I just arrived in Louisville....(halfway home). HCH III in MY opinion was GREAT ! Good food - good friends - and the music.....phenomenal ! Todd Parrot is unbelievable....Mitch Kashmar blew everyone away...Phil Wiggins was accompanied by Jimi Lee AND Annie Raines - AT THE SAME TIME !....Dr "Feel Good" Potts Wowed us....Deak Harp has much to much energy for one man (playing the diddley bow)..Adam was a ROCK ! Hope i did not forget anyone......Whew what a weekend !....photos and vids to follow. ----------
...stow still a little foggy....how could I forget PT Gazell - flawless - And - Billy Branch and the "Sons of the Blues"...they led a late night jam session that was beyond description. ----------
Speaking not as organizer/promoter, but simply as a fan of all things blues harmonica, it was an epic event. This insight hit me at many points. Often it hit me when I was in the Foxes Den and I'd hear some outrageous bluesy note-string echoing from outside the doors and realize that Todd Parrott had done it once again--gotten everybody under the gazebo roaring.
At one point on Sunday early evening, an audience member would have seen the following sequence of players lined up across the concrete in front of the stage, playing un-amped into a half dozen vocal mics: Billy Branch, Annie Raines, P.T. Gazell, Phil Wiggins, Todd Parrott, Brandon Bailey, Mitch Kashmar, Scott Albert Johnson, Deak Harp, and Jimi Lee, as JL strummed a blues, or "Georgia on My Mind," or some other tune. I'm sure I left somebody out. But that is a hell of a jam session. One solo after another, each soloist trying to outdo the other. Billy Branch said, "I'm a Chicago blues guy, not an acoustic player"--or something like that.....he was actually trying to say, "After these guys (& gal) have thrown down like this, don't expect too much from me," but of course he threw down, too. Deak was awesome. Todd kicked ass. P.T. Gazell adds a whole world of jazz smoothness and harmonic sophistication, along with a decided bluesy edge. Scojo, for my money, had the most original style. For the life of me, I can't figure out whether he really intends to play every note that he plays, or whether there's an element of pure chance in some of those runs. They're not always pretty. But they're completely original. If there's some randomness in there--well, that's what it sounds like. But then again, that's what Charlie Parker sounded like to most ears in 1942. If every note is intentional, then he's way ahead of all of us.
Here's some video of that:
It would be fair to say that Todd blew everybody away, more than once. I still think he's the one guy in this crowd who is most likely to end up in the halftime show at the Superbowl: the big dazzling all-American sound, one that players can respect (and fear) and your average non-harp-nerd can immediately appreciate. Brandon has fans, too. After his set, somebody came up to me and said, "If he isn't nominated for a Grammy within five years, there's no justice in the world." But really, there were no weak players this year. Every single player and performer had something going on. Mitch's playing, unrehearsed, with the Perry Family Band was so good that he had five or six dark goddesses, including my wife, doing the Electric Slide in front of the stage.
Deak and Brandon both played solo sets down on the lower stage, and both sounded superb.
If HCH 2012 wasn't a superb panorama of what top-notch blues harmonica, the full spectrum, is about these days, then I might as well shoot myself right now.
I ain't gonna shoot myself. It was big fun.
Last Edited by on May 22, 2012 4:19 AM
Pharpo was jamming steady,this was my first and won't be my last.Great harp players,and all of us wanna and gonna be's having a blast with perfect weather. Kudos to adam,jeff,and the whole foxfire crew for going the extra mile.Yes I drank corn likker,and jammed till late,but never missed a class that I chose to attend.It certainly had that special high energy vibe that kept your incentives peaking. Everybody put out the kind of effort that made you proud to be part of something special.I chose the old school classes,but will share notes with Steve a new friend I made,who attended todds and brandons sessions,and happens to also live in Las Vegas,and teaches blues/jazz piano,besides being an aspiring harp freak. Greg Heumann and randy landry lone wolf pedals put on an outstanding mic/amp seminar.I do have a Greg mic,and some randy pedals,and it was nice to pick there brains for some tweaking info.Sorry guys but I forked over for Gregs jam special blue sunset wood bullet,now I gotta make it walk,talk,and howl. Special thanks to Deak Harp and Jimmi Lee for being so cool and free with their knowledge.The tone and beats Phil Wiggins put out resonate almost beyond belief.Too much to cover over and out.
