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From: Bobbie Giordano
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 04:12:10 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Buckeye Harp Fest

Thanks to the rather accurate reporting, there's not much left to tell
about the "Harmonicavorting" in Columbus, except I'm back onlist. Yeah,
the "Goddess" is back! Ho-ho-dehoho! Well, that's how Filisko referred
to me, and that's good enough for me! But, hey...y'all can still call me
Bobbie if you prefer. ;););)

This was my second BHF, and I must tell you, the attraction gets stronger
every year because Jack Ely and Connie Hassler and other important contri-
butors of the Buckeye State Harmonica Club are so adept at improving on a
good thing. Although the Clarion Hotel site was large and labyrinthian,
their excellent organization of seminars and events was accented by very
fine amenities as offered by the hotel. If there were any complaints, it
might have been the cramped situations in nearly every seminar, most of
which overflowed into the halls for lack of seating, yet, surely must've
been gratifying to those holding the seminars! I was commandeered into
my first experience at such in our Renaissance presentation, as if Doug
needs any help, and looking out at the already familiar faces from past
conventions was such a comfort. It's so easy talking to one's friends!!

The concerts were terrific, as posted earlier. Seeing Corky Siegel again
in barely a month's time was a real treat. Engaging in seminar mode and
vibrant and raucous in entertainment mode, he easily can fill time voids
with special moments that stick with you. Inviting up good friends Madcat
and Joe Filisko, you can truly appreciate how great musicians feed each
other. I'm convinced, BTW, Madcat may be the only one who could ever slow
Corky down...and boy, howdy...did he ever!! Nice, nice work Peter!

And Busy Bee Buzz continues to demonstrate why he is the best one to MC
the concerts and jams, without equal! And still make time to swing friends
around like a centrifuge... yeah, me too, like Doug. 'Twas fun, Buzz!! ;)

The jams may have been crowded, as Winslow related, but as always, one is
quick to notice that harpers make jams happen all over the place. In
addition to the planned location, hallways, lobbies, nearby restaurants,
individual rooms, and stairwells can all provide venues and do just that.
What I like is the growing number of guitars appearing at these things
that provide splendid intermeshing of tones with the various harps. And
naturally, I can't imagine a shindig like this without Marv Munroe's ever
present strumming on his happy little ukulele or friendly guitar!! I
must admit though that last year's blues jams drawing in chroms, chords,
and other type harps was missed a bit this year, as the diatonics fairly
dominated them this time. Still, there is no better place than BHF or
the like to wander among the strains of a very large variety of singing
harps and musical genre to one's heart's content.

Speaking of such happenings, I recall being attracted by some fabulous
chromatic playing eminating from a large room where I found simply Jack
Ely, a very lovely player in his own right, sitting practically alone in
a large room with another chromatic player who flat astounded me. I sat
in with them to play and sing a bit as the piano there was dabbled by a
fellow who was not of the festival himself [and who later in fact turned
out to be a slightly sloshed, and rude, pain in the posterior who seemed
bent on ruining a very pleasant conversation among Harp-L friends.] Yet,
at this time, with Jack and this marvelous player who floated lovely
sweet tones around the room like Stevie Wonder, I knew why I love to go
to these things.

Of course, meeting new people, developing former acquaintenances into
friendships, and renewing old close ties is what I find most enjoyable
about these gatherings. It's sheer joy. One I enjoyed getting to know
much better this year was Richard Smith, a delightful older man with a
tremendous collection of old and new instruments, including a rather
modern version of a sheng, but a fascination to me from having delved
into learning over a year ago about this ancient ancestor of the harp.
He had a wonderful chromatic-type instrument with TWO buttons [the name
of it escapes me] which he asked me if I thought Doug would be willing to
play, as he had never heard it played. Doug not only played it, but fell
in love with it and offered to buy in on the spot if Richard would part
with it...no sale! :) Quite an intriguing instrument it was.

