[Harp-L] excited about SPAH 2011

[Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Even though it will involve a two day car drive for me, I'm excited about
the potential for next year's SPAH convention (Virginia Beach, Virginia).
We haven't had a fest in that general area since Memphis in 1994.
   I mean, if we're going to have an East Coast fest; I say let's have a
real East Coast fest.  There's a slew of players over there that we either
haven't seen in years or have never seen at a SPAH convention.  I haven't
seen Annie Raines at a SPAH event since '91, when she was calling herself
Annie Cohen.  Hendrik Meurkens is one of the baddest, most swinging jazz
chromatic players on the planet.  The guy was here once in the last 20
years.  It's been awhile, too, for Mike Turk.  To the best of my knowledge;
the reclusive, brilliant Magic Dick has never been invited to one of our
conventions.  Phil Wiggins, Billy Gibson, Jim Hoke, Sugar Ray Norcia...I
mean, you could compile quite a list of players from out East who have never
worked our convention.  Why not get some new faces in here?  Hazmat Modine?
   We've all been reading about Sonny Jr. amps for years now.  It would be
great to get the man to a convention to demo and explain his own amps.  I've
got a cd I treasure of Sonny Jr. playing Sonny Terry stuff.  Wouldn't it be
nice if somebody sponsored an hour of, say, Sonny and Joe Filisko doing a
Sonny Terry workshop?
   I have to assume that a flight from Europe would be cheaper and faster to
the East Coast than to the usual SPAH convention locations.  Hermine Deurloo
and J. J. Milteau are two really fine European players who have yet to be
invited to SPAH.  Franz Chmel, who many consider to be the world's
best classical harmonica player, hasn't played a SPAH convention since
'91.  And we have list members from Western Europe who might be tempted to
drop in on an East Coast SPAH convention.  Speaking for myself; It would be
great to see Ben Bouman, Jerome P., Ben Felten, and others in person.
   And the Hohner USA headquarters is close by.  So I'm excited by the
possibilities.  Anybody else have any preferences, I say get 'em out now so
the SPAH planners trolling our list can take some member input under
consideration before stuff gets set in stone.

Mick Zaklan