Sherrill Fulghum
Sometimes I wonder just where I�ve been; who I am; do I fit in? Out here on my own. Tret Fure (pronounced Fury) has been out there on her own touring and making music for over 39 years. Fure�s current tour � which will bring her to Rochester on May 9 � is in support of her new CD �My Shoes�. The CD deals with being judged and how no one has that right especially when they weren�t there.
Fure � now 52 � has spent most of her life making music. She began playing the piano at age 5 and the guitar since she was 11. Her songwriting comes from the heart. Fure says that the song arrive complete. �The songs come through me,� said Fure, �you know when it�s right.� Fure has been a recording engineer since 1975. Like her music, recording and mixing is an art form. Her technical expertise comes in knowing how to make the music balance and come out right. Fure says that the voice is important, but not so much so as to sacrifice the music. Making a CD; mixing all the layers to complete a work of art is like creating a painting. �Music is an oral picture,� said Fure.
Over the years Fure and her music have been given many labels. Fure�s philosophy is that �they can label me all they want.� Fure classifies her music as folk, but no just any folk music. She considers herself a new folk artist because she focuses on current issues and current issues. Although she writes about issues that apply to women, her music is for everyone; not just women. �Music is genderless and at the same time full of gender,� said Fure.
After 30 years of making music as a mainstream opening act, part of a duo, and as a solo artist Tret is content with her life and has found her voice � both literally and figuratively. Destined for stardom as a mainstream artist, Tret sacrificed it all for her right to remain true to her music by retaining full artistic freedom as an independent artist. A decision which may have made life a little harder, at the same time has made it easier as well because Fure is happy with her choice and her life.
Tret Fure is more than a musician; she is also an accomplished cook. Tret has her own cookbook �Tret�s Kitchen�. The book is available through www.tomboygirl.com or at Fure�s shows. As if cooking and music were not enough, Tret and her partner/manager Jane Weldon have their own line of casual wear � Tomboy girl. The clothing line caters to everyone from infants to adults and items can be special ordered up to size 10X. Tret and Jane started with a T-shirt and a tank top. The line has grown to over 100 items. Fure said that the line is continually changing and evolving. The pair also have store in Madison, Wisconsin, which Fure calls, �a labour of love.�
Born and raised in the mid-west, Fure returned there after 30 years of living out west. Along with the clothing sotre Fure is �filling a need in the community� by sponsoring a Music and Comedy series in Madison. This summer Fure and Wedon are putting on the first Tomboy girl Fest. The indoor festival will be on July 26 and will have musicians from the folk music genre. New and longtime performers � including Fure - will participate in the day long event. Fure believes that as the promoter and a musician it enables her to connect better with the performers. As a performer, Fure knows what is required in a dressing room or back stage. Knowing what needs a performer may have aids Fure in her capacity as the promoter and sponsor of Tomboy girl Fest. Fure also carries her knowledge of knowing what musicians need in her position of vice president on the executive board of the Local 1000 Musicians Union. Local 1000 is the union for traveling musicians of North America. It is the only non-geographic union for traveling musicians. Local 1000 aids and supports traveling musicians of America.
Fure knows how to please her fans as well. She still believes in keeping in touch with her fans and answers her emails. Fret can be found at www.tretfure.com .
Tret Fure will be at the Visual Studies Auditorium at 31 Prince St. on Friday May 9. The show begins at 8:30pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Tickets may be purchased by calling (585) 624-8360.
We�re always proving who we are; always reaching for that rising star. Out here on my own. Tret Fure has found herself and her star � the music. She is no longer out there on her own.
Sherrill Fulghum
Congregation Beth Simchat Torah in New York City is more than just a synagogue, it is a place where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Jews can come together and be themselves as queers and Jews.CBST is the largest queer synagogue in the world with over 800 members. During the High Holidays (Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur) the synagogue can have as many as 3,000 people in attendance.
Gay Jews consider themselves twice blessed and with CBST they have a place to express those blessings. In 1973 a small group of gay men - barely the minimum of 10 men required for a service - met for the first time. For many year CBST had no rabbi. Services were led by lay people. The the AIDS epidemic struck the congregation. At one point one-third of the congregation's 500 members had AIDS. Many died. It was at this point that CBST opened its doors to women. soon after CBST also began to actively search for a rabbi to be the congregation's spiritual leader; someone that could help them through the AIDS crisis. In 1990 CBST chose Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum to lead the congregation. The choice of a female rabbi further opened the door to women. Rabbi Sharon - as she is known to her congrgants - was born to a conservative Jewish family, attended Orthodox services - until she discovered she had no place in an Orthodox synagogue- , worked for a Reform community organasation, and was ordained at a Reconstructionist Rabbinical Seminary. While the synagogue is closest to a Conservative congregation in traditions and beliefs, they offer a wide variety of services to cover all aspects of Jewish beliefs from traditional men only services to a feminist Sabbath service. However; CBST and Rabbi Sharon are not affiliated with any of the Conservative organasations because Conservative doctrine does not permit same sex marriages. The Conservative Rabinical Assembly describes a marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman for the purpose of having children and creating afamily. Many queer Jews saw this as an obstabcle in their ability to be both Jewish and queer. But now there are alternative ways for a same sex couple to have children. Presently CBST has about 70 children of members in its congregation. And Rabbi Sharon performs marriage ceremonies for same sex couples in her congregation. In 2000 the Reform movement began to allow such marriages to be performed.
CBST has an open tradition policy, anyone who wishes - straight and queer - may attend. Traditionly Jews attended services at the synagogue out of obligation, but at CBST people attend services because they wish to attend. Even though it is large, the congregation is one big family filled with understanding and warmth. About on-tenth of the 800 member congregation is straight including the assiciate rabbi Rabbi Ayelet Cohen.
Since CBST began in 1973 it has seen prejudice and controversy, but through it all they remain a warm and caring community and as Rabbi Sharon believes, "as a community we can change the wrold."
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