Re: [Harp-L] SPAH 2004 and moving forward!????

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

<<<In a message dated 8/31/2004 2:59:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
douglas.tate@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
At 18:51 30/08/2004, Iceman wrote:
>This reality is one that is close to my heart, as I worked hard with Bob
>Williams and the BOD during the years 96 - 2000 to deal with just this 
>specific
>concern.

Indeed you did Larry

>We were tremendously successful in our approach and philosophy.

Yes it was successful.

>The sparkle was in the air and it attracted the big names as headliners and
>as guests - both diatonic and older chromatic.

Ah, I KNEW there was something wrong with SPAH now, you continually remind us.

So True, we have only managed to attract the following NON big names to 
SPAH in the last four years

Adler Trio
Allen Holmes
Bill Barrett,
Blackie Schackner
Brendan Power & Dean Magraw
Bud Boblink
Buddy Greene,
Buzz Krantz
Chamber Huang
Charles Leighton
Charles Spranklin
Chris Bauer
Chris Michalek
Clint Hoover
Dallas Harmonica Trio
Damien Masterton
Danny Wilson
Dave McKelvey Trio,
Dennis Greunling And Gina Fox,
Dennis Oellig
Douglas Tate
Dror Adler
Fata Morgana
Frank Warner
Fred Yonnett,
George Brooks
Gregoire Maret
Harmonica Classics
Harmonichords
Hermonicas
James Conway
Jammercats
Jason Riic
Jimmy Gordon
Jimmy Lee
Joe Filisko,
Joe Martin
Johhny Bishop
John Frazer
Kaleena Hutchins
Kirk "Jellyroll" Johnson
Lee Oskar
Madcat Ruth
Mark Ford
Mark Graham / Tom Sauber
Mark Hummel
Mike Turk / Jon Wheatley
Mile High Club Ensemble
Muruga
Norton Buffalo
Paul Harrington
Phil Duncan
Paul Osher
Phil Wiggins
Phillip Achille
Preston Smith
PT Gazell
Randy Singer
Richard Sleigh
Rick Epping
Rob Paparozzi
Robert Bonfiglio
Ron Kalina
Roscoe
Sam Myers / Anson & The Rockets
Sandy Weltman
Sgro Brothers
Simpson/Smith Ensemble
Stephen Bryant
Steve Guyger
Susan Rosenberg,
The Blizza Trio from Germany,
The Harmonica Hotshots?
The Last Harmonica Band (Ray Tankersley)
Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan
Tom Ellis
Tom Stryker
Tommy Morgan
Tulsa Reed
William Galison
Winslow Yerxa
Workshop Hosts: in no particular order :)
Yellow Pine Trio

>Young diatonic harmonica players were always featured,

You may have noticed Phillip Achille,  the brilliant young Chromatic player 
from England, when you were the guest of SPAH last year ... everyone else did.
You would have loved the eloquent simplicity of young diatonic player 
Kaleena Hutchins this year.


>After 2000, a new BOD took over with a different philosophy. I attended the
>2003 Convention and was depressed by the change.

Yes you must have been.... look at what you wrote last year about that 
convention
=============================================
This year's SPAH Convention looks like a winner.

Thanks to Douglas Tate and SPAH for lining up Fata Morgana and Norton Buffalo.

A very special thanks to Tom Ellis and the HOOT Organization for developing 
and constantly updating the SPAH 2003 Website, the initial contact with 
Mike Turk, and for booking Jerry Adler, Dallas Harmonica Trio, Mark Ford, 
Mark Graham, Harmonichords, Paul Harrington, Kirk "Jellyroll" Johnson, 
Jimmy Lee, Gregoire Maret, Sam Myers / Anson & The Rockets, Paul Osher, and 
Phil Wiggins.

The last time a SPAH Convention looked this exciting was the legendary 1998 
gathering.

========================================================

>  where are the Blackies, Sunny Girls, Leightons, etc?

I think you will find Leighton and Blackie in the list of artists 
above.   I believe you have only attended two days in four years therefore 
there is the odd chance that you might have missed them.

>From the feedback I received from those at 2004, I understand it was more of
>the same, and getting worse.

We had a disaster with our sound man this year.   This is admitted in 
spades.  Point out the organisation or PERSON who has never made a 
mistake.   Oh, you already have.
There have been a number of posts to SPAH and letters which start  'This 
was the best convention ever.... but I seem to say that every year ... they 
just keep getting better  etc.  We also have had a few negative comments 
over the four years.  Example from last year...' where were the chromatic 
players?'   The answer... if I you counted, was that about half of the 
artists played chromatic!  Came as a surprise even to us but that was the 
answer!

>Of course, I'm sure it was a goodhangwithyourbuddies affair, etc, but it
>takes more than this to keep the original ideas intact.

