The
Fifth Annual Harp Guitar Gathering
October 27-28, 2007
From
Chuck
Thompson's Slide Shows
Favorite Moments, Thoughts and Reminiscences
| STEPHEN |
|
Then again, Gregg donning his Papal headgear on Sunday afternoon might
rank as a favorite moment too. Of course, that would leave out the
Simpson’s characters... And the party afterwards was pretty good too! |
HGGV is somewhat of a blur in my mind at this point, but if I had to
pick one favorite moment, it would have to be playing The Water Is Wide on
Saturday night. I liked the way we did that, with Gregg and I starting,
hosts John, Andy and Andy joining in one by one, and then the rest of the
group. It was very powerful, I thought. | GREGG |
|
And of course, Dave Evans. Thank you so much for taking the time and making the effort to be here with us! For those of you who missed the Friday night gig, I had one of those Life Moments when – with Dave in the audience - I played his signature tune Sad Pig Dance on the harp guitar (which I had recently arranged after coming back from Ben’s wedding, where I learned of Dave’s employment there!). As I said, his album influenced my playing and writing more than anyone else's by far. To finally meet him thirty years after I had last played his tunes, have the chance to revisit one of them on harp guitar, AND share it with him as a friend and (unworthy) peer - and get hugged for it - ranks at the top of my life’s musical memories. Also very special to me was getting public acknowledgment as your “Harp Guitar Pope” (thank you all for rising on command), only to be consistently T.P.’d the entire weekend. Well, I’d take your affection over respect any day. I rank the weekend thusly: People, Love, Laughter, Music – and we all know how fantastic the MUSIC was! - GM |
Yes, the feeling of community has continued to grow
every year, and our fifth anniversary was the best ever.
Re-connecting with past participants who have become Jaci’s and my
special friends, and immediate bonding with so many new people this year
– Don, Carter (and Irma), Andreas and Katja, Paul and Karen (already
part of the family after visiting the Miner Museum in L.A. last
summer). Plus putting more faces to names of the dedicated Forum gang:
Dennis Mitchell, Stephen Warburton, Rick Wortzel…| JOHN |
|
This gathering quite literally took on a family feeling. Gregg Miner's Mom and Dad were there to witness another milestone in their son's life adding to Indian Guides and puberty, his now claiming the title of "Pope of the Harp Guitar"! Andy Wahlberg's Mom was beaming with every song Andy dedicated to her from the concert stage. She told me that Andy has always been a good boy (and I believe her). Stephen Bennett's Mom was also there and quite justifiably proud of her son for hosting not only this gathering but for getting it all started in the first place allowing so many people to have so much joy as players and audience alike. I also want to give a special thanks for Bob and Carol Hartman for their continued support of all us "kids" who are loving discovering new ways to play the Larson instruments that Bob's Grandfather and Grand uncle made almost a century ago. We all love you guys!! The Round Robin where new players come forward to show their stuff was unbelievable! The quality of new ideas and the growth of players continuing to develop on the instrument is very promising that there will definitely be new music and players in the concerts in the gatherings to come. And what about Chuck Thompson who not only took magazine quality photos of the entire event but posted them for all of us to enjoy? We all thank him for giving us a great way to remember the event. Overall, it was great to see so many friends and make several new ones especially with our Canadian harp guitarists Don Alder and Carter Lancaster, our German friends Andreas David and Katja Brauneis, and with Roger Toye and his son who came over the pond from England. Finally, last but not least our many thanks need go out to Stephen and Linda Bennett for all their hospitality at the library and at their home along with a special thanks to Joe and Linda Morgan and Gregg's wife Jaci for all the volunteer time behind the scenes. - John Doan |
HGGV was a tremendous time for everyone with lots of
great harp guitar playing and a warm and friendly environment to hear
old favorites along with many new tunes solo and in various ensembles.
Everyone not only went beyond six-strings but also beyond the solo harp
guitar as well! It was simply amazing to hear so many ensemble tunes for
harp guitar in various combinations from two harp guitars and harp
guitar with an additional instrument (ie. flute, hammer dulcimer, voice
and piano). It was great fun to perform with Muriel Anderson a couple of
our new duets. Perhaps we can encourage Andy McKee to
have a chamber orchestra or a quartet on hand for next year's gathering.
It appears we are headed in that direction!| ANDY |
|
|
Never before in my life have I been a part of,
or known of the existence of, a more perfectly balanced confluence
of shared interest, passion, commitment and synergistic energy as I
have experienced in our little band of brothers and sisters. I know
I may sound a little evangelistic, but this is how I honestly feel.
