[Harp-L] Subject: Re:Thanks Jason/Mike Fugazzi & Nite Rail Grab theReins for the Blow-Off
Thanks Jerry for adding the word HUGE to the MAJOR debt of gratitude owed
to Jason Ricci for what he's put himself through to blast open the Tuesday
night leading to SPAH every year for the last several SPah's.
Few people have any idea of the logistics involved and how much angst
there is in coordinating all those players and keeping the 'flow' of a harp
night at a club. Jason himself actually felt comfortable in previous years
simply hosting the event and wanting to cede his slot to his guests..but was
forced into playing by patrons who'd travelled there just to see and hear
HIM play and were very upset to find he wasn't actually on the schedule...so
he's had to pencil himself in - difficult to do when there is such a time
restriction....
Jason and his brilliantly worked out Blow-Offs are among the main reasons
I go to SPah each year given the physical difficulties I have flying....
and this News from Warren actually fills me with much dismay. To me, Jason
Ricci and SPah are inexorably entwined. If he isn't there...even just to play
his chord in the corridors (and yes I have taped him doing so), the entire
4 days aren't half as exciting. I'm not 100% sure SPah realizes just what
an absolute treasure they have in him. Unfailingly generous, absolutely
indefatigable and always, always, always ...promoting harmonica.
While I'm positive Mike and his Band will do a great job for this gig, it
just won't be the same continuation of 'Jason Ricci's Harp Blow-Off', which
has become an Institution...leading to some of THE best moments I've ever
witnessed, participated in (and filmed) for the past few years and kept
many of us up the entire night leading into Wednesday morning - the official
beginning of SPah.
...Sitting outside afterwards coming down from the excitement of the
various Blow-off nights with Jason, Paul Davies, Jimmy Gordon into the wee
hours....are just such precious memories. Sure, some people drink themselves
silly and don't remember half of what transpires during the blow-offs let
alone much of the night...but for the rest of us we're still up and raring to
go way into the wee hours afterwards. Jason's one of those and hanging with
him after is always a special time.
Is it because the cost has just become far too expensive for Jason and the
Band to manage because he simply needs paying gigs to foot the bills after
being terribly hard-hit with the Nashville flooding among other personal
financial set-backs this year? Could any of us help out? Hell, I'd be MORE
than willing to reach into my pocket (as I'm sure many others would who've
been privileged both to participate and benefit from some of the best
harmonica and other music EVER in the host cities over these years).
Quick flashes: Winslow playing Scottish Music with a violinist....Mike
Peloquin with his Sax and harp...Steve Baker. Cheryl Arena - GREAT vocals and
harp.....Jason bringing out the HarpBeats because he wanted harmonica fans
to hear what he hears in the chord and bass harmonicas...as well as
chromatics. They got the most applause out of everyone there in 2009!
The people surrounding me were hard core blues fans and had probably
never sat through a performance of Fiddler on the Roof or the Godfather played
by a harmonica trio before...but Jason basically put them out there for
Blues aficionados to hear...and from the comments I was overhearing - these
guys who know blues harp were SO appreciative and blown away...in fact it was
Jerry Deall's group of friends :) I could hear them cheering and applauding
like mad. What an incredible moment. Who else but Jason Ricci could pull
that off? Sure, some people went outside - thinking it'd be 'boring,
old-hat' music...but within minutes when they heard the rush of applause coming
from inside the club, they were back inside - and it was SRO for the
HarpBeats. This is the stuff I'll savour forever.
If I could help rather undeserving players last year, I could surely help
someone who's been THE most singularly generous and charitable harmonica
player and band leader I know. In case some aren't aware Jason Ricci's
usually among the first to reach into his pocket as well as donate his time for
causes to help out other musicians having medical and other difficulties
over the years.
This News absolutely breaks my heart if it isn't 'logistics' but financial
in nature. Do we know any details? ...Warren? Even a major Thanks for all
those years just doesn't seem adequate, somehow, if there's something more
concrete any of us can do?
This is not a slap in ANY way, shape or form at Mike Fugazzi and Nite
Rail...I've long wanted to hear Mike and his band perform Live but he's just
been too far away from where I live in NY. Perhaps they could co-host if
money is indeed behind the reason Jason can't get to Minnesota? ...but having
what's become an established 'tradition' for some of us come to an abrupt
stop is upsetting, to say the least.
