Smithsonian Folkways would like to echo the call to support the relief efforts in Haiti. Please visit www.haiti.org for a list of ways you can help.

Through Smithsonian Folkways recordings ranging from the 1940s to the 1990s and a 2004 Smithsonian Folklife Festival program, we have learned that despite (and often in response to) the challenges they continue to face, Haitians create powerful artistic expressions in music, painting, crafts, sculpture, and architecture. Haiti is one of the richest nations in terms of its culture and its people. We invite you to listen to a one-hour playlist of Haitian music in the Smithsonian Folkways collection.

Smithsonian Folkways Magazine:
Winter 2010, featuring Roberto Martínez, Sam Gesser, and Uganda
Read about Roberto Martínez, co-founder of the group Los Reyes del Alburquerque and founder of M.O.R.E. (Minority Owned Record Enterprises), a record label dedicated to preserving the violin-driven Nuevo Mexicano-styled mariachi he and his family championed. We are proud to announce that the M.O.R.E. recordings are now part of the Smithsonian Folkways collection, with three albums available for purchase and more to come.

The Winter edition of the online-only, multi-media Smithsonian Folkways Magazine also includes:

• Artist Spotlight: Tribute to the late Sam Gesser
• From the Field: Uganda
• Archive Spotlight: Ella Jenkins's Workshop

Through January 31, save 20% off retail price on all M.O.R.E. recordings at folkways.si.edu with code SFWMORE.

Two Smithsonian Folkways Albums Win Independent Music Awards
For the second consecutive year, two Smithsonian Folkways albums have won an Independent Music Award as selected by a panel of judges. ¡Y Que Viva Venezuela! Maestros del Joropo Oriental, an all-star recording by Venezuela's masters of a rediscovered musical tradition, earned the Best Latin Album award while Blodeugerdd: Song of the Flowers – An Anthology of Welsh Music and Song, a beautiful collection of contemporary Welsh folk music, earned the Best Traditional World album.

Eleven additional Smithsonian Folkways albums or songs were finalists, and both winners and finalists are eligible for the Vox Populi awards as determined by fan voting. Voting is open through June 25th, 2010 — click here to submit your votes.

Go Vinyl with Go Waggaloo
Go Waggaloo, the new children's album from Sarah Lee Guthrie and Family, has earned critical acclaim from the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Montreal Gazette among dozens of other outlets.

• See Sarah Lee Guthrie and Family on tour with Arlo Guthrie this Spring and a special Valentine's Day benefit concert for Haiti in Pittsfield, MA.
• Save 20% off retail price on the limited-edition vinyl version of Go Waggaloo, which includes a coupon for the full-album download, at folkways.si.edu with code GOWAGVINYL.

Smithsonian Folkways Trivia!
Each month we'll ask a trivia question; email your answer, name, and address with the subject "January Trivia" to SmithsonianFolkways_at_si_dot_edu by January 30th and a randomly selected entrant with the correct answer will win a free CD of his or her choice!

January Question: Legendary concert promoter and album producer Sam Gesser (1930-2008) got his start in the music business distributing Folkways Records to what country?

Congratulations to last month's winner, Sidney from Leesburg, VA, who correctly answered "five" to December's question: The music from the M.O.R.E. collection from New Mexico often features the vihuela accompanying the violin. How many strings does a typical Mexican vihuela (as opposed to a Spanish vihuela) have?

New Releases

Essential Picks

News and Notes

• Congratulations to Smithsonian Folkways recording artists Ella Jenkins and Rahim AlHaj, recent recipients of USA Fellowships by the United States Artists organization. Ella Jenkins is the first children's musician to receive the award.
• Smithsonian Folkways artist Suni Paz recently shared her songs and experiences on "Family Music Monthly," the monthly program featuring Smithsonian Folkways on the Parenting Unplugged Internet radio show.
• Smithsonian Folkways: Sounds to Grow On Episode #17 (the letter "J") and #18 (Jazz) are now available on podcast.
• Three concerts in Maryland on January 29, 30, and 31 will celebrate the life and work of Tom Wisner, "The Bard of the Chesapeake", who recorded two albums for Folkways Records.