There were, as always, of course, a startling array of new instruments,
techniques, and other equipment. The mini-amps on the hips of the players
Winslow mentioned who came up to the stage one by one to join Joe Filisko.
And of course, that diner delight duck call that Winslow innocently sprang
on us while our mouths were full; how we avoided choking from the sudden
laughter I'll never know. He also displayed resonant talents with a water
pitcher in a jam, I recall. But the array of noisemakers induced into
musical service by Madcat, as well as the mrimba and jew's harp, boggles
the mind.

I enjoyed Madcat's seminar, too, discussing amplified harping. His new
Shaker mod still seems to be a prototype, but I could appreciate the time-
taking process of developing what you want to be exceptional. The design,
that encompasses a mic to cup in the hands opposite a volume pot outside
the hands, with both mounted such that the mic unit slips down between two
fingers, must still undergo some refinement and size reduction...but it
looks good... and promising. I have to think up a reason why I need one!
I wonder though, Madcat...will I be able to throw it at the wall at 20
paces like your regular Shaker?

Getting to know people better, like Madcat, is great, but meeting new
people is special. And Harp-L is such a connection...I met at least 5
people who came up to me because they knew me from Harp-L! Two such very
fine folk were Barbara and Bob of HarpCity. I don't believe I ever saw
Barbara play harp, but Whoooo-eeee! Bob sure can! Nice jazzy licks that
know where they're going. And another newbie to the scene was a fellow
who sat practically silent for the longest time, and then finally opened
up and startled us all with fluid, dynamic blues pouring out! I do hope
Rick Howell returns, and may in fact, to Detroit. He sought me out after
the Renaissance seminar to ask me questions, but I wish I could learn to
play like he does! About meeting folks, my one regret however was that I
talked briefly with Mike Stevens, but never got to hear him play, although
I gather he did join the jam a bit before then. Oh, well...

Well, it's late, but I guess I'll close out with one last bit that was
special to me because of the harps and people involved. While strolling
the lobby with Douglas Tate and Steve Pruitt [was you, wasn't it, Steve?]
I suddenly had to find out where that gorgeous music was coming from and
Steve pointed out that it was Dennis Gruenling practicing on the first
prototype [we'd lent it to him already] while walking around the surround
of the indoor pool. I recognized the tune but couldn't place it, so I
said I wanted to go in and talk to him...and he informed us it was Harlem
Nocturn. Aaah, yes! It was wonderful in there...resonating all over and
around us. After we left him to practice, I told Doug I thought it might
be a good way to get both Renaissance prototypes on stage at once if they
did a duet. He didn't know the piece, but I knew it was simple enough
that he'd master it in no time. So, he warmed to the idea and we asked
Dennis and he agreed it could be very cool. Shortly after, Dennis and
Debbie told us she had the music with her so we could borrow it. Doug
copied it out in his room to a larger sheet he could see better, as Dennis
played bits of it and we all started discussing how to work it out. It
was not hard to realize that these two could make it happen, but I really
am pleased to say that they allowed me to have a large hand in actually
arranging it for them. So, Doug could start it out playing it pretty
straight ahead, and then he could move from his classical bent for a
surprise into a jazzed up improvisation for the middle part, then slow it
down for Dennis to come in with his beautiful, slow and soulful, purely
mournful blues rendition. At the end Doug would come in and blend with a
high harmony refrain. I suggested Doug start out alone on stage and then
Dennis could come up as his part approached.... and all of this is just
about how they did it. Doug played it like it was one of his favorite
pieces and played it all the time. Dennis left his glasses with me as he
did several times that night... it helps him focus on the music and not
the audience he says... and strolled up to join Doug on stage, playing as
he arrived with Doug drifting out on a lingering note. When the final
harmony line cried, the audience burst into appreciation, whoops and
whistles.

Ah, you had to be there!!!

And of course, now there's a good idea for next year......

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