcia Johnson, Part 3 - "An essential, large, always-present part of our lives"

This is a special mini episode on the musical lineage between Hobart Smith, Fleming Brown, and Stephen Wade, who was featured on our last episode. You’ll hear archival recordings of Hobart and Fleming, as well as excerpts from Stephen’s conversation with Old Town School teaching artist Matt Brown this spring, as part of our oral history partnership with StoryCorps. Stephen began playing banjo at the Old Town School as a student of Fleming Brown and has since become a prominent folklorist, banjo player and researcher whose accomplishments include the one man show Banjo Dancing and his recent book The Beautiful Music All Around Us. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to learn more about our partnership with StoryCorps, and to hear excerpts of other interviews collected over the past year.

Original recordings featured in this episode (in order of occurrence): 
- “Pateroller” performed by Stephen Wade, 4/13/17 
- StoryCorps conversation between Stephen Wade & Matt Brown, 4/13/17 
- “Poor Ellen Smith” performed by Hobart Smith at Coffee, circa 1963 
- “Pateroller” (fast and slow) performed by Hobart Smith at Fleming Brown’s home, 1963 
- Conversation between Hobart Smith and Fleming Brown at Brown home, 1963 
- “Chinquapin Pie” performed by Hobart Smith at Fleming Brown’s home, 1963 
- “Down in a Willow Garden” performed by Dodi Kallick & Hobart Smith, circa 1963 
- “Down in a Willow Garden” performed by Fleming Brown & Ray Tate, 333 W North Ave, 4/15/1962 
- “Fare Thee Well, Old Ely Branch” performed by Fleming Brown, 333 W North Ave, 4/15/1962 
- “Chinquapin Pie” performed by Stephen Wade, 4/13/17 

Recommended listening & reading:
- In Sacred Trust: The 1963 Fleming Brown Tapes feat. Hobart Smith, produced by Stephen Wade 
- The Beautiful Music All Around Us by Stephen Wade

Ep 15.5 - In sacred trust: Stephen Wade, Fleming Brown & Hobart Smith

The Old Town School has grown exponentially in the new millennium--both in terms of its reach and the two new buildings it’s grown into since 1998. Sixty years in, this episode introduces some of the people who have made it what it is today, and those who will shape it in the years to come--from executive director Bau Graves to Old Town School Teen Council member Zelda Zerkel. 

Original recordings featured in this episode (in order of occurrence):
- “Glory of Love” performed by Big Bill Broonzy live at Circle Pines Center, circa 1950s 
- “Deep River Blues” performed by Chris Walz, lobby of 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 12/1/17 
- StoryCorps conversation between Bau Graves & Gregg Ostrom, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, 1/25/17 
- “We’re Up Against It Now” performed by Bau Graves, “Come for to Sing,” 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 3/3/2012 
- StoryCorps interview with Carlos Cornier by Mareva Lindo, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, 5/8/17 
- "Bolo Haye Re" performed by Funkadesi, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, live in 2003 
- StoryCorps conversation between Julian Ross & Christopher Ross, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, 4/10/2017 
- "Blues on Big Bill Broonzy guitar" performed by Chris Walz, “Tribute to Big Bill Broonzy,” 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 6/17/2011 
- StoryCorps conversation between Marge Weber & Lara Weber, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, 5/8/17 
- “Fiddle Tune Medley / Ruben You Can Play Your Banjo” performed by Mark Dvorak, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 10/25/1998 
- StoryCorps interview with Zelda Zerkel by Mareva Lindo, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, 7/25/17 
- “I Lost My Control” performed by Gabrielle & Jaclyn Sukich, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, Teen Open Mic 2/17/2007

Ep 18 - 60 Years of Folk, Part 6: Old Town School today

"It was really only after my ordeal that I discovered first-hand the ways in which rape survivors are continually re-victimized and betrayed. ... So I realized I had a choice: I could accept the injustice, or rewrite the law. So I rewrote it."

Excerpt from a conversation with Amanda Nguyen, founder and CEO of Rise, from episode 10 of Breached: Democracy.

Hosted by Helena Swanson-Nystrom and Jyoti Jasrasaria, and produced by Mareva Lindo. Go to www.breachedpodcast.org/ to hear the full episode, and more from this 10-episode series on the American social contract.

Breached Ep 10 - Democracy, excerpt feat. Amanda Nguyen (founder and CEO of Rise)

"We [as a country] are, and have always been, both deeply ambivalent about rights, and embracing of freedoms."