Last Edited by on May 21, 2012 7:58 PM
Adam, thanks. I really appreciate that. I was blown away by EVERYONE... I hate to single anyone out.
But how did I miss out on the corn liquor? Because I had to leave early to get my Jackson, Mississippi children to school the next morning? There's an element of unfairness there. :)
I do want to put in a "hell yeah" for my fellow Seydel man PT Gazell. I met him for the first time at HCH, and I was just totally impressed. That style... talk about originality. And always spot on with his phrasing. His tone is very different from any player I have ever heard... and I mean that as a compliment. Totally original and beautiful.
I guess now that I have opened the can of worms, I need to talk about all the pros (no chore!). I got to teach with Annie Raines at the intermediate jam... really, I was just helping her teach... and I was really impressed with her playing and also her approach to teaching. She THREW DOWN in the Pro Jam, for my money... her sense of dynamics is impeccable.
Todd Parrott... wow. That guy is so musical... I felt like I was hearing a kindred spirit play in terms of the things he was going for and the flexibility of his approach in every given moment. He seems like he is always "in the moment", which is how I also try to be. Just a great, great player.
Brandon Bailey... I am always more and more wowed by this kid, not only in terms of his exceptional (and exceptionally mature) playing, but also in the way he carries himself. I am really glad to know this guy.
Billy Branch and Phil Wiggins... I mean, come on. Tone and authority personified, plus some outside-the-box phrasing that far transcends their status as blues legends. (By the way, Adam, what Billy said was that "these guys are into some jazz stuff" or something like that. Well put.)
Jimi Lee was amazing. That guy obviously has the complete package, and a complete concept of what a song and a performance are all about. Just great.
Mitch Kashmar is one of the coolest cats I have met in a while, and just an AMAZING player. (I should point out that I missed his show, as well as a lot of other stuff. I had to leave on Saturday at noon to drive back to Jackson MS for a gig, then drove BACK and got back at midnight.) Mitch was standing next to me during the first part of the Pro Jam, and at one point during his performance I just started giggling. Like, how the hell did he do THAT and THAT? Total stud, and so obviously devoted to the music on a very deep level.
Deak Harp is equally The Man. Just a ball of fire on stage and another guy who knows how to present the whole package, with every piece spot on. I will always treasure that late night conversation with Deak and several campers on Saturday night. And I love his customs. ;)
I think that is everyone who was in the Pro Jam. I would like to send out a special shout-out to Greg Heumann and Randy Landry, whose products I use and endorse (unofficially in Greg's case, but with equal enthusiasm).
Also, I would like to say that I was very impressed by a lot of the campers' playing. Space, time and fatigue prevent me listing names here, but suffice to say that a lot of cats who are WAY past beginner come to HCH. That is part of what it makes it so interesting to me... all these skill levels, mixed together.
Adam and Jeff... man, I really hope you never, ever stop doing this thing. :)
This was my third year going and I just had no idea how Jeff and Adam would be able to outdo themselves from previous years, but they SO DID.
This year just had such a great relaxed vibe going on that to me, was a clear change from the past. I had asked Jeff on Sunday night if the classes were longer this year because to me, they felt longer, and he simply said "That's because things have been running on time this year".
I attended three classes which were all superb and different from anything I had experienced in the previous two years.
Brandon & Annie's class on groove and musicianship was a great breakdown of how changing when and where you play makes a huge difference in the mood and feel of what you play. Annie has a very interesting and philosophical outlook on time and timing.
Phil Wiggins' class on Piedmont style playing which left me with my jaw on the floor. He had the most infectious tune which everybody was pretty much playing by Sunday; The Anacostia Two Step.
Mitch and Annie's class on breaking down famous licks. The class was very free form and Mitch and Annie were a great pairing. Mitch wasn't just giving to us, the class ending up giving back to him as well. I need to listen to more blues records.
I won't go on about the performances because I'm sure there will be enough video to speak for themselves.
Now on to the important stuff. The FOOD! I consumed about a whole chicken, a pound of pork, and a few paltry pieces of catfish in about two days time. The Hallowell's always make sure we have plenty to eat. I guess harmonica players must always look like their starving.
