SPAH -- Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica

This was my twelfth convention. In the past I have written convention articles about the shows and the seminars, the entertainers and even the people behind the scenes. This time the story is about people, people like you and me, most of whom are non-professional players and some, who are. We are the backbone of SPAH; it could not exist without us.

My trip to the convention did not start well. This was the first time, in all my years of international travel that I experienced a real problem. Upon landing at the Sacramento airport I was approached by a flight agent who asked if I had lost anything. I answered in the negative until I heard the word “fanny-pack”. I looked down and mine was not there! Instant panic!  My cash, my Canadian passport, plane tickets, home and car keys, all were gone.  Oh no! I’m in serious trouble! Then she quickly told me that it had been turned in at San Francisco and gave me a phone number to call. Another woman explained that the fanny-pack would arrive in Sacramento on the 8:00 p.m. flight that same evening for me to pick up. Can you believe how lucky I was? Everything was returned to me. My belief that there are still good, honest and decent people (other than harmonica players) has been reconfirmed by the employees of United/Skywest.

My typical convention day starts at 6:30 a.m. and ends after 2:30 a.m. (or later). Sleep is not high on my list of priorities during the week. There is just not enough time in a typical convention day to do everything that I want to do.

Time, as we know it, does not exist at a SPAH convention. Here’s a prime example: my intent was to attend a seminar in Suite 304 in the morning. During my hike in from room 707, I overheard Phil Duncan lament the loss (misplacement) of his harmonica case. By chance, the night before, a few of us shut down the jazz bar, where a harmonica case was found and turned in at the front desk.  I turned around and told Phil where he could pick it up.  That put an instant smile on his face. Being in the right place at the right time, even in the early hours of the morning has its advantages. I get my fanny-pack back and then help Phil get his harmonicas back!

Next, on my way to get just a coffee, I ran into Doug Parrish in the lobby and ended up having a full breakfast instead with him and Terry Lewis. What a different set of backgrounds and life experiences the three of us have had.  Yet, the harmonica binds us all together. After long and diverse discussions, much food and many coffees, I remembered the seminar I was heading for.  

On the way again, I ran into Buzz Krantz. I first ran into him in 1997 and have been running into him ever since.  He doesn’t seem to mind. While talking about parrots, of all things (Buzz has a soft spot for the feathered creatures, as I do), we met a younger harmonica player.  One of Buzz’s numerous roles is that of mentor. Not only is he willing to share all his harmonica and music knowledge; he also shares his life skills honestly and openly when asked. As I said, it’s all about the people.

Before I finally got to the seminar, via a store, I spoke to Hal Iwan for a while about his harmonica cases.  This was before I ran into Charlie Musselwhite, who I first met in Toronto at the Colonial Tavern in 1968. I’ve been a fan ever since. It totally amazes me that, at a SPAH convention, I can just walk up to Charlie Musselwhite and talk on a one-to-one basis. I did and we did.

Just before I reached the seminar room, I met Steve Baker and we talked about Hohner harmonica history. Steve’s history is just as interesting: an English guy from London who moves to Hamburg, Germany, and works for Hohner and travels to SPAH conventions and other harmonica events all around the world.

By the way, I did make it to the seminar and “Horn Lines on Harp” was very good. Michael Peloquin is a talented multi-instrumentalist and presenter who knows his stuff. He also presents well designed, controlled and informative seminars. Sorry I was a little late Michael, but now you know why.

I got to hang out with some of the Harmonicoots. Bud Gardner is a wonderful host and the beverages in his room, went down well on the hot days. The conversations were always interesting. The hosting club indeed has challenges to meet, especially during its first convention.

I am amazed by the number and diversity of the people in the Harmonicoots. I am also jealous, wishing that I could be a member of such a large group. Their Friday evening show highlighted the group’s musical diversity and also featured some individual performers. But in my opinion, they were at their best performing as a large group. I have only one criticism. Have you noticed how they always discriminate against tall people by placing them in the back?

My connection to the Harmonicoots came via Chuck Clark, whom I first met at the Denver convention in 2006. Chuck kindly offered to pick me up at the Sacramento Airport. I gave him my flight number and arrival time.  Neither of us knew that this number would later change. When my “old” flight did not arrive, Chuck was told it went to San Francisco.  What to do?  Well, he waited patiently in a nearby parking lot until I was able to contact him.  Later that night, he also drove me back to the airport to retrieve my lost fanny-pack. It’s great to have friends.

