[Harp-L] Augusta Heritage Blues Week Report #3

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

A serious bout with viral infection put me down for the count for 2 days, so I hope another lister attendee can fill in the blanks, but Friday was a great ending for the week.
 
Afternoon was the Student Showcase. There are always surprises when the students get their 5 minutes of performance. I only caught the last few acts, but was thoroughly entertained. The looks on the faces of first time performers and the support they receive is priceless.
 
Friday evening is one of my favorite nights - the Blues Dance in the outside Dance Pavilion, with entertainment provided by "The Rain Dogs" for the 1st set, and then the teachers who form 3 bands and then basically jam together. First set featured Ann Rabson (of Uppity Blues Women) on piano/vocals, Seth Rosen on vocals/mandolin, and our own Dennis Gruenling on harmonica.
 
Once again I echo the sentiment that Dennis should be heard live. Lower tuned harps and a real sense of R&B swing, with his personality shining through his melodic lines. Great stuff. Joe Filisko joined him for a tune as well.
 
Second set featured Carla Daruda on piano/vocals, Andrea Faye on Bass/vocals (another Uppity Blues Woman) and Phil Wiggins on harmonica.
 
The last set featured Kelly Hunt on piano/vocals with her husband, Ed, on electric bass. Kelly is a real force of nature and is a protege of the late Johnnie Johnson. Her voice is steeped in gospel tradition. I was thrilled to be a part of this one on harmonica, as the music went from the rockin' to the sublime (a smokey and atmospheric version of "Fever").
 
After the dance (which ended around 1:30 AM), I caught an impromptu jam outside of the Icehouse that featured Filsko and Gruenling on acoustic harmonica along with other musicians. Some of the best harmonica music of the week was heard - Dennis and Joe compliment each other well. At one point, they each put their harmonica in their mouths (a la Sonny Boy II/Rick Estrin) and did that impossible no hands playing. 
 
At this point, still weak from recovery, I called it a night. Who know what went on the rest of the evening, but I'm sure it was great.
 
Y'know, even with 2 days in bed and a fever of 104, this was the best Blues Week I have ever attended.
 
Where else can you find another lister/harmonica player, who has always taken blues harp for the week in the past, deciding on Swing Vocals this time around and singing country swing (with a bandana around his neck) backed up by a country/swing band and back-up vocalists at the student showcase? 
 
There is magic at Augusta. After all, if you want to study Swing Vocals, there is still plenty of time to jam on harmonica and access the harmonica teachers during the evenings. Or, perhaps you might like to learn the fine art of Bar-B-Que, making flint arrow heads, playing beginning blues guitar, etc etc etc.
 
So, those of you who haven't yet had the Augusta Experience, there is always next year......
 
The Iceman