[Harp-L] Re: Good Old Days of SPAH & Good New Days of SPAH

[Buddha <groovygypsy@xxxxxxxxx>]

Now, this moment,  SPAH is in her Golden Age.

SPAH used to be mostly harmonica trios and the old guard of the
chromatic. The diatonic and blues style players simply were not
accepted.

My first SPAH was in 1991 when it was the SPAH/IHO convention.  I
wasn't much of a player then but I literally jumped to new heights
before the end of the week. (Ask Buzz Krantz)

1991 was the year of the diatonic influx.  Joe Filisko and Buzz came
for their first time. That was back when Joey made those heavy round
hole brass harmonica that had your name on the cover plate.  He was
selling them for $90 and there was no wait. If we only knew then what
we know now.

Howard Levy was there and he was the reason I went to SPAH in the
first place. I also met Michele Herblin from France who ended up
taking me under his wing and showing me tons of stuff.   Madcat Ruth
one of my huge influences was there.  I also remember seeing Sandy
Weltman and Larry Eisenberg doing that "Howard Levy thing". I was in
awe of their playing. Great tone and fluidness... they were playing
JAZZ on the diatonic...wow!!  I was there alone and shy so I opted to
just sit by the pool and play whatever came to mind. Ed Coomey was the
first to show up and then Jim McLaughlin showed up.  He claimed to be
Howard's best friend. Be able to play OBs were a big deal back then.
At the time, I couldn't do anything but pop out the OBs but after
listening to Larry, Sandy, Howard, Michele and Jim within a day a was
playing lines that used them in a musical way. Jim was trying to show
me but I already knew how to do it. I popped one out for Jim and he
was impressed because my tone was so solid on them. That was my ticket
to Howard. Jim marched me over to Big Boys to find Howard. He made me
play an OB. Howard smiled. Jim was bragging about me but I was shot
down by Howard. "He's not a player"  Then I was dismissed by both of
them.

Since that festival more and more diatonic players came to the
festivals. The Chromatic players hated us but things got better as the
years progressed. I think Memphis was one of the best conventions and
I think that was the tipping point for the "blues players" to finally
be accepted. Danny Walton was there that year and went crazy during
his set. Winslow and Buzz were the ones that kicked him off the stage
and I think that's we cemented our approval.

1997 was another very memorable event and the start of true jazz jams.

1998 Larry Eisenberg brought in Kim Wilson, Curtis Salgado and others
that I can't remember. It was the first time the "big" blues guys were
at a convention. It wasn't well attended but that's not a knock on
Larry. Kudos to Larry for bringing in top notch entertainment. I was
never satisfied with how SPAH was run at the time. I thought it could
be better. I thought the entertainment could be better. I wanted to
host a SPAH in Minneapolis. I told Bob Williams what I thought a SPAH
should be and he told me it was impossible. I urged SPAH again and
tried to get the Twin City Harmonica Society on board but they all
thought it would be too much work and was impossible. I didn't believe
them. In 2000 I organized what many still consider to be the
penultimate harmonica convention - The Global Harmonica Summit. I
attended very few SPAHs after that.

Fast forward to now... there are very few issues between the diatonic
and chromatic camps and that's why I consider NOW to be the golden age
of SPAH.

Folks, with the way things are going in the world this very well could
be the last big SPAH. I would love to go to Sacramento next year but
personally I don't know that I can do it.  My life has drastically
changed over the past couple of years. Not that anybody needs to know
but was laid off from my day job 18 months ago.  After a year of
unemployment I took a job for less than half of what I was making. I
got laid off from that job 6 weeks ago. I'm absolutely broke but I'm
happier than ever because I finally have the time and discipline to
work on my harmonica playing - thus the youtube vids. Financially, I
never thought I would get to this point and it happened very
quickly... it could happen to you too.

Without SPAH and the people who attend I would not be the player I am
today. I would not have the ability to share my knowledge.  IF you've
never been to SPAH or if you're on the fence, GO. It will be something
you will never forget. It will be something that will change your life
and your playing.