THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER PLUCK-N-POST OF THE JEW’S HARP GUILD

69954 Hidden Valley Lane—Cove OR 97824

VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1 SPRING 20112 011

Inside This is a banner year for the this Jew’s Harp Guild! We will be celebrating the issue: 20th anniversary of the North American Jew’s Harp Festival, but, maybe more importantly, ushering in a change-of-the-guard of the hierarchy of the Guild. 2 Words from For nearly all of the nearly 15 year history of the the Executive Guild the same core group of folks have volunteered Directors Change at the helm their time to helm the group through festivals, relo- Outgoing ED Janet cations, sometimes strenuous meetings and paper- Gohring, Incoming work, to make it all happen… to introduce the public at large to this wonderful, ED Deirdre Morgan magical, instrument. Now change is at hand and the core group, which is now 4 Correspondence strewn all across the country, where once we all lived within hours of each other, can count on our legacy to be carried on by others with the same respect 5 Journeys with and enthusiasm of our art as we have tried to exhibit all these years. Within Deirdre these pages you will read of those changes and get to know the folks of whom we Ancient Trance speak. We hope that you too will be part of our future and continue to support Festival & IJH the JHG. Congress 2010 7 Guide to the Hörzing set - Molln Guild Ralph Christiansen 8 Twanging thru Jew’s Harp Ad Technology in Austria 10 New CDs Aksenty Beskrovny Airtist Bruce Hodges Pics by Deirdre Morgan

After much discussion, the 2011 North American Jew's Harp Festival, our 20th anniversary, will be held August 12, 13, 14 at the Bay City Arts Center in Bay City Oregon. We know it is a long trek, but we hope, at least, enthusiasts from the US Northwest will attend in force.

Future festivals may be moved to, possibly Vancouver B.C. to start, or become a "floating" festival in varying locations. We urge folks that have ideas and resources to contact us. A JHG meeting will be held at this year's festival. Help us "keep on pluckin'."

If you are interested in giving a Jew's harp or unusual instrument workshop/presentation at the Festival, please contact us using the JHG FeedBack form

Keep up to date with Festival news at: http://www.jewsharpguild.org/festindx.html Page 2 PLUCK-N-POST

A Word from the leading “expert” on Jew’s webmaster, Mark Poss, will con- Executive Director harps. She has lots of tinue to receive “online” submis- energy and a great per- sions from people (like you) to Outgoing Executive Director sonality. I’m sure she occasionally publish an on-line Janet Gohring will bring new life blood newsletter. Mark has also set up to the Guild with her a Facebook site that we encour- Hello Harpers, creative talent and ideas. For age everyone to use. He is surely Warmest Greetings to each of me, she’s a dream come true. a driving force to keep all of us you. Things have been ‘quiet on I’ve wanted to step down for sev- connected! Please be patient as the home front’ at the Jew’s Harp eral years and now I can turn Mark gets the Guild’s web page Guild and we hear the same over the “helm” with total confi- updated with all the new message echoed by our Jew’s dence that Deirdre will take the changes! Thank you, Mark! harp friends from around the Guild to new heights. Further decisions about Board world. I think people are strug- As many of you know, over the Member appointments, changes gling to maintain in these trou- past several years Guild Mem- to the By-Laws, and the future of bled times, focusing on basic bership and attendance at the the North American Jew’s Harp survival. The Guild struggles, annual Festival is down. As all Festival will be decided at the too. of our lives continue to change meeting on Sunday following the ..We apologize that the newslet- and bring unexpected obliga- August 2011 festival. If you are ter didn’t get sent out last fall … tions, we have fewer and fewer not able to attend the festival but and that we are late with this people to make our activities have ideas to share, send us an issue. Discussions have taken happen. email and we will present them place for several months about at the August meeting In an effort to deal with this the Guild’s future direction, dur- (while preserving the Guild), we We want to encourage enthusi- ing which time the newsletter are in the process of “re- astic people to consider staying content was continually chang- structuring” the organization: involved with the Guild, espe- ing! There will no longer be Guild cially as Board Members. Even if GUILD UPDATE: membership fees. We encourage they can't be at the annual meet- Deirdre Morgan has graciously those who want to support the ing this August, or live too far agreed to become the new Execu- Guild to make contributions away to attend the festival, inter- tive Director. She is an ethno- (which are tax deductible, receipt ested parties should still get in musicologist from Vancouver, upon request). Those monies touch with us via email because Canada and, in my opinion, may will go toward the web fees. there are always ways for people eventually step into the shoes of Contributors can also advertise to get involved and help out, Fred Crane as North America’s on the website (products should even from afar. be related to Jew’s Harps or unusual FESTIVAL UPDATE: instruments). This year is the 20th anniver- PLUCK-N-POST sary of founding the NAJHF! Fi- We are in the nal decisions are still in process is published by the Jew's Harp Guild, 69954 Hidden Valley Lane process of setting … but there WILL be a 2011 Cove, OR 97824 USA. Ad space may be included with JHG Dona- tion. Information in this newsletter is also posted on the Jew's Harp up a Pal Pay ac- NAJHF in Bay City on the beau- Guild Website(http://www.jewsharpguild.org). Newsletter submis- count to make it tiful Oregon Coast. The dates sions or comments may be sent to the above address or by email easier for our sup- are August 12, 13, 14. For cur- to: porters to make rent updates and information, contributions and check the Guild’s website: newsletter@ jewsharpguild.org purchase Guild www.jewsharpguild.org . Deirdre Janet Gohring / Deirdre Morgan- Executive Directors products on-line. will be hosting the festival. Vol- Mark D. Poss - Editor, Pluck-N-Post & Webmaster Information will unteers for the festival are al- be available on the ways needed. If you’d like to The Jew's Harp Guild is a non-profit organization under section 501C(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code of 1954. w e b s i t e . help, send us feedback. This will be the All of the festival photos from  2011 The Jew’s Harp Guild last Pluck ‘n’ Post 1991-2009 have been scanned in hard copy. Our and are available on the website. We’re on the Web www.jewsharpguild.org PLUCK-N-POST Page 3

