lor
157 posts
Sep 16, 2012
10:21 AM
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All day clinic with Adam Gussow and Ronnie Shellist yesterday was just awesome including information beyond all expectations, slick and professional presentation replete with clear and impressive demonstrations. Attendees of every level of accomplishment. Participation was wonderful to experience. Everyone who dared got to play a 12-bar blues and receive really sympathetic, incisive and helpful feedback. And some of the attendees were also extremely talented as well. Mixing with all these people was thrilling and educating. The harp work by Adam and Ronnie was simply inspiring virtuoso and soulful musicianship all day. It's hard to believe that people can perform for that long, AND THEN headline a terrific concert the same evening.
Really, really great clinic. Don't miss the next one!
I feel so lucky to have been there.
Last Edited by on Sep 16, 2012 10:59 AM
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Frank
1159 posts
Sep 16, 2012
10:25 AM
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kudzurunner
3513 posts
Sep 16, 2012
7:21 PM
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Thanks, Lor. My biggest memory will be the unbelievably strong and subtle playing that Ronnie delivered on Sonny Boy's "Eyesight to the Blind," and Aki's amazing playing overall.
Memo to the wise: Ronnie Shellist and Aki Kumar are the next generation of top American players. Ronnie was getting over a serious cold/flu and had never played a note with Aki's band, Tip of the Top, until he walked onstage and did his thing. It was note-perfect, front to back. He just keeps getting better. It was humbling. I need to work on my fluidity in first and third position; it's clearly not equal to his. Aki is a beautiful player to watch. Amazing tone out of his amp in that room. His band was a heck of a trio. Absolute professionals.
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messy ventura
27 posts
Sep 16, 2012
8:14 PM
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Great clinic ! Adam & Ronnie are an excellent team and compliment each others style perfectly (think Abott & Costello) lol !! Attendees experience ranged from beginners to advanced, and as a beginner I can say it was a non intimidating atmosphere. Tons of fun and lotza helpful info to absorb. Had me a helluva good time. Hoping that a So. Cal clinic might be happening in the near future. Much thanks to Adam and Ronnie for a wonderful time of learning and killer harp blasting.
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Frank
1164 posts
Sep 17, 2012
4:57 AM
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Adam, your much too modest...I've not seen you live for 15 years, but from the vids on youtube and that great interview you did with Dave Barrett - your skills are RIPE and full of JUICE for an ole 50 sompin geezer :)
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kudzurunner
3514 posts
Sep 17, 2012
5:13 AM
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Trust me, I'm not engaging in false modesty. Videos never tell the whole story. Neither Ronnie nor Aki use overblows, but each of them played things on the bandstand, in first and third position, that I could not decode. That rarely happens. In other words, they're reaching for new stuff, not recycling or remaining content. That was inspiring--and humbling. It's great to be part of a community of players like that.
My hope is that we can bring the Gussow/Shellist/Kumar show to a venue near you at some point in the next year or two--our own version of the Hummel blow-off.
Last Edited by on Sep 17, 2012 5:14 AM
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Frank
1165 posts
Sep 17, 2012
5:36 AM
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First let me say that I think a travelling Gussow/Shellist/Kumar show is ingenious!
And it's True...Any time that Iv'e heard a "touring" PROS Cd or saw a video - then saw their LIVE performance, I was awakened to what the Artist were truly capable of doing musically...They are (you had to be there) type of experiences.
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thescip
14 posts
Sep 17, 2012
6:38 AM
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Sounds like an awesome event.
I recently started working on a version of "Eyesight to the Blind" to add to my repertoire. Any chance someone snagged a video of it? I'd love to add some new wrinkles.
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lor
158 posts
Sep 17, 2012
6:56 AM
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So much happens - live - it's difficult if not impossible to express in a brief sentence or a few.
Being there in the artist's space is a special experience, for both the audience and the artist.
During the show Adam put it to words as the performer "conjuring the energy" of the crowd. He and Ronnie and Aki worked that magic beautifully, yet each uniquely. The communication ascended to transcendental heights riding the music and the vibe.
I apologize for the informality calling these artists by their first names. But they have conjured me to experience them intimately through their music.
What is that vibe, that energy that enlivens the space?
Some might call it stage presence, but that term limits too much the presence on the stage, and doesn't quite speak of the entire realm, the heart, and the soul.
Videos, CD's, great as they may be, are but memories standing as invitations to the magic.
Experiencing these artists made that all so real.
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Joe_L
2056 posts
Sep 17, 2012
8:28 AM
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That was a good show. For a guy who was sick, Ronnie Shellist sounded fantastic with Tip Of The Top. Adam and Aki sounded fine, too.
For people local to the areas that don't know, Aki runs a great jam at the Grand Dell on Thursday nights. He has some great special guests and you never know who will drop in there. Mark Hummel and Rick Estrin have dropped by. Aki creates a very harp player friendly environment. I've played with a lot of great players there.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by on Sep 17, 2012 8:59 PM
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