The harp guitar is at the center of the gatherings, but it is the
people involved that make it so wonderful. We have certainly come a
long way. The future of our group looks brighter than I could ever
have possibly imagined. We are blessed with the even handed
leadership of Stephen Bennett, the historical perspective and web
wizardry of Gregg Miner, the zeal for the harp guitar shared by all
of us; it is truly amazing. After five years it seems that the
time is right to take it all to the next level. It is the hope of
all of us that HGG will live on far into the future, and I foresee
harp guitarists in 2103 looking back to these humble beginnings on
their 100th anniversary and thinking... "were those
people crazy or what??" The answer of course is, “Yes, we are!”
Crazy about the harp guitar, crazy about each other, and
indubitably, just plain crazy! - Andy Wahlberg| MURIEL |
|
Thanks to our heroes Stephen and Linda Bennett for coordinating
another great get together, and of course for inviting us all to
your home.
Every performer was an inspiration to me, and the luthiers consortium
was a further extension of this little community.
Oh, yes, I just ordered another harp guitar... - Muriel Anderson |
| BENOÎT |
|
I was very happy to see all my friends again. I missed the absent ones too! I particularly enjoyed the endless discussion with other makers about tuners, bracings, strings and more. I will never forget the death mask worn by Nancy with her song ("it's about someone dying...).
The German couple was new and exciting.
The last point is that sorry Gregg but we are going to have to burn you alive for heresy - there is only one sole pope: JIMI HENDRIX! - Benoît Meulle-Stef |
| KAREN & PAUL |
|
Gregg - Fantastic presentation on the State of the Union!
I didn't get to properly say goodbye. It was a very interesting weekend. The Gathering very much reminded me of the hammered dulcimer scene in the US when I started playing in the 70's. We were all self-taught (by necessity) and only got to hear others play at festivals (in those days folk festivals; there were no dulcimer festivals yet). I think what I loved most about the weekend was knowing/learning that Stephen Bennett plays his great grandfather's harp guitar and that the builder's GRANDSON was there to witness that legacy. We both play some antique instruments but know nothing of the former owners or descendants of the builders. We look forward to future meetings! - Karen Ashbrook
|
| KATJA & ANDREAS |
|
About half a year ago I didn’t know
that something like a harp-guitar even exists – and now I’m a proud
member of the harp-guitar-family! WOW! When Stephen invited Katja and me, I
was a little worried about our program, all lyrics in German, having
played this Schrammelgitarre for just three months...Then on Friday
Stephen and Linda picked us up to drive to the Ashland Coffee Shop,
and in the middle of the ride Stephen asked me if I had my guitar with
me because he thought we could play some songs that evening. As I did
not expect that I had left the guitar in the hotel, but Stephen
offered me to take one of his guitars. So “the heat was on”, having
jetlag, not warmed up, not dressed up, on a guitar with different
string spacing, strings, shape...but I must admit this little
performance we did was one of the most exiting and rewarding I did in
my musical career, as all of you seemed to like what we were doing, my
concerns were not important anymore. From that moment I just enjoyed
the evening – and the rest of the weekend. As Katja wrote I never felt
any jealousy, everybody was open, warm and friendly. I have played on
many festivals, but this one was special. It is already often said and
written pretty but I have to repeat it: I really feel like we are one
big family. |
| DENNIS |
|
Hi Folks, I am touched with your concern. I was disappointed
not to attend. This is the first time in a 30+ year career that I
had to cancel.
My son is doing better after his final surgery but his mental state is not great. Ben has a long road to recovery and will need physical therapy to walk properly. I hope to be there next year and again I really appreciate your best wishes to my son and family. All the best, your friend and colleague, Dennis Cinelli |
| FRANK |
|
This milestone 5th Harp Guitar Gathering was a particularly special one for me. While it was the fourth Gathering I’ve attended, it was the first experienced with my own instrument. I owe a great big thank you to all in the harp guitar family for making me feel welcome from day one and for inspiring me with your music. I was proud to show off my gorgeous new Wingert harp guitar this year and to introduce my friend Kathy Wingert into the fold. It was pure magic to hear maestro Bennett bond with Kathy’s HG2, at the party on Sunday, and to see how visibly moved Kathy was at the beautiful music coming out of her creation. This was also the first Gathering I managed to convince my wife Christa to attend. What a joy to share all that this event is with her and see her find her own connections within the harp guitar family. I’ll always remember her leading the group in a spooky old favorite Halloween song. How can one not count being present for the confirmation of his holiness “the pope” as a particularly special moment? His sermon was both inspiring and hilarious. Another major highlight for me this year was in meeting long-time guitar hero, and new friend, Dave Evans. Well before I knew there was such a thing as a harp guitar, my world was being irrevocably altered by Dave’s artistry. The man doesn’t get out much now, so I felt supremely honored that he took the time to join us, become part of the family, and to share a few pints with me. Of course, meeting new friends is as much a part of what makes this event so special, as is reconnecting with long-time members of the harp guitar family. There were so many new faces this year and lots of great new musical experiences to go along with them. I was fascinated to find that Death is a harp guitarist with a great singing voice and a lovely old Knutsen. Katja and Andreas provided a beautiful and spirited glimpse into one of the oldest harp guitar traditions. Paul and Karen demonstrated how the harp guitar can adapt to music traditionally outside its reach. Don and Carter showed us some hot picking from the great white north. Jim showed us that the musical gene is strong across the Bennett family. Naturally, music from old friends was as brilliant as always. The theme of this Gathering was evolution. We see the harp guitar as an evolutionary step beyond the micro-orchestral abilities of the 6-string. Five years on, Stephen’s creation has helped us all evolve musically, personally, and as the growing family unit we have collectively become. - Frank Doucette |
| DAVE |
|
So at last I crossed the pond...
