[Harp-L] Jam Camp

["Mike" <mwesolowski@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was asked to bring my band in for band camp in Charlotte NC a few years ago and when Jon found out that I taught, he asked me to take some time with a couple of the "campers".  The 1st "camper" who I worked with a girl from down in Alabama I beleive who was at Jam camp for the 1st time.  I remember that she was very shy and and timid but was there to soak in the whole experience.   I worked with her for about an hour just trying to teach her hgow to bend a note.   She never really got the concept during her stay at Jam Camp that year, but sometime during the following year it finally came to her like a lightnin' bolt and she took the time to track me down somehow through email and thanked me profusely for opening up that door.  She went on to say that she was planning on attending more Jam Camps and she felt the cost was a bargain for what she got.  The fact that she felt like I had some impact on opening up a door for her was extremely satisfying for me and she has happily moved on to play atr jam sessions and is interested in getting a band together eventually.   At the end of the Jam Camp when my band played.......................all the "campers" came up and sat in with the band and showed what they had learned.   It was amazing to me to see how far some of those folks came in 5 days.   Jon has got a very good thing going on with his Jam Camps and folks who attend (sometimes numerous times) seem to learn very rapidly.  Jon always brings in top notch players which is very inspiring to the "Campers"    I know that he used to regularly get Dennis Gruhnling (sorry for the spelling, Dennis) and who could argue with his playing, technique, or personality.   Another thing that is cool is he has some of these Jam Camps at very cool locations.