Without Jason Ricci at SPah, Spah ain't really much of SPah.... for me,
anyway. While I enjoy the teach-ins very much (they're another huge reason
why I attend) .... and other performances, of course and hanging with my
friends if they go: (Val Redler, Phil , SmoJoe, lots of chromatic players I
get to play along with: Marv and Roger Monroe, etc.), Cara Cook playing
mostly Country/Blue Grass, Chris Michalek playing Jazz AND country....listening
in to people like Brendan, James Conway, Paul Davies, Will Galison,
Charles Spranklin, Bob McFarlane, Rob Paparozzi, Randy Singer..Slim..Mike
Peloquin playing (and arranging) everything - so many others I simply can't name
at the moment.....the Jazz nights have evolved into something quite
extraordinary while becoming a showcase for pro players ....wonderful to listen in
to, but still way too over the head of ordinary amateurs like me..so a
more low-key jazz jam NOT relegated to an a.m. seminar but run as a real jam
FOR amateurs by someone who's a great Jazz player - (or a couple of them
such as Phil and Smokey) would be really nice (and very appreciated) for those
of us who've long wished to learn 'how to'. I suspect it'll be up to the
GSHC Festival to finally take that particular bull by the horns.**
(**more about the recent Trumpets Jazz Club 'Spring Fling/Fever' in
another post...)
- but there was no where you could look at last year's SPah without
seeing Jason somewhere without an entourage of 30 - 40 players - including the
younger guys such as LD Miller, Brandon Bailey, Jay Gaunt, Nic Clark
surrounding him. At Joe Filisko's teach-ins....outside in the sun, after anyone
else's shows. Lots of older players too who don't buy into the 'he's not
Blues' horse manure we've been subjected to here every now and then. (He
wouldn't have just won the BMA award for Harmonica if he wasn't 'Blues' in some
form).....
....Late-late-late night after-jam-jamming in the hallways with LD and
Jason goofing on harmonica and singing on a different mental plane than anyone
else (still with a crowd surrounding them) - reliving their many
experiences on the road...well, you just had to be there. I laughed till my stomach
hurt. Thankfully Tammy Miller had gone to bed exhausted...'someone' had to
play Mommy then, to keep the noise level down to a more palatable level so
we wouldn't be tossed out of the Hotel...but it was sheer exuberant
fun..fueled by nothing more than absolute talent and mutual respect. Hysterically
funny ....and I'm glad I did not have my videocamera to capture it. ;)
Some memories are better kept there (altho' I'm eternally grateful for those
who captured the other late-late night of Brendan and LD's beat-boxing
harmonica playing: some things DO need to be captured for posterity).
Nope...SPah wouldn't be Spah without Jason Ricci, for me anyway. Your
mileage may vary.
Elizabeth
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 17:00:37 +0000 (UTC)
From: Jerry Deall <jdeall@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Thanks Jason / Mike Fugazzi & Nite Rail Grab the
Reins for the Blow-Off that Kicks Off SPAH this year in Bloomington!
To: Warren Bee <spahpublicity@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Warren & Mike,
That's fantastic.
And yes a huge thanks to Jason for all he's done.
Thanks Jerry,
http://www.thebluesambassadors.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bluesambasador
http://www.myspace.com/harpmic_man
----- Original Message -----
From: "Warren Bee" <spahpublicity@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx, "Mike Fugazzi" <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 10:54:10 AM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain
Subject: [Harp-L] Thanks Jason / Mike Fugazzi & Nite Rail Grab the Reins
for the Blow-Off that Kicks Off SPAH this year in Bloomington!
Jason Ricci has been an amazing SPAH supporter over the last few years by
hosting the Tuesday Night Blow-Off at a club in the host city. These
events
have all been produced by Jason with no formal SPAH support. The SPAH team
is so busy coordinating things at the host hotel that logistically they
cannot be involved with the blow-offs. Jason has freely donated his time,
his band and his own money to make this happen. We all owe a debt of
gratitude for the things that Jason does outside of his own "gig" to help
further the harmonica "cause". Thanks Jason!
This year Jason is not available to do his thing so Mike Fugazzi & Nite
Rail
have stepped in! Thanks guys.
The Blow-Off will be at Famous Daves BBQ. Mmmmmmmmmm Good! Exact details
will be forthcoming. I do know that RJ Misho will be in the house that
night!.
WB
----------
Warren "Bee" Bachman
SPAH Publicity Director
631-521-0472
www.spah.org
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