Bluesweek

[blueshome]

Who's going apart from MM and myself?

[Gerry C]

Not this here picker, I fear: I'll be in France until August 12th doing quality control work on wine, cheese and pate in the Carcassonne area.... ;D Perhaps next year. (But I hope to make Pocklington again in November.)

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[growler]

HI Gerry C
we are having lovely weather here in Normandy , picture taken by wife at 7 o'clock this evening 28° in the shade .
You can see in background where local farmer has cut 3 acres of my lawn today.......... I've run out of wine though

regards Growler

[Michael Messer]

Growler, can we come and do Blues Week in your garden? It looks so much more appealing than Northampton University!

What a great spot to hang and play guitar

shine On
Michael

[Simon F]

Absolutely- I'm acutely jealous.

I will however be finding my way to sunny Northants in due course.

Must be my 5th year.

[pascal]

Growler,
Your pic could be a nice back of a style O "design"! I can imagine easely this lovely laziness sand-blasted...

[Gerry C]

Growler, that is a fab photo: idyllic and restful and would indeed look good on the back of the forthcoming Michael Messer Waikiki Beach squareneck tricone model... ;D

Just one thing puzzles me: how the **** does one 'run out of wine' in France??!! Especially when It's just before dinner time! Or was it just 'at that particular moment in the hammock'?

Cheerily,

Gerry C

[growler]

Gerry .........you run out of wine when 6 members of my bloody family descend on us, as they have done recently , for a cheap few days and think that all people do with them selves in France is drink wine till they are stupid, they got through a box of 5 litres in 2 hours one night , and that was not all of them drinking it ......... thats why I have run out of it ........ will they pay for their stay or even replace some of the wine they have drunk ............ will they *¨==#llcks.......... families for you

Regards growler

[Brad Bechtel]

Having just attended the Dobro Intensive Workshop that Orville Johnson hosted in Port Townsend, Washington, I can attest to his expertise, both on regular guitar and lap style guitar. He's also an excellent vocalist.

This sounds like a great opportunity to learn more about your instrument. If I hadn't already been to Paris and Seattle this month, it would be something to consider.

I hope you all enjoy your time together.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your message. Sounds like Port Townsend was fun!

I have known Orville's playing for a while & I look forward to meeting him & hearing him play. I think it was John Miller who introduced me to his music.

Shine On
Michael.

[Brad Bechtel]

Link to my Flickr.com photos from the weekend.

Here's one of Orville playing his Rayco resophonic guitar.


Orville is also a very fine guitarist and excellent vocalist. I wish I could be there just for the jam sessions. Ask him to play you some New Orleans music!

[ianz]

Well, I have just returned from Bluesweek, which I attended not as a musician but as my daughter's guardian. It was a splendid experience, immersed in Blues taught and played by the most enthusiastic and skilled musicians.
I can confirm that Orville is truly a gentleman, and I was privileged to hear his impromptu concert in the corridor on Thursday (or was it Wed, Tues, Fri, hey I can't remember!). If the guy selling guitars doesn't get any sales from that "gig" then there's no justice in the world.....
It would be unfair of me to single out Orville however, the whole of the teaching staff were welcoming, patient and approachable. Lucy (my daughter) had a week which she has described as "truly life-changing", which I think you may agree is probably the best compliment Euro Blues could ever have.

[mynameisearl]

What a week! Especially the "Advanced Class in late night drinking while playing the Slide Guitar"......it has taken me most of the week to recover.
Thanks to all the staff, organisers, helpers etc. especially you MM.
ianz: it was good to meet you and of course Lucy. I look forward to seeing her progress, as she surely will. Keep in touch.
See everyone next year, I hope.

[Michael Messer]

For some wonderful photos of Blues Week 2008 - visit Lucy Zirins on My Space ...go to VIEW MY PICS >then to BLUES WEEK 2008.

www.myspace.com/lucyzirins

Thanks Mynameisearl & ianz,

Your kind words are VERY much appreciated. It makes all that insanity for five days worthwhile! I enjoyed your company too.

Brad - It was a pleasure to spend time with Orville. He is a wonderful musician & a gentleman. Sadly, because of the schedule we never got the chance to jam, but we did get to hear each other play.

It was a great week - I think it was our best at Northampton.

Next year will be our tenth anniversary. Phew....what happened to that decade!

Shine On
Michael.

[Michael Messer]

I do have one thought about Blues Week, which I would like to make known.

All through the week people were asking Oriville & me about holding a lap steel (Dobro) class. The original plan was for my Thursday afternoon class to be a one-off Michael & Orville lap steel session, but due to commitments to our bottleneck slide students, it never actually happened. I have been made aware that a few students were upset about the class not happening. I did do a half hour lap steel sesion with my class and I believe Oriville did the same, but that was not really enough and it was not advertized in the schedule, so only our students were there. I apologize to those students who missed out. Oriville & I also missed out as we really wanted to hold a class together.

Next year I would like to build a lap steel class or two into my schedule, so from day one everyone knows when and where it will be held.

I would be grateful if anyone could circulate this message to Blues Week students.

Shine On
Michael.