oldwailer
727 posts
May 13, 2009
6:19 PM
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I'm outta here for a few days--going down to San Jose California for Dave Barret's Harmonica Masterclass.
I'll report back when I get home--looking forward to a real harpin' week-3nd!
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Buddha
417 posts
May 13, 2009
6:32 PM
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Have fun Ray and say Hey to the guys for me. And if any talks shit about me, then nut punch them for me. Thanks!
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Zhin
304 posts
May 13, 2009
8:53 PM
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Have fun man!!! San Jose is beautiful! Take some photos or videos if you can. :)
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http://www.youtube.com/harmonicazhin
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Aussiesucker
274 posts
May 13, 2009
10:51 PM
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Hey OW I went to a masterclass a few weeks back run locally in Brisbane by Ian Collard who was visiting Brisbane. It was a quick 2 hour session mostly of Ian playing and describing how he plays. Ian is a great harp player ie you can see him in action on youtubes of Collard Greens & Gravy.
Where I live getting & meeting other harp players is not easy ie there are not many about. So when one comes to town a few of us seem to come out of the woodwork.
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Gray
73 posts
May 14, 2009
3:52 AM
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Hey Aussiesucker
How did you find out Ian Collard was doing a class?
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DutchBones
169 posts
May 14, 2009
5:12 AM
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Wailer... Wailer...... what'sup with that? First spending time with Budda.... and now off to Barret's Masterclass.... how can a person who makes such a sensitive music, be so un-sensitive to his fellow harpers?
You've could at least have waited till after the fact (after you had your fun) and tease us with it..... Jeezz ...I hate to hear these things...
BUT..... I still hope you have a lot of fun, learn new stuff and make new harp buddies and tell us all about it when you're back, wish I could be there :-)
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DutchBones Tube
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RyanMortos
172 posts
May 14, 2009
5:34 AM
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Have fun & learn lots! Perhaps make a summary video of your experience when you return, please please, lol.
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~Ryan
PA
Ryan's Tube - Containing [0] uploads and counting...
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geordiebluesman
180 posts
May 14, 2009
7:03 AM
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Little Grasshopper is walking the path to enlightenment Arse So! Actually scrub the Little Grashopper crap OW's more like a giant dung beetle!
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Randy G. Blues
17 posts
May 14, 2009
11:47 AM
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I attended the MC class in San Jose in June of '08. My full review is posted on Dave's MC website, so I won't bore you with the details here. At the time it was quite frustrating because in terms of serious harp playing I was well behind most of the participants. As I told Dave at the time, it was the most money I have ever spent to find out how little I knew about playing harmonica. After the first day, if someone would have offered me a refund I would have taken it and hit the road- it was that frustrating to me.
But when I got home my wife immediately noticed the improvement in my playing. Now, some 11 months later, I am so much better it is amazing to me. I was watching a video from a live gig I did last October, and I have improved so much since then it was embarrassing to watch, and I was alone when I watched it! If it wasn't for Dave's MC these advancements would not have been possible. Now I am in a group, we have a CD ready for release (such as it is), and we are playing next week, on Friday night the 22nd, in Downtown Chico, CA!
The only reason I didn't attend this year was that I couldn't afford it. It is money well spent if you have it.
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Buzadero
73 posts
May 14, 2009
12:05 PM
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Randy G. it looks like I'll be flying back home this next week. If so, I'll come down the hill from the Holy Land and check you boyz out. I'll drop by and introduce myself.
I'm tall, acceptable and dark.
Ask The Buddha .....he'll tell you.
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
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Aussiesucker
276 posts
May 14, 2009
2:41 PM
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Gray: was told about it by one of the local Blues guys. When I say local I dont actually live in Brisbane but do spend a fair amount of time there. I live on the Sunshine Coast ca 140ks North.
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Gray
74 posts
May 14, 2009
2:47 PM
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Thanx Aussie
I'd love to catch up with Ian.I'm with you,it aint easy in Australia to get face to face inspiration even in sydney.
You guys in the states,suck it up and get to all the masterclasses you can.Your lucky to live in the land of Harpers.
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Hollistonharper
87 posts
May 14, 2009
2:55 PM
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Hey you Aussie members,
Bb posted a Collard Greens and Gravy YT video on the recent 2-fer thread. They're great, I'm going to buy one of their CDs--what's their best one?
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snakes
219 posts
May 14, 2009
3:53 PM
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Learn lots Oldwailer and let us know the skinny when you get back.
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Aussiesucker
277 posts
May 14, 2009
5:00 PM
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Hollingstonharper: Have a look at website ie
http://www.collardgreensandgravy.com/
tracks to listen to & buy online plus CD's. Yes I saw the YT vid on the other thread.
