From: jeffhut~uno.com (Jeff Hutchinson) Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 20:14:27 -0600 Subject: Assorted harp content (a little guitar, too)
Thank to the Artists Itinerary List (and Magic Dave Thereault) I got to attend the Mid-Winter Roots of the Blues Festival this weekend. Friday night: Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, John Westin, and John Mooney. Saturday night: the Denver Blues Divas (Mollie O'Brien, Vickie Taylor, Mary Flower), Big Joe Duskin, and David "Honeyboy" Edwards.
Annie Raines: Wow! Sweet and hot! She has a very exagerrated hand move for a vibrato. She brings the right hand clear off the harp, maybe 8" - 12", and brings it back, appearing to repeatedly smack the harp with the heel of her palm. Anybody know why?
John Westin plays the chromatic in a rack. Very pure tone. However as impressive as his harping is, his song-writing completely blew my mind. >From funny to sad, great songs.
However, of the entire weekend, the two headliners were the most impressive. After hearing John Mooney's utter virtuosity Friday night I figured I wouldn't be much impressed the rest of the weekend. Then Honeyboy Edwards came on Saturday. WOW!!!!! 82 (83 in a couple weeks, I guess) and he blew that crowd away, over and over. Wish I could've kidnapped the festival organizers so he could've kept playing.
Regarding the recent discussion on improvisation, he replayed his first song a second time just before the end of the set. His solos the second time (from what I could tell) were completely unlike the first time.
Overall a very good weekend. Three of the performers (Annie Raines, Paul Rishell, and Big Joe Duskin) did workshops at Swallow Hill Music (the local folk music school that was one of the sponsors), but I didn't get to go. *pout* Stuff already planned.
Well, Hutch had a pretty good weekend. Hope y'all did too.
BB, Hutch
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