Topic: Another EBA over...

[Richard]

Just a quick post to say another excellent EBA week over, I gave out trillions of case stickers so let's hope we get a few more members.

My highlight of the week was infilatration of some men in suits who decided to hold a business meeting outside of Steve James' class. They really should have been warned, especially when one of them decided to close the classroom door on us as he obviously thought we were a little noisey 

Modesty forbids me saying more, although I believe the correct Texas expression is a "shooting finger" 

 

[Slack]

You're just lucky "no asses were kicked".   

[blueshome]

It had to happen - I agree with Richard! Another great Bluesweek.

John Miller's classes as usual were erudite and the week was blessed by moments of his dry wit (although his comments on the tempo of the Boogie Boys chosen repertoire were perhaps prejudiced by the fact that we had not included a kazoo player in this year's line up). We now know about Dminor tuning (G in bass), Bb tuning, G tuning (C in the bass) amongst other things, great lessons.

Steve James was himself as usual.

The hit of the week was Joe Filisko, not only with his great harp playing (and instruction, I am told, not being a harpie) but with his involvement in the evening ground floor jam and the encouragement he gave to one and all. There was also a long queue for his shoulder rubs as the week progressed.

We were also all glad to see the return of Grant Dermody after his enforced absence last year.

Highlight of the week for me was the tribute to John Jackson by Grant and Michael Roach at Tuesday's staff concert.

[Norfolk Slim]

A mention too for Chris (can't recall surname) who having enjoyed John's lesson on Gabriel Brown on Tuesday, proceeded to play the song in question at the student concert on Thursday.  And did so quite brilliantly in my view- as if he'd been working on it for months.

[blueshome]

"...he obviously thought we were a little noisey..."

Try writing a sentence including the words: "quiet";"Richard";"Steve James"

[uncle bud]

"...he obviously thought we were a little noisey..."

Try writing a sentence including the words: "quiet";"Richard";"Steve James"

"Richard was uncharacteristically quiet after Steve James hit him in the back of the head with his National mandolin"?

[blueshome]

B+ Bud

[mynameisearl]

Hello....as a sticker recipient via Richard  i am now a brand new, spanking member.
An excellent EBA week!

Highlights:

• Steve James stopping the show when someone took his picture.......jawdropping! 
• Getting a hernia in the vocals class  no names, no pack drill!
• The thunderclap that literally "moved" us all! 
• The friendship, fellowship, and fun of it all.....

Thanks to all!
Stuart

[Richard]

Ah, spanking eh? I knew there something about you 

I will ignore the more purile of the comments. Jealousy, I expect.

[Slack]

Welcome Stuart - glad you survived EBA week! 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I got back from EBA Blues Week about 2:00 AM the night before last.  It was great fun, really a good year, and exciting to see how the skills of the participants and their ability to pick up new information and songs continue to develop as the years go by.  I did a morning class that dealt with musicianship issues like playing in DGDFAD tuning, playing in F in standard tuning, using the thumb of the right hand to do something other than alternation or monotonic bass, transposing an arrangement, and moving musical ideas between different keys and positions.  I sometimes didn't know what direction I was going to go until the moment the decision was made in class, but the participants were so game and quick that they were able to deal well with whatever came up.  Indeed, in the F class, they picked up Leadbelly's "Roberta" so quickly that we decided after a few passes to do the first ever class performance in the student concert that I can recall one of my classes doing.  It was a gas to hear 28 guitarists or so playing "Roberta" in unison--those bass runs of Huddie Ledbetter's just sounded thunderous.
I did a beginning class to spell Michael Roach and we spent a good bit of time there working on playing and singing simultaneously, something that would be good to address in the more advanced classes, too, I think.  In the afternoon advanced class, we looked at various different players, not copping arrangements in toto, but instead looking for interesting riffs and hallmarks of their various styles.  We looked at Lil' Son Jackson's "No Money, No Love" and "Roberta", Gabriel Brown's "Going My Way" and "Cold Love", Peg Leg Howell's "Low-Down Rounder Blues" and open B flat tuning, Booker White's phrasing on "Sleepy Man Blues", "High Fever Blues" and "District Attorney Blues", and some Buddy Moss tunes.
It was good to hear what people have been up to musically and to reunite with friends from previous years, as well as meet new folks.  This is an event I look forward to every year, and it was especially welcome this year, after missing Port Townsend.  I would encourage anyone who has not attended, and for whom the cost of attending is affordable, to come to next summer's session or one of the week-end events the EBA sponsors throughout the year.  I think they're all strong and it is good to connect with some musical kindred spirits.
All best,
Johnm