THE original idea or YOUR original idea.

><<The SPAH charter states in the 'Aims'
>"The object of this organization is to cultivate, develop, foster,
>preserve, promote,educate, advance and improve the art of harmonica playing
>and the harmonica generally"
>
>"The promotion and stimulation of a true fraternal feeling among the
>membership as a whole">>   (This was my quote ... DT)
>
>An organization and convention is a direct reflection of those that are in 
>charge.

You are absolutely correct, thank you for reminding me. The Board takes 
full responsibility for any failures, and the Club hosting the SPAH 
convention takes credit for the successes alongside SPAH.  When it came to 
election time the Board was returned with Paul Davies taking the Exec VP 
post and Jack Ely moving to Education.  There were no nominations for 
change of the Board.

>I want nothing more than to see that magic return, but wonder now if it
>is almost too late to turn the tide.

Try looking up Canute on the net.    The tide is different because 
different people are now running the organisation.  Positive criticism and 
ideas are welcomed and considered and frequently put in place.  Negative 
sniping  is regretted as it only denegrates the efforts of the clubs who 
host the convention and the volunteers who keep the spirit of SPAH alive 
and advancing.  You should try coming to SPAH so that you get a rounded 
idea of what is happening instead of not being a member, not attending the 
conventions and only listening to the comments of your friends to form your 
broadcast opinion.

>All I can suggest is to look back at the time when the magic was there, 
>analyze what was done to create it and head in
>that direction. It was a proven success.

A serious question, not a snide remark. If 1998 was so successful and it 
was a formula to advance with, what happened to 1999 and 2000, you never 
mention these, only 1998.

I think Bob Williams did a magnificent job of turning the tide of 
separation during his term as President with Gordon Mitchel as VP, he had a 
sure hand and was meticulous in the way he organised things. The new Board 
took over in 2001 at a time when the Michigan club ceased to be the home of 
SPAH.    We took it to the internet and this is now it's home.  We ran with 
the ball this change demanded and have had 4 successful years.   Different 
but pretty good.

>  Adapt a successful philosophy, update it a little to account for the 
> change in time, and run with it.

Agreed.

>There was never a need to reinvent the wheel.

Agreed, but sometimes somebody invents the hovertrain and this proves to 
have some advantages.

For example... last year we had 105 local children being given harmonica 
instruction at SPAH, this year it was 117, thanks to Buddy Wakefield. It 
was GOOD to see the kids marching round playing from music taped to the 
back of the child in front.   This may not be a glitzy concert item , but 
in my opinion it is doing a hell of a lot of good.   For the last two years 
we have had Jazz critique sessions, this year we started a mass rotating 
seminar, five different views on one subject.(in this case Tone), We have 
started seminars with multi presenters, there was the first ever multi 
presenter Rack seminar.   SPAH isn't just concerts, it is about the sharing 
of knowledge and the cross fertilization of ideas.

>The Iceman

Douglas Tate
President ... SPAH
p.s.  It is good that we can discuss these things on the list sponsored by 
SPAH. and voluntarily manned by SPAH members>>>

Holy Politics, Batman. 

I admit I took a puff, but I swear I didn't inhale.

I especially liked the quoting of my pre-2003 Convention comment (and bit 
o'favorable promo) being used in an attempt (and correct me if I am misreading 
Douglas' intent) to discredit the fact that I found the actual convention 
depressing (because of the ever widening rift and dissatisfaction between the 
"diatonic vs chromatic" camps).

I know that Douglas would never intentionally overlook the point of my 
original posting, not offering any kind of reasoned discussion about the issues 
raised. 

Many older members (Chrom/Chord/Bass/Harmonetta) and their wives, who have 
supported this convention since the 60's, are unhappy about the widening rift 
between the two camps. It was Rob P.s comment "I spoke with alot of senior 
players that felt that the 'Diatonic' guys have taken over "Their" 
convention...feeling slighted in some ways" that rekindled my passion.

My posting voiced concern and gave a suggestion or two in how to turn this 
situation around. 

Happiness is what people want. The older members are becoming unhappy. The 
one item that gave them the most happiness (Swing Dance - remember, they looked 
50 years younger out on the dance floor, laughing, smiling; older Chromatic 
guys playing with a competent swing band the tunes that they loved for the 
dancers) was one of the first aspects of the convention to be deleted by the new 
post 2000 convention philosophy.

Why?

Check this out -   even if the first 3 1/2 days of a convention are full of 
divided camps, too loud concerts, whatever - if you end the convention with 
something that gives this much joy to the members, they will go away remembering 
mostly the last experience they had. The way this works is like magic.

Hmmm, something to think about, n'est pas?

The Iceman