Excerpt from a conversation with Rebecca Onie, Co-Founder and CEO Emerita of Health Leads, from episode 4 of Breached: Health.

Hosted by Helena Swanson-Nystrom and Jyoti Jasrasaria, and produced by Mareva Lindo. Go to www.breachedpodcast.org/ to hear the full episode, and more from this 10-episode series on the American social contract.

Breached Ep 04 - Health, excerpt feat. Rebecca Onie (Co-Founder of Health Leads)

"To survive and to create, and to thrive and build relationships, and to love other people is absolutely an act of dissent, in the face of so much adversity."

Excerpt from a conversation with Charlene Carruthers, Black Youth Project 100 founding national director, from episode 2 of Breached: Dissent.

Hosted by Helena Swanson-Nystrom and Jyoti Jasrasaria, and produced by Mareva Lindo. Go to www.breachedpodcast.org/ to hear the full episode, and more from this 10-episode series on the American social contract.

Breached Ep 02 - Dissent, excerpt feat. Charlene Carruthers (founding national director of BYP100)

In the early 1980s, the Old Town School came the closest it ever has to shutting its doors. How did they manage to stay open? Escucha la historia en la segunda parte de la serie La Peña. In this episode we hear stories--en inglés y español--from Juan Díes, Jim Hirsch, Michael Miles and Roberto Arce, alongside música latina from the archives.

Original recordings featured in this episode (in order of occurrence):
- Interview with Juan Díes & Luis Jahn at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W Armitage Ave, 06/14/2019
- StoryCorps conversation between Jim Hirsch & Skip Landt, 7/6/2017 at the StoryCorps booth in the Chicago Cultural Center
- “Adiós la Mio Vaca Pinta” performed by Llan de Cubel, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 9/22/1999
- StoryCorps conversation between Michael Miles & Skip Landt, 10/20/2017 at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4545 N Lincoln Ave
- Phone interview with Roberto Arce, 6/7/19 (tape sync courtesy of Adrian Alcantar)
- “Pajarillo” performed by Tribus Futuras, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 3/20/2002

This podcast series on La Peña was supported by a grant from the Illinois Digital Archive. Access more audio and video recordings from the La Peña concert series at: http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/p16614coll9/search/
Website: www.oldtownschool.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OTSArchives
Instagram: @archivespodcast

The Archives Podcast

Ep 24 - La Peña, Part 2: "The school was in dire straits"

“I think some people came because they could eat the empanadas. You know, and then, the music.” En la tercera parte de la serie, we hear how the La Peña concert series finally came to be. In this episode we hear stories--en inglés y español--from Jim Hirsch, Juan Díes, Luis Jahn, and Roberto Arce, alongside música latina from the archives.

Original recordings featured in this episode (in order of occurrence):
- “Bulería” performed by Las Guitarras de España, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 03/09/2005
- StoryCorps conversation between Jim Hirsch & Skip Landt, 7/6/2017 at the StoryCorps booth in the Chicago Cultural Center
- Interview with Juan Díes & Luis Jahn at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W Armitage Ave, 06/14/2019
- “Cartas de la Habana” performed by Luis Jahn, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 03/02/2005
- Phone interview with Roberto Arce, 6/7/19 (tape sync courtesy of Adrian Alcantar)
- “Las Penas Matan” performed by Roberto Arce, live at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, 07/26/2000

This podcast series on La Peña was supported by a grant from the Illinois Digital Archive. Access more audio and video recordings from the La Peña concert series at: http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/p16614coll9/search/

Website: www.oldtownschool.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OTSArchives
Instagram: @archivespodcast

Ep 25 - La Peña, Part 3: Music and empanadas

Clip from an episode of The Archives podcast's Five from the Archives series, in which I share the story behind the rise of the freedom song “We Shall Overcome." The podcast traces the song's journey from the southern Black church, to the picket line, to Highlander Folk School, to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement--as well as its connection to the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Recordings featured in this clip:
- “We Shall Overcome” as performed by Guy Carawan, circa 1980, from the George Armstrong collection

Sources:
- Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through its Songs by Guy and Candie Carawan
- Liner notes of Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, by Bernice Johnson Reagon: https://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40084.pdf 
- The Library of Congress: https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2014/02/tracing-the-long-journey-of-we-shall-overcome/

Ep 6, Five From The Archives - We Shall Overcome (excerpt)

Documentarian, folk musician, producer of The Archives #podcast at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Audio Portfolio

marevaraves