This years bluesfest in Bill Monroe Music Park, Bean Blossom Indiana is sizing up to be another great year for the harp players. Jason Ricci, Brandon Bailey, Tom Harold, PT Gazell, Ronnie Shellist all coming to teach, jam and entertain us. The Bean is a great venue every year. Beautiful park, lots of venders, good music and a laid back festival. Many come just to hang out and jam. Last years' Friday night jam at cabin 12 was epic. I think we had 50 players jamming together, and it wasn't a train wreck! Often, members from the stage bands show up and join in! It's a lot of fun to jam with Deak Harp, PT Gazell and others. Camping is extra, but the price for all weekend (including the seminars) is only 50 bucks! I go every year, see you there!
Last Edited by on Aug 06, 2012 1:26 PM
The website mentions Ronnie Shellist, but I don't see any of the others mentioned as playing or doing workshops. How did you learn that they are coming to Bean Blossom Blues? Which days? ----------
they will probably be there from thursday night thru late, late saturday night. john hall has announced the "special guests" on his bean blossom face book page and the bushman music forum. from there you can get his phone number and call for details. the advanced harmonica forum that ronnie is teaching is saturday afternoon.
I believe Ronnie is doing the advanced workshop, and John Hall is doing the beginner workshop. As far as I know, those are the only two harp workshops being held at Bean Blossom. ----------
those are the "formal" workshops, hawk. just as a jam circle can spontaneously arise at the bean, so can a workshop. there have been workshops on chugging (harp and not just beer), spoon playing, modified guitar tuning for easy blues, old timey playing and jamming for beginners. i expect there to be a uke workshop and am hoping for CBG.
I think that is the appeal, these guys are coming to hang out with the attendees. Adam Gussow came a few years back, so did Charlie McCoy, Buddy Greene, Mike Nazerenko, Deak Harp and others. PT Gazell has been coming for years. Last year PT took the mic at the big Friday jam at cabin 12, along with many other players, then played with RJ Mishou Saturday on the main stage. Later he jammed with us at a small jam at Delta Dons' campsite. Maybe 12 of us, 3 harp players. Lots of fun. Impromtu, unscheduled.
It is a cool place to be. I got to play it a few years ago. that stage is ooozing with the bluegrass greats. I felt them all there that day. You can see the bluegrass hall of fame on the grounds as well - a must see IMO. I got to meet a lot of harp lovers and members of the bushman harp forum. I played all stock bushmans at this gig thanks to John hall giving me a shopping bag full of them! I only have flattened out 2 of them so far. Walter
Ralph's voice is hurting some here but the show goes on. I saw him a few months ago and hung out with him and the band. He sounded great!
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I haven't videotaped many acts at the Bean, usually shoot still, but glad I taped this one. As I recall, it was raining, so I joined Adam, Naz, Jason, Shelley and New Blood onstage.
Last Edited by on Aug 07, 2012 7:12 PM
Yep, very informal gathering. Deak came over and sat with me awhile. Nice guy, played a tune for me too and I played one for him. He said, oh, you play like (I don't remember the name). I didn't know if it was a compliment or not. Doesn't matter. Got bs with PT some last year, another nice guy. My wife told him he was a handsome man. I'm gonna keep my on them this year. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
Sarge: You sent a ton of energy up to the stage! I hope someday to return to that stage. It is magical. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Walter, I would love for you to come back to the bean to perform and have time to hang out some. I didn't get to visit with you enough last time. Your performance was the highlight of that bean. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
thanks Sarge! I had recently quit drinking and the amount of alcohol I saw going down there scared me to hang out. I am further away from the temptation now and think it would be ok for me. Still, I prefer to hang out with people that aren't wasted. I spent 1/2 of my life in that world. It use to work for me but doesn't anymore. Anyway, thanks again for all your support that day. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
thanks eharp! I am blessed in a way. The last couple times I tried to drink, just a shot or glass of beer, my stomach was all out of wack for a couple days. Being a school teacher now, I am no longer around any smokers, or alcohol users in my workplace. I work out everyday and feel a natural high when I am straight! I have realized how uninteresting it is for me now to be around people that are wasted.......... I never was much of a boozer but did enough to realize it was not a good thing for a healthy life. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
walter- i get some enjoyment hanging with drunks; they are usually good for a few laughs. then, when they get too wasted, it helps remind me of why i dont want to go back to that lifestyle. (all drinkers- do not take this as a condemnation. for me, it just wasnt working out.)
eharp: I can understand that. I think having spent 25 years pretty much 7 nights a week playing and or hanging in the club scene showed me all the laughs I need for a couple lifetimes :-) Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