There are many harmonica players who can dazzle you with their technical skills; there are few who can dazzle you with their emotion. Emotion is a very strong and visible component at a SPAH conference. Sometimes emotions are stirred by the music. Buzz Krantz, John Pellegrino and I were sitting outside with Christelle Berthon one morning, when she played “Amazing Grace”. John was visibly moved by the experience. Buzz and I held back, a difficult task.  Music has such power. During the 80+ Show on Thursday evening, Henry Samuels played a rendition of “Fiddler on the Roof” that had the entire audience on its feet in spontaneous applause. Henry was formerly with England’s Morton Fraser’s Harmonica Gang. Afterwards in the hall, he and Al Smith exchanged a few stories about their times in the Gangs. Stan Harper performed after Henry. Stan is one of those rare performers who can touch a listener’s emotions. I am not ashamed to admit that some of his performances have misted my eyes. Bruce Kurnow played with feeling during the Saturday night show, combining the harp and harmonica. His traditional tunes, from his roots, were full of life and passion. I can easily understand why Paul Davies was so excited about having spent some quality playing time with Bruce.

And sometimes, emotions are stirred by everyday life, which can be postponed by a SPAH convention, but not stopped. Things continue to happen. Fellow Canadian, Ken Backwell celebrated a birthday during the convention. My usual SPAH convention room-mate, Jim Tonn, is recovering from some serious surgery and could not attend. Roger Monroe chose to be at the convention rather than in a hospital. Dan Ruppa learned that his mother Jean (wife of Jerry Adler) passed away during the convention. Our dear friends, Jimmy Gordon and Peter White, could not be at the convention. Please send some good, loving feelings to all of them.

Rob Paparozzi was presented the Bernie Bray Award. Rob was at the first convention I attended in 1997 and he’s been to most since. He’s given seminars and done shows. He speaks both chromatic and diatonic in blues, jazz, rock and roll and “Peg of my Heart.” He is a wonderful and talented ambassador for the harmonica and it is a well-deserved award.

James Conway liked my Hohner Vineta so much that I had to sell it to him. It didn’t sound like that when I played it. I invested some of that money in raffle tickets. With those tickets I won, not one, but two custom harmonica cases, one Steven Tyler harmonica, and $100 in cash. Did James also pass on a little of that “luck of the Irish”? Or was it the lady who sold me the tickets? After all, she did say they were winners. In any case, my luck was still holding out.

A few other memories of the convention stand at the forefront. I met Clay Edwards, Hohner-USA, and Klaus Stetter, Hohner-Germany, at the convention. Both are good people in my book, and it’s fitting that they attended the convention to meet all of us. This is not a slight to the other harmonica manufacturers who were also present, but I do have a cultural, historical and emotional tie to the Hohner harmonica.

Wherever I looked during the entire convention, there was Richard Sleigh or Jimi Lee. Those two guys never stopped playing and working for everyone else. I spent some time with Joe Powers, a very talented player who travels the world and speaks several languages. How many songs do the Sardo brothers know? In the halls, I noticed Wally Peterman showing Jason Ricci the finer points of the chord.  Later Jason demonstrated overblows to Bud Boblink and gave him one of his harps. During the Saturday night dinner and show, I sat beside David Fertig. Later that evening we, two very different people from very different backgrounds, shared some conversation, some Irish whiskey and some music. It’s all about the people.

With all the above said, why do so many people, who share their passion for the harmonica at the convention, not share in the responsibility for the SPAH organization?  There were perhaps 30 people at the SPAH Annual Meeting.  Where were the other 420 people? Did someone neglect to tell us that there was something more important going on elsewhere? At that meeting I learned that only 7 people bothered to vote in the last election! Thank God that the President and Board of SPAH do all their work for the love of the harmonica. If it’s all about the people, shouldn’t we do better?

On Sunday, on the way to the airport and home, Eugene Hansen, Dorry Gould and I shared a shuttle bus with Shuji Suzuki, Waichiro Tachikawa and Koei Tanaka. Koei played a song for the driver, who in turn played an Elvis CD with a gospel tune. What a nice way to start a Sunday morning and end another SPAH convention. Hope to see everyone in Minneapolis in 2010!