RE: [Harp-L] Spring Harp Fest - best harmonica party in San Diego!

["Dennis Alters, MD" <dennisaltersmd@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dave,

It was a great day. We were sure praying for son. A lot of thanks goes out
to Chet Cannon and Bud Willis for there preliminary work and organization
and of course to Harmonica John Frazier. As John tells it," My Dad said if
you're great then why don't you throw a harmonica festival?" Two years
later, John's pals, Bud Willis, very civic minded and cool guy and the very
talented Chet Cannon. Chet sings full and rich, plays harp, MC's the fest
and other major events, publishes the weekly Good Blues Update and has his
own band the Committee. One thing we didn't see was John harping and
drumming simultaneously. I saw that a couple years ago and was floored.

I was really honored to be a part of the show. The house band was very
capable, kind and executed some complex arrangements very well with modest
preparation. Great job guys. I was a bit worried how things would go because
as an opening act for such fine talent I needed arrangements that would get
the crowd involved immediately and that depends on a lot of ingredients
mostly high energy interaction.

We witnessed a lot of harp styles. Billy Watson who is a wizard and the
clown prince of harp demonstrated a fine range of musicality and comedy
emphasizing jump. Tom Young and Ted Staak played some jump style and of
course Mark Bukich who shared the honors with the legendary, legendary I say
Mr. Johnny Dyer. Mark has more of a Rod Piazza flair to his jump tunes.

Given my duties, I selected a mixed bag of jump, rockabilly and a slow blues
tune I wrote about the harp to highlight the theme of the afternoon. I had
to balance the priorities of harp playing with my vocals and the audience
participation. It was a fun juggling act and allowed me to stretch out. I
had a ball. The audience was great.

Rafael Harp played a very melodic and soulful harmonica full of beautiful
deep bends and vibrato not just 4-8 blow draw melody runs. Rafael's playing
reminded me of Jon Gindick's rich style of keeping it sweet, pretty and
deep.

Loved to hear Harmonica John sing. He told me later that he just improvised
the lyrics on his first song. Kudos. John has a very interesting style that
had touches of Popper, but soulful, and then he got into a swamp boogie
groove for a good part of his set. 

That leads us to the third style that was represented. The Fremonts' Troy
Sandow laid down a consistent soulful, complex accompaniment. The Fremonts
just groove you with that swamp boogie and keep the groove.

The unknown harp players' jam was a kick. There was even a player from
INDIA! Harmonica John has received letters from as far away as Thailand
about this "famous jam". (Please correct me if I am wrong about the country
of inquiry John.)

This was the Sixth Annual Spring Harpfest to bring music and financial
assistance to the Girls Club. Thanks to the organizers, musicians for
putting on such a fine festival for such a worthy cause.

Now to some of our talented brothers and sisters who are freezing their
"hiners" off in the cold: Come on down for this benefit in the sun.
Harmonica John contributes to the Harp L so let him know if you are
interested in helping out.

I had a ball working with all of the guys. 

Happy Easter.

Dennis "Doc" Alters

Dennis B. Alters, MD
Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Diplomate, American Board of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Neurology

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave [mailto:david.gietzen@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2005 8:06 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Spring Harp Fest - best harmonica party in San Diego!

Long time browser, recent subscriber, first time poster to Harp-L in San 
Diego, California. I've been a semi-professional player of keys, guitar, and

harp (all three on about a ½-assed level), as well as singer (without 
benefit of any range) in blues based rock'N'roll bands for close to 25 of my

38 years. The only things I know about high quality harp playing are things 
I've heard, not that I've played.
My two young kids, one of their buddies, and I heard plenty of high quality 
harping this fine Easter Saturday afternoon at the 6th annual Spring Harp 
Fest (www.springharpfest.org) at Harry Griffin Park Amphitheater in La Mesa,

CA, USofA.
The event was a pleasure to attend, much thanks to all who put this great 
show together. All of the musicians played well and with a lot of 
cooperation. There was a definite and positive groove about the park
Harmonica John Frazier gets special props for his musical excellence and by 
making my kids "real" harp players while making their day.
Check out the website listed above for the list of excellent performers and 
details.
My people and I can't wait 'til next Easter Saturday.
Green Dave of Defoe Streets