There was a 500 yard queue at Dulles security & when
finally I got interviewed, the guy says "Hi, how are you doin'?"
Thought he was being nice & I said "Great, & you?" Silence...
"What's the purpose of your visit?"
"I'm attending a Harp Guitar Gathering at
Williamsburg Virginia".
"A WHAT?"
Obviously he thought I was full of bullshit 'till I
had him Google "Gibson, harp guitars" & he found
http://www.minermusic.com/cc/charliebrown.htm
& he calmed down...
So - I got to Ashland "Tea & coffee" & at last heard
how to play "Sad Pig Dance"! A real treat
Have to say that my stay in the USA was
unforgettable for the generosity
& genuine warmth I felt the minute I got through security at Dulles
International!
The Harp Guitar Gathering gathered fun people - & as
good, fun people, didn't we have good fun? Highlights? The loo-roll
incident when poor Gregg was just getting into "Shaanti" - Andy
Wahlberg's subtitles for Katja & Andreas' totally charming sets + his
stentorian renderings of old classics in the coffee shop after hours
Saturday - swapping songs with Nancy in Steven's bathroom - Steven's
"Perestroika" - guess I have to make another harp guitar if only to
learn that song! &c. &c.. - could go on & on, but it's all been better
said by all the other contributors...
Much
 - Dave
Evans |
| NATE |
|
Of course there were the new instruments to drool over, old friends and new faces. However in my mind what made this year so special was the role of our instrument grow beyond solo fingerstyle or singer/songwriter. I hope to see this continue and grow over the next few years (ensemble anyone?) - Nate Blaustein |
This year marked a major change in the HGG format. No longer was the
gathering dominated by the solo performer. I was completely blown away by
the duet performances. Brad's compositions were outstanding. Paul and
his wife, Stephen and his brother, the couple from Berlin, and of course
the Rex James brothers and Dan and Andy were just a small part of what
will stand out in my mind as the best part of the weekend.| BRAD |
|
There were so many great moments for me this year, it’s hard to put them in any coherent order. Here are some that stand out: Listening to the Rex James brothers during the Sunday morning Round Robin segment. They played three songs. First Dave came out and played a nice little medley that caught everyone’s attention. Then Tone came out and played and sang an original tune that was met with strong applause when he finished. For the last tune, they played a duet – two harp guitars with Tone singing. – The most memorable part for me was seeing Stephen Bennett go over and ask those guys if they’d like to play in the concert that afternoon right after they finished playing. What a great moment. It was nice meeting and talking to Steve Sedgwick again along with his girlfriend Hazel and his mother. He was able to give me an update on the status of the arpa viola caipira. It was pretty amazing seeing 6 of his harp guitars in one place. Needless to say, the 21 string Sedgwick harp guitar that was available for sale was spoken for by Sunday evening. Performing with Stacy Hobbs, Gregg Miner and Mike Doolin on Saturday and with Mike again on Sunday were special moments for me. I’m very grateful for their collaboration. My dream of playing piano with some of my favorite harp guitar players came true!! I’m confident now that my piano/harp guitar CD has a good chance of becoming a reality. Thank you guys. During the party Sunday evening, I had a chance to be a part of an impromptu performance/jam of Summertime with Stephen Bennett on harp guitar, Mike Doolin on his acoustic bass guitar and with Katja from Germany singing the vocal! That was totally cool. Meeting and listening to some great harp guitar players for the first time, namely Carter Lancaster, Don Alder, Pete Bradshaw, and Paul Oorts. In the end, the biggest highlight of the event for me was simply hanging out with my friends. The part that probably stands out the most was when I laughed for about a half hour straight on Saturday night… - Brad Hoyt |
| MICHAEL |
|
My other goal was to measure and photograph a Gibson HG to help me with my final HG reconstruction. I was very happy to have two Gibson HGs at the gathering to work with. The most emotional moment for me is when Stephen and John Bennett played their duets. The Powell boys were very entertaining also. - Michael Schreiner |
My first goal at this gathering was to get some of my
favorite players to sign the inside back of my Gibson HG before I glue
it back together. All the players were happy to sign. Tom Shinness said
he had never done this before and “shouldn't someone take a picture?”
