Jason Ricci getting Bernie Bray Award at SPAH 2017 and other SPAH videos

[Scotty]

Hopefully this is the correct video --if not I'll fix it. There is another brief vid on the web, but this includes Michael D'Eath (current President
of SPAH) onstage with Paul Davies and Winslow Yerxa calling Jason up to the stage to give him his award and his response (and tears).

Knowing J  - this was a supremely emotional time for him - since being accepted and even awarded by his peers is something extra special
to him.



Congratulations, Jason!

Elizabeth (scotty)

[Keith]

Interesting - congrats to Jason.

[Scotty]

It isn't the way they usually present the awards at Spah --it's normally done during the Saturday night (tonight) banquet/show/festivities, after dinner and immediately before the
entertainment begins. In addition, everyone is usually dressed up - at least the presenters are, hahaha. I gather Jason had to leave that day for a couple of gigs so they made it
casual - also so he wouldn't catch on that he was getting any award, let alone the Bernie Bray.

Despite being known for his hard rocking bluesy/occasionally punk style of harmonica playing (which is totally brilliant if you ever get a chance to see him play Live), Jason is a huge
fan of the trios-style of harmonica playing, especially the chords and basses....and nearly single-handedly brought both 'factions' together at one of his Blues Blow-Offs some years ago,
since he has formed great friendships with and has amazing respect for the older and old- 'timey' style players. The applause they got from primarily blues diatonic players was incredible
--many of whom had never listened to or heard any kind of harmonica playing other than their own amplified blues. IF a seminar or show starring those 'others' was going on, most would
use it as an excuse to be somewhere else or to take a cigarette break. In fact, that is what happened that particular night in Sacramento: the club emptied out with people milling about on
the sidewalk 'getting some air'. I stayed behind to record and within a couple of minutes --as their sound wafted outside, suddenly these dyed-in-the-wool blues guys came flooding back in,
raving about what they were hearing and giving the players a standing ovation.   Those players? Phil Caltabellotta, George Miklas and Wally Peterman. They slayed and I had blues
guys coming up to me both during and after whispering about how astonished they were by how astonishingly good this music was --why did they never realize it before?

 Did my heart good, let me tell you. for me - Spah always has some of these magic moments, and the Blow-Off wasn't considered a part of Spah at that time, but Jason worked to
introduce musicians to a lot of those who would be in attendance (his band played backup).

Jason is a most interesting musician and person --far deeper than many realize, ergo his winning this particular award.  I couldn't be happier for him.   

Elizabeth (scotty)

[rebel harper]

If you want to see what we are missing at SPAH, go to youtube and search for SPAH 2017 and there are the videos...lots of them.

Manfred

[wolfman]

Thank you very much.

Roman

[SlideMeister]

Good for Jason! He deserves it!

[Scotty]

If you want to see what we are missing at SPAH, go to youtube and search for SPAH 2017 and there are the videos...lots of them.

Manfred

And I was just complaining that I couldn't find any videos from Spah 2017!  Thanks, Manfred --I'll check again. I likely boggled the search.

Elizabeth (scotty)

[Scotty]

I found them doing what Manfred said (shaking my head at myself, lol).

Here's the Sardo Brothers (Tony on guitar - Phil to his left playing presumably his goldbar (or Elite?), on Moon River. Trust me, they play this beautifully,
but when someone's recording with their phone--there's always someone playing off to the side closer to the camera either on a diatonic (no black keys)
or - who possibly doesn't really know the tune, who might not be dead on key. It happens. Nobody minds too much - the players who do know the song
play through anyway. This happened last year too --we were all playing SO well, someone came along to record a snippet - which didn't sound good at all.
Ah well. 

They play for HOURS every day of the Convention --taking breaks only for meals and when their wives insist. Occasionally the energy flags a wee bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS3JMmmQtGg

Elizabeth (scotty)

[Scotty]

Oh! This is so good too!  Jimi Lee (on guitar and with harp-in-a-rack- later singing) with Koei Tanaka on chromatic  - and another young
player I don't recognize, doing 'Sway' during a jam.