Gray: Yes could not agree more. The US has heaps of things happening with great inspirational talent wheras we dont have that much going on. Well maybe thats a bit cruel as there is a local blues scene but priorities with other interests exclude me from going.
Also what very little I have seen is far from inspirational ie if I want mediocrity then I can easily play myself.
I think there is a strong blues scene with talented harp players along the Northern NSW Coast. Met up with some in Tamworth during the Country Music Festival.
Would love to see more 'real workshops' happening here as the only workshops held regularly are for beginners.
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oldwailer
731 posts
May 18, 2009
8:24 PM
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Well, I'm back from the harp mecca week-end. It was really incredible! I can tell you a little about it, but they don't allow video cameras and I didn't even have a camera. I had a small recorder--but I actually didn't even take time to try to record anything--I was too busy taking it all in.
The first evening, on Thursday night--there was just an informal circle jam with about 50 people participating. Dave Barret played the Bass, Joe Filisko was on guitar, and they had a drummer from a local band--sorry, don't remember a name for him. The band was very minimal and the action just went around the room.
I noticed right away that a lot of players there were way beyond my little skill set--but I jumped in when queued and gave it hell--I think I held my own pretty well.
The first day of instruction started off with a 45-minute group lesson--about 80 students, I guess--Dave Barret did his first of three lessons on the subject of dynamics in harp playing--actually, it would apply well to all musicians.
My first actual class was from Kenya Pollard on the subject of Tounge Blocking and Bending. The course materials consist of a CD and music for about 9 original tunes by Dave Barret--some really cool music. By noon of that first day Kenya had me bending all over the harp while tounge blocking. I will have to work hard for another year or so to really get all the stuff from that class--but it is really some cool music to work on.
Friday evening was two open jams--one was electric, complete with Rusty Zhin on the guitar--and the bass player and drummer from Mark Hummel's band. The other jam, in another room, was a circle again. I didn't do much that night but listen and wonder what drunk older men did with themselves before there was blues harp to play with. I had kind of blown my throat out on the lesson from Kenya's class--so I was saving myself for the next days of instruction.
Saturday was the same kind of schedule in the day--my class was Joe Filisko's class on Sonny Terry. The class was incredible--Joe has broken this complex music down into little chunks that would be accessible to anybody who wants to give it the time to master it. He had me hooting and playing at the same time before noon. It might be a while before I attempt a video of it though--it's still a bit rough.
Saturday evening was the big concert just for the students and guests of students. This was the most incredible concert I ever imagined. A guy named Andy Just dropped in and played--he was amazing--I heard he had opened of Butterfield a few times--but I don't know anything about him except that he might be the most brutal blues player I ever heard--I mean that in a good way.
Another guy named Gary Smith dropped in and played--an old timer who played with a tone that would have done justice to God. Of course Dave Barrett played--and Kenya Pollard--and Mark Hummel, and Dennis Gruenling--and Joe Filisko.
To me, Joe was the star of the evening--he had the balls to get up there and dismiss the band for a break--then sit down on a stool and play solo. He did one very funny number about riding with a crappy driver--then a couple of really cool spirituals--ending with a great Sonny Terry hoot that literally blew down a mic stand near the end--and he stayed in the groove and walked out into the audience and kept on going.
In the jam at the end of the evening, they really let it out--everybody was just great. Joe Filisko kind of surprised me when he took up a bullet and blew a really cool, almost phase-shifted solo without a shifter--that guy can play anything, he just seems to prefer more of the old-time stuff. I thought Andy Just was going to blow the hell out of the amp--it was incredible.
The last day, there was a panel discussion with Dave, Mark, Joe, Dennis, Kenya, Gary, and none other than Rick Estrin, who had just flown in and was looking like he needed some sleep.
Then there was the evaluations--each player would get up and play for about 48 bars--then get evaluated. We seperated into different rooms for this. My evaluators were Joe Filisko and Rick Estrin. I wasn't really prepared with a song so I just did a medium slow jam in E. My advice was to listen to a lot more blues players and learn to put more grit into my playing--that I was playing "Too pretty." That was a good point--one I didn't expect--but right on--my roots are in the country blues--more melodic than the LW or SBW stuff.
I'll be working on this stuff for a long time--but I'm already a better player for having gone--I'd recommend it for anyone who can spare the money--there are a lot of working pros who go there year after year to keep learning. Dave Barrett is a very cool guy and a great player and he always gives you your moneys worth, in my opinion. . .
You can check it out at:
http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/
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