I got an email today from Jon Gindick, harmonica player, singer, songwriter, author of numerous books on playing the harmonica, and the man behind Harmonica Jam Camp. The message was all about the latest harmonica Jam Camp in Missisippi, which apparently was a damn good time for all.
I was reminded of how much fun I had as an instructor at one of Jon’s Jam Camps years ago in Danvers, Massachusetts, near Boston. The fun included teaching one on one and in groups, listening to and learning from the other instructors (which on that occasion included Richard Sleigh and Dennis Gruenling), and jamming with Annie Raines (who disclosed to the campers and instructors that she began her own harmonica journey with Jon’s book “Harmonica Americana”). It was very gratifying to be part of an event where all involved visibly improved their musical skills and had a lot of fun doing it. (My only moment of distress at the event came when I learned that Legal Seafoods in Danvers did not offer Guinness, on tap or otherwise. I can barely express my shock at learning that Guinness was not being sold in a restaurant a few miles from downtown Boston, whose population includes more people of Irish heritage than you can find in Dublin. So far as I know Jon had nothing to do with the restaurant’s decision not to offer the best beer in the world.)
Anyway, it’s great to see that Jon’s Jam Camps are still going strong, and that he’s added singing to the list of musical skills that campers pick up at Camp. More music, more fun for all. Roll on Jon!
In case you’re interested, here’s the video of my jam with Annie from that Jam Camp in Danvers.