In fairness, Jimi and Koei have dueted on stage at Spah before: I sat in on one of their rehearsals a couple of years ago - thoroughly enjoying
every second. Koei's become a special favourite of mine (came to Spah in 2009 to rep Suzuki instruments and caught the 'Spah bug').

THIS is the kind of thing one can expect to hear from some of the pros there, but there is still plenty amateur playing for those who might find
it intimidating to get up and play in front of a backing band (like me).
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g913eMxA_RU

Elizabeth (scotty)

[Scotty]

Tom Stryker mentioned that he was working on a special arrangement with a group of other great players. Here they are:

From the left: Tom Stryker, Chris Bauer, Mike Runyan, Steve Watne, Winslow Yerxa and Judy Simpson Smith - standing at the back are
(from the left): Al Smith and George Miklas.

Tom mentions they're playing polyphonias...which I didn't think were chromatics? But I believe Winslow at least, is playing a chromatic here?
Does anyone else think so? Also - Tom switches to a chrom part-way through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIg9YerQ3J4

Can you tell I'm really missing being there?

oops: should have realized they played a LOT more than one song, lolol..(there are at least 5 more videos), but here they are on 'Georgia' which
 is quite unlike any way you've likely heard it played before - unless you've been listening to old harmonica records! (immensely cool).

Tom introduces everyone here first so this likely was their first song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QPYOJdLTko

Elizabeth (scotty)

[jimjams]

Nice to see Jason's extraordinary work ethic rewarded!

[Scotty]

Nice to see Jason's extraordinary work ethic rewarded!

Thank you for that! Not everyone knows this about him.  I met him in 2005, when we became instant friends. I've known him before, during and after
his life's troubles. He's a 'phoenix rising from the ashes' to my mind--and somehow always manages to do so, no matter how hard he gets knocked down.
Utmost respect and love for him on my part, and it's wonderful to see him finally in a very good place.

BTW, I've amended the title of the thread to reflect the other SPAH videos but it doesn't carry through to the individual comments. 

Elizabeth (scotty)

[Scotty]

Another GREAT Sat. night headliner performance at SPAH 2017!

Koei Tanaka beginning on diatonic --then Tom Stryker coming in on chromatic. This is a really neat demonstration of camaraderie and two players
respectful of each other's instrument (it doesn't hurt that Koei is terrific on chromatic in his own right) - but this is really nice to hear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-KRNlz7lUQ&spfreload=5


Btw - if anyone knows who the videographer is, I'd love to give her kudos?! She's done a phenomenal job of taping these performances at Spah!

Elizabeth (scotty)

 

[Scotty]

Another mini-Sardo Brothers jam in the Lobby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdTgGMXCQE4

For a change there's another guitarist and harmonica-in-a-rack player joining in (so Tony takes a break).
PT Gazell - in his usual pork-pie hat walks by at .25 seconds in.

Elizabeth (scotty)

[dougharps]

A lot of SPAH 2017 video was posted by TheMrsDaddy, spouse of Big Daddy Al Lamberson:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMrsDaddy





Doug S.

[Scotty]

A lot of SPAH 2017 video was posted by TheMrsDaddy, spouse of Big Daddy Al Lamberson:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMrsDaddy





Doug S.

Doug - just about ALL of these I'm posting are from her! - Thanks for giving us her name --I tried to find out (and even asked her directly) on one of
the Youtubes, so am glad to know which player is her husband as well. She did a fantastic job on these clips and I'm ever so grateful we're getting
to see and hear the music some of us missed! On this thread I'm keeping it to primarily chromatic and here's another I just found:

Jimi Lee and Koei Tanaka on 'The Way you Look Tonight'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_0LvFBJZ48

Elizabeth (scotty)

[SlideMeister]

Very nice work, indeeeeed!

[swatne]

...
Tom introduces everyone here first so this likely was their first song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QPYOJdLTko

Elizabeth (scotty)

We played 10 songs - Georgia was the second one.  I'll See You in my Dreams was the opener.  The rehearsals and performance was so much fun!  I sure hope we do it again next year - and I told Tom I want to do one of my arrangements.

Swatne.