Harmonica player Ben Bouman from Holland is in
Atlanta to play some gigs and record and has
offered to put on a free harmonica seminar for our club.
For those of you not familiar with Ben, check out the links
below.
Ben is well known for his innovative playing, specializing
in the low keyed harmonicas. He also works in R&D for
Sydel Harmonicas, and customizes harmonicas www.beta-harps.com . It
was extremely generous of him to offer a free seminar
to our group. Ben said that it was not about money, he
just wants to meet and hang out with some harmonica
players while he's here in Atlanta.
The seminar will be on Tuesday, Dec 30th, at 7:30PM.
Michael Sklar has kindly offered his home for the seminar.
He is located near North Peachtree and Tilly Mill,
about a mile off of 285. The address is given below.
4884 Leisure Dr., Dunwoody , GA , 30338
The format for the seminar will be flexible. Ben will talk
about breathing and tone-building, and also about harp
customizing, and mics and amps if there is interest. He
will answer any questions you have and generally just talk
harmonica with us.
As I said before, the seminar is free. However, we will put
out a "tip jar" and donations will be accepted for Ben's
time.
Thanks, and I hope to see you all there. If you plan on
attending respond to this email so we have an idea of how
many to expect at the seminar.
Happy Holidays,
Jim McBride
past successful seminars:
Annie Raines Dec 07
Adam Gussow
Mark Hummel
Dennis Gruenling
- Annie Raines
Annie Raines interview:
Annie Raines is an extremely accomplished veteran blues
harmonica player from the Boston Massachusetts area. She has
put out several recording with her musical partner Paul
Rishell, who is quite an accomplished musician in his own
right, playing in concert a variety of guitar styles and
instruments.
A good number of us Atlanta Harmonica Enthusiasts saw her
and Paul Rishell's show and then even got to have a harmonica
workshop with Annie the next day - and it was great!!
Listening to the , you'll notice
that Annie thought the Atlanta Harmonica Enthusiasts group was
exceptional - so take a listen.
THE MYSTERIOUS "BAD"
RIFF
Their latest album at the time of the Harmonica.com January
2006 interview was Goin' Home - they played several selections
from the album in their show and all were excellent.
Our interview is interspersed with some live (admittedly
low-tech!) recordings we did of their show - all well-worth
listening to.
Here's a few excerpts from the interview:
E Matthew: We just had a class together and I just realized
that your knowledge is really deep, too, and I think it comes
out in your playing and performing, but you're also doing deep
music - roots music.
Annie: "That's right - I think it calls on you to think that
way, to approach it spiritually. I mean, to me it is. The
ghosts of these guy that I've learned from - they hover around
sometimes - they used to a lot, when I was learning, because I
really wanted - even though they didn't exist, in reality, any
more, they existed in my imagination and I wanted to please
them, I wanted to impress them and make 'em proud of me, you
know? It's one of those things where you have to tell the truth
to yourself.
another excerpt:
E Matthew: "You mentioned that it was a kind of a spiritual
thing - do you make a connection between spirituality and the
actual breath, the breathing?"
Annie: "Well, it IS like that - where you... they say to be
inspired is to take up the breath.
E Matthew: "That's right - well, the definition of that's
inspiration, isn't it?"
Annie: "And playing harmonica is breathing in music - Jerry
Portnoy says that - you are breathing in music as well as
breathing out music."
Goin' Home is highly recommended, and look for further
recordings coming out later this year (mentioned in interview -
as is the "bad riff") - so get their CDs and listen to
the interview - this interview is interspersed with live
recording snippets from their show the night before-
ENJOY!!
Their latest album at the time of the Harmonica.com January
2006 interview was Goin' Home - they played several selections
from the album in their show and all were excellent. Goin' Home
is highly recommended - here's how you can get yours:
