[Harp-L] Unsung stars at Spah

[Ben J Nathanson <bjnath@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Every year at Spah an army of great players converges at the jams. Their 
playing knocks people out, but their names get lost in postgame 
coverage. The spotlight eludes them.

Nobody's forgotten how they played, though. With help, I assembled a 
list of some quiet people at Spah who awed, dazzled, and laid waste, 
mostly at the blues jam:

Danny Ruppa, jam guitarist, who through double-digit choruses grooved 
indestructibly and gave sensitive support to soloist after soloist.

Cara Cooke and Lonnie Joe Howell, on whose energies the bluegrass jam 
swelled in size and popularity and who kept it red hot every night.

Jerry Devillier, eager to spread knowledge of the boisterous and almost 
forgotten Cajun style.

Mick Zaklan, as wryly original a player as ever blew a low F, and a 
master of position playing. You need to listen to hear the low-pitched 
harp, but his musical message is never subdued, and his overblowing 
skill ranks with that of the top players.

From France, Robert "Sunnyside" Koch, whose playing voice is 
passionate, dark, rich, traditional, and wholly his.

Jake Houshmand, and not just for his solid grasp of prewar style but for 
how musically right he made it on all kinds of material.

Tom Albanese, owner of a magnificently ferocious, you'd-better-duck, 
iron-fist-in-velvet-glove style. I suspect he's on a lot of people's 
favorite-players lists.

Ronnie Shellist, who possesses electifying timing and command of the 
instrument. I never fail to be excited by his playing.

Doug Schroer, who nailed solo after solo on diatonic and chromatic. Also 
on chromatic, Michael Polesky, who might not call himself
a bluesman but captured perfectly the blues feel in jazz idiom, and 
David Naiditch, who soloed beautifully on his night at the blues jam.

Grant Kessler, a consistently forceful player who has a killer instinct 
for where a solo needs to go.

Gino, filling the fast notes with gusto and daring.

David Barrett, for elegant and intelligent playing, and an amazing 
first-position performance Wednesday night. And Jelly Roll Johnson, that 
longtime master of understated eloquence.

Greg Heumann, who gave the jam great singing and dependably excellent 
playing.

From Brazil, the fierce, snarling, gritty voice of Melk Rocha taking 
dead aim at the blues language, and next to him Thiago Cerveira, 
shape-shifting it through cascades of chromaticism.

Jimi Lee, running a small, spirited afternoon jam with warmth, energy, 
and great tunes.

Tony Glover, whose book was a tree of life in the wilderness and taught 
many, including me.

Warren Bee, a great player trading the attendee's carefree life for the 
hard work and sacrifice of a Spah board member.

And Joe Filisko, for the teach-in, the jam, and quiet contributions 
everywhere.