Talk about years of memories!! Mark Greetings Guild! A Word from the has just added an archive of hundreds of photos of the North American Jew's Executive Director Harp festival to the JHG site (in .zip for- When I discov- ered the Jew's Incoming Executive Director mat - BIG files). Check it out from the Deirdre Morgan beginning. Thanks to all the folks who harp in 2005, the have contributed their photos over these Guild website was many years! See them at: one of the first things that came up in http://jewsharpguild.org/festphot/ my search. After I came back from Bali Zips/index.html in 2007, where I’d been doing my Mas- ter’s thesis fieldwork on the local Jew’s Since the festival began in 1991 and harp, , I knew it was finally the Guild was formed in 1996, we have time to attend the Festival. I barely even met so many wonderful and amazing knew another Jew's harp player in Can- people through the mutual love of the ada, and I had no idea what to expect. Jew’s Harp. The website has had over When I arrived at the Bay City Arts 200,000 hits! To each and every person, Center that first time, it was not long thank you for so many years of support, before I felt completely at home, sur- friendship, music, and sharing. rounded by kindred spirits. I missed the PLEASE continue to share your stories fest in 2008 because I was busy writing Deirdre Morgan and information with our webmaster … my thesis on the Jew's harp. In 2009 I help us continue to be the “ loom” that returned, more excited than ever to see weaves the threads of your Jew’s Harp everyone again, to share what I'd experiences. We must keep the vibra- learned, and to be inspired by the won- tional tones going out to the universe … derfully inclusive heart and soul of the now more than ever! festival. This event is unlike any other I have been to, and has truly become the My life has certainly been enriched by highlight of my year with its amazing the Jew’s Harp and I have so many spirit! cherished memories. One of my most VII cherished Jew’s harp memories oc- Last summer, I toured European Jew's International curred this past year. My dad, Fred, harp events for 5 weeks, with a friend I’d Congress / passed away in April. In the early years met at the festival, who some of you may Festival of the NAJHF, Dad and Mom came to know. Neptune and I reunited for the lots of festivals and many of you knew first time in 3 years and backpacked for Khomus them. In one of Dad’s last cognizant and couchsurfed our way across Ger- (Trump) moments, he talked on and on about many, Austria, the Czech Republic, and how proud he was of his son-in-law Hungary, attending festivals, having all 7th (Jew’s harp maker, Bill Gohring) for the kinds of jams, and doing one on one in- International fine Jew’s harp he makes and sells all terviews with some of the best Jew's Jew's Harp over the world, how he learned to make harp players and makers in Europe. The Congress them on his own initiative; and how Jew’s harp scene is indeed alive and well proud he was of Bill and I for our part in across the Atlantic! Things are also Yakutsk founding the NAJHF and the Jew’s Harp buzzing in Siberia, where the next Inter- 23-26 June 2011 Guild. Dad certainly gave me a legacy national Jew’s Harp Festival is taking Latest news: for music and the love of people sharing place this June. For more information that music about international events, visit my blog http:// www.overtonearts.com and check out jewsharpguild. So, in the spirit of love and music, I the Guild’s awesome new Facebook org/IJHS/ wish each of you many blessings on page, which is always full of information your future paths… and I hope those and great links (thanks Mark!). paths include many “twangs” along the I encourage you all to attend the 20 th way. Happy Harping! Janet Anniversary Festival this August 12, 13,

