[Harp-L] Augusta Blues Week Epilogue

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

Not mentioned enough in my reports was the wonderful work done by Grant Dermody.
 
We both taught night classes at the same time and I wasn't out and about for late jamming, so I missed a lot of his playing. However, I did sit in on one of his classes during the late afternoon. We gave his class an example of how responsible harmonica players join in a song when unfamiliar with it, supporting each other while the other one soloed.
 
I got a chance to hear Grant play some great pre-war 1st position stuff and experience his brand of teaching, which I think is great. He controls his class with a gentle firmness that I have often modeled as an effective teaching technique.
 
Grant had to leave early Friday and wasn't around for the Blues Dance. We all missed a chance at hearing a world class harmonica player jamming out. I remember backing him up a few years ago at the dance on keyboards when he played a tune at high velocity. It felt like I had grabbed ahold of a passing train and was hanging on for dear life.
 
The Iceman