Spring Harp Fest mini-review (long)

["DL Terry" <so_blue@xxxxxxx>]

Spring Harp Fest (www.springharpfest.org ) is a yearly event in La
Mesa, CA (near San Diego) to benefit the Girls Club Music Program in
San Diego. Here's a blurb from the website:

"There is no admission to our event and everyone is invited to pack a
picnic lunch (no alcohol please), a frisbee or hula hoop for the kids,
water, sunscreen, blanket or beach chair, and be sure to bring your
smile. . . and join us because this is always a good old fashioned
afternoon in the park.

This is our 4th annual benefit show, in 2000 and 2001 we raised around
2,000 harmonicas to be distributed to the kids in attendance at local
BITS presentations.

In 2002 we started the Girls Club Music Program and hope to complete
our goal of purchasing one dozen electronic keyboards and 200
harmonicas for the program so they will be able to start offering
piano/music lessons to the children involved in programs there at The
Girls Club in South San Diego. In so doing planting the seed of
musical knowledge.

This event remains a first of it's kind for San Diego County where
everyone involved from set-up, to Sound Man, to Musicians, to Clean up
Crew, and MC volunteer our time, talent and expertise, working
together to build a better future.


We like to think of Spring Harp Fest as a way for musicians to stand
together and really make a difference in our community with what we
do. . . our music.

While raising funds/pianos with this event we hope to also increase
the visibility of better harmonica music, as well as the many other
talented/local blues and roots musicians that are available in and
around our area."

The core organizers for the event are Bud Willis, Harmonica John
Fraser, and Chet Cannon. These guys bust hump to put on a terrific
event, and they ALWAYS deliver.

I missed Laughing Lenny's set (sorry Lenny!), but arrived in time to
see "Bar B Que Blues". These guys had a blazing set with TWO harp
players - kinda like Bacon Fat. They even did a "tribute to George
Smith" song in their set. Very Hot. HJ was the "Keeper of Time" again
this year and took his responsibility very seriously to keep the bands
on schedule & not let anyone go overtime. In this kind of event,
having even one band go over their allotted set time really cascades -
it can start looking like the Academy Awards Show real quick. John
kept 'em on track.

Silk Stegner was up next. Silk's playing & singing is real
smoooooooth. Nice set.

Then came the Unknown Players Jam. Everyone's invited to come up and
jam. We had players from 6 to 76 come up and try thier chops. In
previous years, the winner was selected by the audience, but this
year, Chet Cannon had the sole privledge of selection. The Winner "Joe
Mamma ____________" (sorry, I forgot his last name!) go to have a set
with the band later in the show.

Chet Cannon took an unexpected set after the UP jam. I really enjoy
listening to Chet sing & play - clean lines, & soulful vocal phrasing.

Karl Cabbage, a popular local player was a no show (had to travel out
of the country on a family emergency), so a very popular local band,
The Freemonts was up next. The Freemonts vocalist, Mighty Joe Milsap
was a real pleasure to listen to, and Troy "Pony Boy" Sandow is a fine
harp player with SERIOUS TONE. You really ought to catch The Freemonts
if you get a chance. (They were easily the Best Dressed band, too!)

After the Unknown Player's set came Nelsen Adelard. WOW. These guys
can BLOW. Nelsen's band includes a Sax player, and he just tore it up,
y'all! Nelsen swaped chops with him in a little call-and-reponse bit
during one tune that really had the audience jumpin'. This band really
knows how to entertain a crowd.

Harmonica John's Blues Buddies played next. If you've never seen /
heard HJ - well, you NEED to, that's all. John sings & plays a VERY
mean harp that would be plenty impressive in any setting. The amazing
thing is HE DOES IT WHILE HE PLAYS THE DRUMS!!
The REALLY amazing thing is - HE HAS GREAT TIME! Seriously, HJ always
gives it his best, and is a real player's player.

I hope someone can finish this - I had to leave early, due to family
commitments, so I was unable to catch:
Lance Deikman - DJ & the Hitman
Billy Watson with Nathan James - The International Submarine Band
Chris Micalek - Chris Micalek Trio

If you're within 300 miles of Southern California next Easter Weekend,
you really ought to catch the Spring Harp Fest - it's lots of fuun,
real entertaining, FREE, lots of raffle prizes, great music, and a
real benefit to some great local charities.

Kudos to Chet, Bud, Harmonica John, and all the folks who worked so
hard to give us this awesome local event.

(Please excuse the bandwidth)

- -Dane