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The instructors
were outstanding. I had the good fortune of learning from
Rory
Block.
Rory is considered the chief proponent of country blues -
last week she won her 3rd W.C.
Handy Award.
(This is a highly prestigious blues award similar to the Grammys).
I don't normally like to quote people for fear of taking them
out of context, but I will give you two quotes from Jorma
that are true in any context: "She's the real deal."
and "Rory, you're a national treasure." Much can
and should be said about Rory's playing and singing. She is
one of the most intense performers I have ever had the privilege
of seeing. Her performance of "Mamas Blues" (accompanied
by Jorma) was absolutely stunning. However, in this limited
space, I would like to say something about her as a teacher.
She is a truly outstanding instructor: clarity of thought,
a high level of organization, an unshakable commitment to
her subject and the ability to breakdown and isolate the key
components of her style. Add to that a huge reservoir of patience
and encouragement and you've got the formula for successful
learning. In her class she had the "one-hour-this-year"
guy and the "every-day-for-thirty-years" guy. By
the end of three days, everyone was able to play the basic
elements of country blues, incorporate the elements into several
songs and have enough understanding of the style to learn
more on their own in the future. (It only took two days for
me to discovered the key to country blues - do the opposite
of everything you know about classical guitar!) Perhaps the
highlight of the instructional sessions was Saturday morning:
sitting on bales of hay enjoying a beautiful spring morning
in the rolling hills of southern Ohio learning country blues
from Rory Block. Friend, it just doesn't get much better than
that!
A side note:
Jack Casady taught a class of eight bass players. In most
civilized societies gatherings of more than two bass players
are strictly prohibited! One unmisquotable quote from Jack,
"Music is fun." Judging by the twinkle in his eye,
this was definitely the voice of experience.
The food: most
of the guitar fanatics I know would live on bread and water
for a few days to study with the teachers at this camp. Bread
and water was hardly the fare of the day. Vanessa Kaukonen,
Jorma's wife, somehow rounded up the best chef in Athens (Ohio)
and turned this lady loose in the kitchen. While each meal
was a delight, Greek night and Mexican night were truly outstanding.
For those of
you who may be wondering, Fur Peace Ranch has a very real
and very strict, no drugs, no alcohol policy. This may seem
strange considering the psychedelic era which gave birth to
Jefferson Airplane, but not so strange when you consider the
losses that the musical community has experienced due to substance
abuse. If you mess around with something you shouldn't while
you're at Fur Peace, you're on your way home -- no refund
of tuition -- Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200. These are
people living a dream - a dream they don't want to see tainted.
Just another
word about the way the camp is run. Everytime I sent any correspondence
(snail mail) I had a response in less than a week. Many small
details that could have been overlooked or forgotten were
anticipated and taken care of. This could only be due to the
hard work of Vanessa and her sister Ginger. (Jorma is too
good of a musician to be this organized!)
It was obvious
that both of these ladies put in plenty of long hours to make
sure that each student would have an unforgettable experience.
Their efforts paid off. From this student's point of view
there are only two things that go on at Fur Peace Ranch -
learning to play music and playing music. (Well let's say
three things, don't forget the eating.) One question remains,
"Can such a convergence of fun, relaxation and great
music ever occur again?" I guess it's up to you to head
for the hills and make sure it does!
THE SECOND VISIT
Several
people have asked for more details about my second trip to
FPR. There is a ton that could be written, but I will attempt
to hit the highlights and answer some of the questions that
I have been asked during the past year.
In April of this
year I made my 2nd trip to Fur Peace Guitar Ranch in the beautiful
hills of Southern Ohio. This year I was able to take lessons
from Jorma himself. What a treat! The first Hot Tuna album
has been a favorite since I heard it way back in the fall
of '70. To be able to sit in the room and learn those songs
from "the man" was truly a blast. Jorma is a very
positive person. He's got a twinkle in his eye and a quick,
easy laugh. At one point a few of us were talking about the
some of the strange "unplugged" concerts that have
made their way onto the TV. Someone brought up the "Kiss
Unplugged" concert. The conversation could have gone
negatively: (i.e. "Those turkeys. Why don't they hang
it up, etc." Before things could go down that road, with
a laugh Jorma said, "What a great country," then
moved the conversation along. Clearly a guy with no bones
to pick, he often punctuates his conversations with, "life
is good."