Overall, it was an awesome time as usual. I'm exhausted and glad I took the day off from work.
Ridge: that catfish was off the hook (meaning, awesome)... and I say that as a Mississippi boy who's been eating it my whole life. Those Foxfire folks have their act together.
I had such a blast. Great camaraderie, great music. On the "level of play vs name recognition" scale - Todd Parrott wins hands down for me. He is so amazingly technically fluid and able that he is able to spend a huge amount of energy on musicality while he is playing. Everything he did is played with precision and gorgeous tone - and great musical structure. He truly blows me away - every time I hear him. He is also a super nice guy and amazingly humble.
There were, of course, many wonderful performances and I don't mean to slight any of the others. But I had a great time.
If anyone video'd Randy and my presentation on Amps, Mics and Tone we would both appreciate gaining access to the video. YouTube is OK.
Now, there's this mountain of email to dig out from under..... ---------- /Greg
Ditto-Ditto-Ditto: 150 plus blues players giving a standing ovation for Todd after his lunch set and playing Amazing Grace: That was Amazing and what a blessing he was. Thanks again Todd. ---------- And I Thank You !! KCz Backwoodz Bluz
As a blues harmonica enthusiast it is difficult for me to imagine a more enjoyable place on Earth to have been this past weekend than Hill Country Harmonica. It was literally Blues Harp Utopia. Fantastic venue. Unbelievable music! Each of the pros had their own unique style. It was a perfect blend that gave us all exposure to different approaches to playing. It was wonderful to connect with so many people who I only knew through emails and forum posts. Universally nice, nice, nice people. I saw nothing but smiles on everybody’s face for two solid days.
The approachability and the availability of the pro players is what impressed me the most. I’ve been to a lot of conventions and meetings where the “name” performer or keynote speaker arrives a couple hours before they are scheduled to go on and leaves immediately after they are done. Not these guys. They all stayed the entire weekend and were soaking up the experience as much as everyone else. It was fascinating to listen to them compare notes about technique, tunings, tongue block vs. lip purse, and every other facet of playing the harp. They were just as excited to learn as the rest of us. Also, their willingness to give, encourage and be patient with every player regardless of their skill level was refreshing.
I found myself comparing it to going to a fantasy baseball camp except that the ball players are always retired and well past their prime. At HCH, we were at a Blues Harp Fantasy Camp with players that are in their prime. What an honor!
My only regret is that I could not clone myself and go to all of the workshops. It was very difficult to choose one vs. another.
Thank you to Adam and Jeff and the Hill Country Staff that fed us and catered to us and cheered us on.
It was a wonderful experience, with superb teaching and playing by the pros/instructors. There was also great playing by many relatively unknown attendees, among them the young "Allstars" presented by Brandon at Deak's Friday jam.
The concerts were great! Cedric did a great job with running sound for a wide variety of sound enhancement needs and adjusted for constantly changing players with differing needs.
The weather cooperated, though a little warm at times, but not too bad. The Monday early morning storms caused me to name my campsite, "A River Runs Through It." My tent got ridiculously muddy under the floor, but fortunately we stayed dry inside. It is probably not a good idea to make camp at the bottom of a washed out hill, even if rain is not in the forecast when you set up.
I agree that HCH III surpassed HCH II, though HCH II was my previous blues harmonica peak experience. I love SPAH for a diverse harmonica experience that covers all types of harmonica music, but the more blues focused HCH approach allows a deeper exploration of blues styles, and the setting makes for a very different experience. The teacher/performer choices were excellent, each bringing different strengths and perspectives.
I noticed and appreciated that this year there were presentations that addressed musicianship and performance repertoire choices, as well as mic/amp/effect use. These are often neglected areas that performers need to learn.
[Suggestion: Stagecraft, including vocal mic use and signals to the band, might be a good future topic. Also, during the acoustic jams I wished that there had been a presentation on how players could improve projecting sound when playing without amplification. Smothering the harp can add a lot of colors to the tonal pallet when playing amplified, but it was sometimes hard to hear all parts of the performances of the unamplified jammers. ]
The Hollowells' hospitality and food were wonderful... again!
A major thanks to Adam and Jeff! I know it had to have been a lot of work. You made a lot of people happy and contributed significantly to today's blues harmonica scene. The mix of playing levels and the casual association of players of all skill levels is one of the unique parts of the experience. The variety of blues playing styles presented at HCH III was outstanding. I have a lot of blues harmonica information and listening experiences that will take a while to really digest.
