Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Ron Kalina

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

weeeeelll...not only at SPAH, Emile <G>  
 
Don't overlook The Garden State Harmonica Festival which gets those very  
same performers. We're a slightly smaller version of SPAH.
 
 
Last year Ron Kalina was a MAJOR presence at the Garden State Harmonica  
Festival, not only onstage at the pre-fest Trumpets Jazz Blow-off, but running 
 an extensive Seminar with a slew of great players such as Charles 
Spranklin,  Phil Caltabellotta, Smokey Joe Leone, Enrico Granafei, etc. all  
participating with Ron as 'grand master'. 
 
This year Robert Bonfiglio is the Classical headliner on Saturday  night.
 
For Bob McGraw: I've been writing about Ron Kalina here (and on  
Slidemeister) since I've long made it a habit to attend and videorecord his  jazz 
seminars both at SPAH and the GSH Festival. He's someone I really dig -  
especially since he plays keyboard AND chromatic - using left hand on the piano  
and right hand to hold his 16-hole chromatic. I'm practicing playing that way  
now too, and he also first turned me onto the use of an IPod to store and  
practice my music about 5 years ago at SPAH. I'd no interest in buying one  
before he showed me how his worked. In addition, one of my favourite pieces 
to  play along with is Gato Barbieri's version of 'Europa' (which I have on 
my  Ipod), so I'd love to hear how Ron plays it. I'll have to check out that 
 CD.
 
This year's GSH Festival is shaping up to be yet another brilliant East  
Coast musical party due to the hard work of Val Redler and Phil Caltabellotta 
as  Co-Chairs of the Fest. Val's the GSHC President and has worked 
incredibly hard  for the last 3 years to bring new people to the Club and Fest. It's 
paid off in  a major way with really interesting and diverse performers 
signing up.
 
 Check out: _www.gardenstateharmonicaclub.org_ 
(http://www.gardenstateharmonicaclub.org)   for the list of performers from Rob Paparozzi to Dennis 
Gruenling to Jay Gaunt,  to Enrico Granafei and Phil. Check the website for the 
rest. There's still time  to sign up. It's a new Hotel (less cost for those 
staying over, including a free  hot breakfast). The atmosphere is similar to 
SPAH: all harmonica, all the time  and since it's the first week in 
November this year we hope it'll be a tad less  chilly and no worries about it 
being too close to Thanksgiving. This hotel is  far friendlier and very 
welcoming. It's going to be a fabulous 2011 GSHC  Festival if the recent 40th 
Anniversary party held at Trumpets Jazz Club  (including a celebration of Stan 
Harper's 90th birthday) is any indication.  He'll be there too. Hope you join 
us.
 
Elizabeth 
 
"Message: 10
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:34:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: Emile  Damico <oatss_oatflakes@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Ron  Kalina
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

Ron Kalina is  the Man. He originally lived in Philly. Talked with him
a lot at SPAH. Me,  Robert Bonfiglio and Ron had breakfast together.
It was very interesting  hanging with two great players. Only at SPAH does 
this stuff happen.

---  On Sun, 10/16/11, Bob McGraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>  From: Bob McGraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Ron  Kalina
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Sunday, October 16, 2011,  1:05 PM

> I attended my first SPAH this year.
> One of the great  things about it was I got to meet and
> listen to Ron Kalina, whom I've  heard about here on the
> list, though not enough . Ron Kalina is  certainly one of the
> finest jazz harmonica players Ive ever heard...I  bought his
> CD "...getting my axes together." ( He's also a very  good
> pianist)...really recommend this CD. Great versions of
>  Skylark, Sugar, etc...and a very interesting reading of the
> Santana tune  "Europa."
> WVa  Bob"


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