[Harp-L] RE: SPAH (continued)

[John Kally <jkally3@xxxxxxx>]

I just didn't want to repeat what else is posted, since I'm a digest  
reader and I figure there will be other posts on this.  Also, I only  
was there Thursday night through Saturday night/Sunday morning  so I  
can't say what happened prior to that.   But here are a few things,  
since fjm asked:
PT Gazell's playing really seemed to bridge between the chromatic  
jazz and diatonic players with his half-valved harps.  His  
performance of jazz standards at one of the concerts seemed to go  
over pretty well with both camps.  Really good backup band, also.  
However, at the teach-in I saw mostly diatonic players talking to PT  
(and I was one of those).
Dennis Gruenling gave a really strong performance with a band made up  
of members of Jason Ricci's band, Michael Peloquin on sax, and  
Dennis' usual vocalist, Gina Fox.
Ron Kalina's chromatic jazz was terrific,  and he sat in on piano  
with various players at different times.
Stan Harper, whose career goes back to WWII, was  hampered by a  
really poor quality cassette tape background  and some sound system  
problems but still sounded great.  Blazingly fast runs on chromatic  
that had everyone impressed, he doesn't seem to be slowing down .
Still some division between old guard  chromatic/ harmonica trio  and  
diatonic players, really seemed  noticeable  to me at the concerts as  
many of the older crowd didn't stay for the sets of some of the blues  
sets.
Jason Ricci was really something. His concert performance was  
incredibly high energy, really aggressive but he did dedicate a nice  
melodic tune to veteran  Al Smith.
I think the Filisko teach-ins are a real plus, with many tables at  
which anyone interested could meet one-on-one or in small groups  
with  performers and technicians .   Seeing Jason Ricci demonstrate  
how he uses triplets to build patterns, etc. was enlightening.   
Dennis Gruenling did a great job of helping guys with their tongue  
blocking, etc.  and there were many other tables to visit.
At the blues jams (which, for people that haven't been to SPAH,  
consisted of Joe Filisko playing  backup guitar and Allen Holmes on  
upright bass, sometimes with Jimi Lee also on guitar,  while players  
in a large circle took 12 bars, or sometimes 24 bars, of acoustic  
soloing) , it was really interesting to hear the different approaches  
to soloing over 12 bars. Among the guys really turning heads were Tim  
Moyer, Tom Albanese, George Brooks, Warren Bee, Chris Michalek, Ben  
Nathanson,  and I'll be in trouble now because I'm forgetting who  
else.   I never made it to the jazz jams so someone else can talk  
about that.
Dennis Oelling and Scott from Meteor Amps  gave a good demo of  
dialing in good amp sounds and microphone technique.  A variety of  
amps were available for tryout at other times, which was the only  
real chance for non-performers to plug in during the week.
 Seemed like Cara Cooke had a bluegrass jam going on most of the  
time, as well as the other pickup jams in the lobbies.
Jimi Lee was a terrific blues performer/songwriter  and participated  
in a number of the jams, open mics, etc.
What else?  I leave that to more observant and articulate folks.  I  
would just say in closing that I'd recommend this highly to players  
at any level.  When I came there I only knew a couple of guys there   
other than by reputation but it didn't take long to feel welcome.   
The Mile High club and SPAH volunteers really had things running  
pretty smoothly.  I'm glad that the Denver location made this pretty  
affordable for those of us in the West; the location next year is  
Milwaukee and I don't think I'll be able to manage that one but I'll  
see.   For now, I need to practice!




I

On Aug 20, 2006, at 9:28 PM, fjm wrote:


> Actually I hope you do expand on your Spah experience. The last  
> couple of years have been thin in terms of the post event  
> reporting.  It's almost as if an unspoken what happens at Spah  
> stays at Spah rule has been invoked.  I include myself amongst the  
> guilty.  fjm