Please don't stop putting these together! ----------
My ONLY constructive criticism would be that the Sunday "headliner" gig...this year Billy Branch...ought to start quite a bit earlier. The trouble was that LOTS of people had to leave...sometimes for long drives home and others to catch early flights to get back to their day jobs.
So, the number of people remaining for the final Billy Branch concert...was...I'm just guessing but maybe half of the attendees.
So, I would suggest that the "opening act" Sunday night (this year the INCREDIBLE Phil Wiggins) should start at 7:00pm...even though dinner is still being served. Most of us can listen and eat at the same time!
Then, the headliner's downbeat could be 8:30 at which point there would be LOTS more people able to enjoy what was clearly one of the (many) highlights of the event.
For me personally, I thought all the pros were fantastic. They each have a different style and were excellent in their own way. I'm not trying to be political, I just think they were all great. Thus, I can't say I have a favorite. The event was excellent. The Hollowells (sp.) were equally fantastic. Definitely, HCH is a good place to pick up some good pointers depending on your skill level and a great source of inspiration. The reason I keep coming back is because I think the people are real and unpretentious, that includes the hosts, the instructors and students. I think that is the strong point and the selling point for me on this event.
Last Edited by on May 23, 2012 7:23 PM
As a three-time attendee, I will say that this year's event was the best yet. The pace was set early by Deak Harp's performance at Rooster's Blues House. How many of us noticed that Deak's game has risen very sharply higher? The classes were well taught. I attended classes by Phil Wiggins, Todd Parrott, Annie Raines and Scott Johnson, and Mitch Kashmar. The performances were outstanding. The food was great, and the Hollowells went beyond family with the attendees and guests. And the lighting on stage was great! Thanks to Jeff and Adam for a first class blues harp experience that will be long remembered.
Last Edited by on May 24, 2012 6:15 AM
@Greg I have uploaded audio files from your amp session. Please email me for the link. harpat gilmer dottv.
I uploaded mp3 files, but part way through your demo I switched to .wav at 44.1khz and 16 bit. I only uploaded the mp3 because the .wav is *big*, but I am happy to get you the .wav if that is what you want.
One more note: I attended the Mics and Amps presentation by Wayne Landry and Greg Heumann which was nicely presented. However, I was somewhat taken aback by the pronouncement (made rather authoritatively, I might add) that, in so many words, the SM58 is allegedly "the most versatile harp mic in the world", and to hear solid state amps dismissed in one sentence as being too "harsh" - in other words, don't buy one.
I think that these myths were buried quite deeply Sunday night when watching Billy Branch blow the crowd away with his performance using what?.... an vintage Electrovoice RE-10 mic (non-Shure product sounding better than any Shure mic I have heard) and a vintage solid state Peavey Special 130 amp (no tubes to be found) miked through the P.A. system.
I'm not trying to offend the presenters. I learned a lot about the electronics involved as well as how tube amps work. There is no exact science to this stuff, and I fully understand the marketing angle. But to be totally biased one way does not exactly present all options available to harp players.
Last Edited by on May 24, 2012 6:43 AM
As for me, I enjoyed the entire event. I loved hearing Phil Wiggins, and I loved a lot of the stuff that Mitch Kashmar did. His licks, as someone said above, blew me away. I liked his licks in 3rd position very much. And, he was a rally nice guy. Billy Branch also did a phenomenal job, as did Annie Raines, PT Gazell.
Brandon Bailey was so cool to hang with as always, and I enjoyed Adam's concert with the kick drums. He and Brandon teamed up on "Superstition" which was really cool.
Always good to hang and chat with Greg Heumann, who besides being a nice guy, is a great harp player and SINGER!
Tom Halchak, also a nice guy, was there with a wonderful collection of colorful combs. I got a purple acrylic comb which I really like. Thanks Tom!
I know I've messed up by naming names, because I'm sure I've (unintentionally) left someone out.
One of my favorite things also was Rudo, the Shih Tzu, who was there for the entire event. He really liked me petting him and sneaking him table scraps, but he did NOT like the harmonica! I guess he was in the wrong place. :)
">