Muriel Anderson said Les Paul always begins his autograph with Dear ebay
customer…| BRUCE |
|
What a wonderful Gathering! HGGV will be in my mind the year of the "HARP GUITAR PLUS". HARP GUITAR PLUS Little sleep + Lots of laughter + Old friends + New friends + Papal headgear + Funny cartoon figures + New players + New Luthiers + Great photography. Harp Guitar Plus Piano + Dulcimer + Flute + Singing + Funny horn noises from a crazy entertainer they call THE HARP GUITAR GUY + Stephen Bennett crying from laughter in a supine position in his seat as Pope Gregg gave the Harp Guitar blessing. Harp Guitar Plus flying toilet paper + German songs (Brad & I sang in German gibberish along with Andreas David. Didn't You?) Many Memorable Music Moments, (say that fast five times) but seriously, I would have to say that Gregg's solo performance intrigued me most. Creative genius at it's best. WOW !!! Now that's thinking out of the box, Gregg. Special thanks to all the players & behind the scene workers who freely gave their time and effort in making HGGV a memorable time for us all (you know who you are). Extra special thanks to SB & JD for your encouraging words. Look out Lawrence, Kansas in '08. Last but not least, to Richard Mermer for making it possible for me to make it to HGGV. What a great friend you are. God Bless!!! - Bruce Labadie |
| PETE |
|
- Pete Bradshaw |
| DENNIS |
|
|
My
first Gathering, and what a time it was! So good to put faces with
names, meet some great people, and hear lots of great music. The
highpoint for me on a personal level was meeting Stephen Sedgwick (His
Mom and Hazel are great too!). He went above and beyond the call in
building my harp guitar, and what a great instrument it is! Meeting
"The Gang" was a close second, with far too many names to mention.
Musically, the highpoint began Friday evening, and ended sometime in
the wee hours of Monday morning. Like others have mentioned, the duets
were each fantastic in their own right. You've got my vote for more of
these at future Gatherings. And the variety of styles and genres of
music offered up has proven just what the harp guitar is capable of.
From the luthier side of things, getting to visit with Rich Mermer,
Kathy Wingert, Mike Doolin, Benoit, and Dave Evans added fuel to the
fire in my Weissenborn build. And Rich's new harp guitar has conjured
up images of a solid body hybrid of his new instrument and Brian
Henke's "Dreamcaster". Ben's Mozzani is, well......my wife said "Step
away from the guitar". My hat's off to all of their talents and
artistry, and each have my greatest respect. | STEPHEN |
|
Five and half tanks of fuel to travel 2,928 kilometres: $258
Five nights accommodations plus meals and incidentals: $405
Seeing Stephen Bennett slide off his chair and roll on the floor
laughing hysterically at the Simpsons-like characters of himself,
John Doan, Andy Wahlberg and Andy McKee, PRICELESS!
Other PRICELESS moments include:
Gregg having to stop his performance and laughing uncontrollably
after the t.p. incident.
Gregg's father throwing toilet paper at his son on stage the
following day.
John Doan's white shoes.
Muriel Anderson upstaging John with her own white shoes.
The entire "State of the Union Address" including the technical
difficulties.
But of all the sights and sounds the one that will forever live in
my head is hearing the sound of Jaci's voice over everything else
yelling; GREGG MINER .......!!!!!!
It was a truly wonderful time. Great music, great people, great
times. I met a few old friends and made many more new ones.
I truly shocked Don Alder as the last words he spoke to me were back
in July at the Canadian Guitar Festival. He said; "I'll see you here
next year with your third new guitar." Little did he know that new
guitar would arrive just a couple of months later and we'd surprise
him in Virginia.
The one thing I found frustrating was getting lost every time we
ventured out of the parking lot. And taking some poor unsuspecting
souls with us, sorry 'bout dat Bob. - Stephen "the Dreamer"
Warburton
|
| RICK |
|
This was my first Harp Guitar gathering, and I sure had a wonderful time! Not only was it inspiring to hear such wonderful music, but I was so impressed by the genuinely nice, humble, kind and funny people who were there. Somehow the warmth of this instrument seems to attract warm-hearted people. It was great to finally meet Mike Doolin after we had been emailing each other for the past year and a half, and to show everyone the beautiful instrument he so thoughtfully and carefully made for me. It was also so exciting to meet all of the “stars” of the harp guitar that I have been listening to on their CDs all the time for the past 2 years. They still are larger than life to me, but meeting them in person painted such a nice picture of their personalities. It was really special for me to see Tom Shinness play my harp guitar for me and make a recording of it – how neat! I want to personally thank Stephen Bennett and everyone who worked so hard to make this gathering possible. It sure has given me a lot of inspiration and insight into playing this instrument. - Thank you, Rick Wortzel |
