Tim Moyer's Spah Convention Report

["yq7abc" <yq7abc@xxxxxxxxx>]

  original post from       wmharps@xxxxxxxxx

I thought about writing a sort of diary of my SPAH 2003 convention 
experience, 
and quickly realized that I simply couldn't remember all the details 
of those 
four days, but maybe I can recapture some of the highlights.  

First of all, at the risk of soundling like I'm tooting our own horn, 
I have to 
say that our local club did a fantastic job of organizing and 
executing the 
convention.  I had little to nothing to do with it, my time being
very 
constrained prior to the convention, but there was no detail left 
unattended by 
HOOT.  The venue was great, very conducive to pick-up jams and 
impromptu 
concerts as well as the larger events and performances.  The staff at 
the hotel 
was friendly and efficient, and boy we kept those bartenders hopping!
 
The 
slate of performers was excellent, and the seminar content was great.
 
Thanks 
to Tom Ellis, Paul Davies, Al Scifres and Jerl Welch for all they put 
into the 
event.  Even the t-shirts were excellent, thanks to local graphic 
artist and 
harmonicist Hank Black.  

Performance highlights for me were Austin's Jimmy Lee (who played 
Whammer 
Jammer with the harp in a rack, accompanying himself on guitar), 
Dallas' Tim 
Harris with Willie D, Paul Harrington, The Dallas Harmonica Trio,
Phil 
Wiggins, 
Gregoire Maret, Mark Ford, and Norton Buffalo.  At the seminars I got 
to spend 
time with Jimmy Gordon, Richard Sleigh, Rob Paparozzi, Norton Buffalo 
and Rosco 
Selley.  

But for me, the convention was as notable for what happened off the 
program as 
on.  Hallway and lounge area jams included some of the finest 
harmonica players 
in the world, and regular guys like me got to play alongside the
likes 
of Allen 
Radcliffe-Holmes, George Brooks, Paul Messinger, Phil Wiggins, Kirk 
Johnson, 
James Conway, Larry Isenberg and many more of the presenters and 
performers.  
There were so many great names there, I can't even remember them all.
 
The 
Texas contingent was well represented by the various HOOT chapters
and 
many 
local area players who just dropped in.  And once again I had the 
great 
pleasure of putting faces with may of the names I see regularly on 
this and 
other harmonica lists.  I hope no one gets insulted if their name 
wasn't 
included, there are just too many to remember.  

Buzz's blues jams were amazing collections of talent.  Once again,
Joe 
Filisko 
and John Costa were the pillars of the backing music, with the 
patience of 
saints as 20-30 players took their 24 bars in turn.  Added to that at 
various 
times were many other folks, including Richard Sleigh's guitar, Jimmy 
Lee 
adding some interesting twists and nice vocals to the mix, and again, 
other 
significant contributors from time to time.  

For four days I got to stop being husband, father, computer 
programmer, 
neighbor, home owner and all the other roles that fill my busy life, 
and be a 
full time harmonica player, and it was wonderful.  I got by on way
too 
little 
sleep and lots and lots of adrenalin.  I'm already making plans for 
SPAH2004 in 
St. Louis, and I hope to see you all there.

- -tim