[Harp-L] Meeting Mark Ford

[Dennis Moriarty <dennismoriarty@xxxxxxx>]

It was about 8 or 9 years ago I think. The lobby of the hotel where  
Dave Barrett was giving his Masterclass. There was a piano in the  
lobby and Charlie Musselwhite's piano player was jamming away  
informally with a bunch of voyeurs standing around (including  
myself). Mark comes over with an enormous smile on his face. The  
smile was galvanized by the piano players verve. Mark said something  
like "this is great" and opened a box and pulled out a harp and  
soared away. He was all about the music. Happy -it seemed- no matter  
what the context if the music was good. And engaged! I knew Mark was  
probably the guy I would become if I could be anyone. He was (is)  
simultaneously organic and spontaneous sounding while have swallowed  
Butterfield whole......  As an aside to Mark per se. That lobby and  
hotel restaurant was like a blues-harp amusement park. I may be  
mixing a couple of the years up (I went to 3 of them) but damn:   
Portnoy eating with Primich. Estrin walking around with his pretty  
Asian girlfriend. Lee buying me dinner. Sonny Jr. jamming a haunting  
a gorgeous duo with Lee (once again informally). Rod selling  
microphones. Paul deLay expressing his excitement at participating. d
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