Subject: Re: [Harp-L] re: critial mistakes

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Well of course we do, Rick. I guess you've never seen all the posts  about 
SPAH and our own Garden State Harmonica Club? :) (among all the other  
people talking about their own clubs --Virginia Beach? Dallas?  
Denver?Sacramento?) Most of those other clubs have hosted SPAH. 
 
 
For GSHC (Garden State), we haven't hosted SPAH (never been chosen --it's a 
 specific process), but we've put on our OWN very special Festival every 
Fall for  umpteen years. The Club is,I believe going on 41 years old now. It 
may not be  quite as old as yours but it sure is going strong with new 
members joining every  other week or so - young players too. AND our oldest member 
is 93 as well. 
 
 
I envy you your own space, but here you can't build something on land you  
don't own..so that's out, but even if the club couldn't find a place to rent 
 (cheaply) to hold the meetings, I'm sure we'd figure out something. Most 
high  schools here will allow use of school space in the evenings, or 
churches have  spaces which can be rented for nominal costs, etc.
Bottom line someone would allow the meetings in their home for the interim. 
 We could easily do it at my home --if they were all willing to make the 
hike the  other way. 
 
 
We've a fine mix of chromatic and diatonic players with chords and bass  
harmonicas and a couple of guitars and pianists thrown into the mix. No 
dancing  though--there simply isn't enough time for everyone who wants to play 
--and  since the Club does rent the space for a specific time and we have to 
shut down  at a certain point, we're a bit restricted. There're a couple of 
mics and amps  set up, some people play alone, some prefer to play 2-3 
together. The space is  more along the lines of a kitchen/living room set up. We 
also have refreshments  (nothing alcoholic) and some of us choose to bring 
'extra' baked goodies just  because we enjoy the happiness it gives to our 
fellow Club members since our  meetings are in the evenings during the week. Not 
everyone is  retired. Your photos looked remarkably like 'some' of the 
earlier meetings  before we moved to the current space.
 
 
The ensemble is comprised of some of the Club members --and they meet every 
 week to practice apart from the twice a month Club meetings. They wear 
matching  tshirts and coordinating outfits when they play at Senior Citizen 
centers and  local Hospitals and wherever else they play. They're good too, 
especially  since they've had some really good players sign on/ They haven't as 
yet  updated the video on the site (no one has time since they're all so 
busy  practicing while many are still working full-time jobs), but here's a 
link so  you can check them out. Many in the ensemble link have long since 
moved on  --they really need to upgrade it, but at least you can see some of 
what took  place at our most recent Festival in November 2011.
 
 
Don't know why you'd think the UK would have it over the US in that  
respect? I'm from the UK and couldn't find a single other mouth organ player  
besides myself as a kid. It took coming to the States to find these other people 
 who welcomed me with open arms and gave me tons of free harmonica  
instruction. I've now found a real family with them and some lifetime  friends. 
I've missed so many meetings simply because I don't live in New Jersey  and 
it's a fair hike from here to there with my health not so great  lately, but 
I'm still very much a member of the Club and will be back as soon as  I'm 
able. If I lived closer by I'd definitely be part of the Ensemble as  well.
 
 
Don't you worry. Harmonica clubs across the States are still alive and well 
 --depending on which state and how much time the members are willing to 
put in  to attract new blood. The Garden State club is one of the good ones 
and I  suspect the members have the same general attitude as do those who 
belong  to yours. 
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 7
Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:37:45 +1000
From: Rick Dempster  <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] re: critial  mistakes
To: "David Payne" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Harp L Harp  L"
_harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 
\
We have a harmonica club here in Melbourne, Australia. A different affair  
to club whose recording you've posted here Dave, but the social aspects of 
music  performed in the community like this is so often overlooked.
All anyone cares  about these days is their wretched careers. I wonder if 
there is still anything  like this mob in the US, or the UK (more likely 
perhaps) Europe or  wherever..??
Take a look at this, and the attached pictures:  
http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2008/12/19/2451033.htm The members built the  clubhouse with their 
own hands back in '33.
 
 The demographic 
of the area has changed a lot in the last twenty  years; it was an old 
docklands industrial area, is across the river mouth from  the Melbourne CBD and 
has a 'village' feel to it. A lot of musicians moved there  in the 90s, but 
that doesn't necessarily mean good things for the club. I'd love  to see a 
resurgence of interest in the club; the harmonica needs a boost like  the 
ukulele has had in recent years. Here's hoping!
RD