What is a class
with Jorma like? There were 8 of us in a circle with all levels
of experience. From "I don't really play that much I'm
just here to hang out with you" guys...to confirmed guitar
nuts (yours truly). We went around the circle and everyone
played something (personal highlight: an abbreviated version
of "Stories" followed by a chuckle from Mr. K.:
"So what do you want me to teach you!?!"). After
everyone played, Jorma laid out a game plan using a number
of songs as launching pads for exploring various techniques.
For the type of blues that Jorma plays, the chord progressions
are admittedly simple ("this ain't rocket science!").
The beauty of these songs is in the little fills, patterns
and licks that tie those simple chords together. For three
days we mined "Death Don't Have No Mercy," "Hesitation
Blues" and many other classics. All the while Jorma patiently
making sure that everyone got what they want out of the class.
Even now, 4 months later, I'm still toying with some of the
techniques I learned during the weekend. One "E minor
thing" he showed us has kept me noodling for hours.
The other teacher
for the weekend was Roy
Book Binder.
I had read a couple of good reviews but hadn't heard anything
and wasn't really familiar with his music. On Saturday night
several of us went into Athens to hear Roy perform in cozy
Mexican restaurant. He instantly transformed the place into
what could have been a blues club in the '20s or a coffeehouse
of the 70's. Now, I don't know if Book Binder is his real
name, but when you hear him play, half the entertainment is
listening to him tell stories of the road, of the blues and
of his life while his fingers walk effortlessly over the fret
board. The intricate guitar work is a tool that completely
supports his story telling and singing. Roy Book Binder -
the hat, the mustache, the twelve dollar and 50 cent, 1920's,
Montgomery Ward guitar - don't miss an opportunity to see
this man play!
Meanwhile back
at the Ranch - After 3 days of being totally submerged in
acoustic guitar music, the weekend concluded with a brief
concert by all the instructors followed by a song from each
student. Most songs were interspersed with jokes - (Note to
the guys telling jokes: Don't quit your day jobs!!). All in
all a great time.
I can't finish
without a word regarding the food. Vanessa, Jorma's wife,
manages to find the most amazing chefs you can imagine. Every
meal was outstanding. Rather than going into exquisite detail
and causing you to drool on your keyboard, let me sum up by
quoting a T-shirt worn by one of the other students: "It's
hard to play the blues when you're eating this good!"
Here are a
couple of questions from people who have read my writeup of
my first year at FPR.
What
about female students?
It doesn't take much hanging around the acoustic blues scene
to see that it is predominately male territory (which is also
true of much guitar music of any sort). However, camp director
Ginger Campbell told me that there were several women who
attended the first year and there was a record number of female
students signed up for the '99 summer session, a trend she
hopes to see continue.
Will
everyone at the camp be better than me?
I got this question from several people who found my web page
and saw that I've recorded two CDs. Let me say that I am not
the typical student. None of the other students I met mentioned
any serious recording and few of them perform publicly. Most
of the guys I've met at FPR simply love the guitar -- living
room/porch players. Don't get me wrong, I have met a number
of very good players, but that is not really what FPR is about.
It's about the music -- playing and learning music. I haven't
encountered any "fastest riff in the West" players,
and Jorma, Ginger and Vanessa work very hard to make sure
that everyone feels welcome and at home.
Why
do you go to FPR?
I love acoustic guitar music. I've learned a lot from the
classes and a bunch from the other players. I enjoy the blues
and believe that it is foundational to understanding pop,
rock, jazz and folk music. Doctors have to know about the
skeleton -- Musicians should know about the blues. Of course
the fact that it's fun and easy to play is another big plus!
Why
do you write about FPR?
I like the music. I like southeast Ohio. I want FPR to be
a success.
Closing remarks:
Several of the guys who attended this session were also "repeat
offenders." A bunch of them came back to FPR more than
once the first year! If you enjoy guitar, if you enjoy acoustic
blues, if you enjoy hanging out with guitarists, you'll enjoy
FPR!
If you want to
get in touch with the folks at Fur
Peace Ranch
you can reach them via email at info@furpeaceranch.com
or call (740) 992-6228.
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