PLUCK-N-POST Page 4

& 14 in Bay City, Oregon. We’re

planning on having the same great array of workshops, jams, concerts, and of course delicious meals at The JHG is no the Arts Center—and with some longer a member- special 20 th Anniversary memora- ship supported bilia in the works, there are more reasons than ever to be a part of it! organization. We’ve heard from some Whether you’re a first-time atten- interesting aficionados since We will rely on dee or a long-time member who our last newsletter: donations to spread hasn’t attended in awhile, now is the joy of our art the time to stop on by—and bring a KVC from Tennessee emailed: I’m and artists. friend! All are welcome to join us in considering playing semi- celebrating two decades of twang- professionally. I presently play oc- Please donate ing together. casionally with the Museum of Ap- palachia Band to the cause . I’d also like to welcome you all to (http://www.museumofappalchia.org ). attend the Guild’s annual meeting Please expose me to other styles of on the Sunday of the Festival this playing – I am self taught … per- year. If you’re passionate about the haps enter a competition to pro- Jew’s harp and keeping the Guild mote my playing. alive, please consider joining our The JHG is non-profit Board of Directors—we need your and tax deductible. help! It doesn’t matter where you JJ from Belgium emailed: I play didgeridoo, throusting, - (EIN: 93-1203987 ) live or what your strengths are, we can always use the support and singing, Jew’s harp, Indian harmo- The Jew's Harp skills of a diverse group of people. nium, tempoura, kalmia, fujara, Guild If you’re interested in volunteering zarena, and some self-made instru- at the festival, or can’t attend the ments. I’d like to be kept informed festival but would still like to be about the Jew’s harp in general. involved, email me at Deirdre at We now accept jewsharpguild.org . PayPal and credit DS in Alaska emailed: I play Jew’s Finally, I’m thrilled to announce harp, Highland bagpipes, shuttle card donations that you can now make a tax- pipes, bodhran, Irish flute, penny deductible donation to the Guild whistle, and bones … please keep through our website! No contribu- the Guild going. Thanks for your tion is too small, and donations go work. directly towards keeping the web- site and all our great Guild events, CT from Connecticut emailed: I merchandise, and newsletters com- play Jew's Harp. I am an avid mu- ing down the pipelines. sic lover and regularly enjoy every- To Janet and all the dedicated thing from industrial Goth to Mo- Jew’s harpers over the years, thank zart, and of course, Scandinavian you for your AMAZING work and Now on folk music … for education and in- for all you’ve done to help bring us spiration. I'm very happy to meet Facebook all together. Many lives have been other enthusiastic "Harpos"! enriched because of the Festival, http://www.facebook.com/ many enquiring minds have been pages/Jews-Harp- turned on to the Jew’s harp Guild/172020557199? through the website, and of course, ref=ts many life-long friendships have Or search: been forged. Here’s to many more Jew’s Harp Guild years of inspiring, educating, and sharing our love of this unique mu- sical instrument together! Keep on twanging! Deirdre PLUCK-N-POST Page 5

Journeys With Deirdre

Here are edited excerpts from Deirdre's blog covering the “Ancient Trance Festival” and the 6th. IJH Congress held the summer of 2010 See her entire blog at: www.overtonearts.com Pics, videos, music and more Pic right - Deirdre & Neptune Sale! Until May,15 tick- & Cobblestones, incredible stamina. These guys are se- ets for only €33! riously dynamic. Their drummer is so part 1 (“Ancient Trance Festival”) JULY 15-17 intense that there was ACTUALLY 2011 Aug 28 2010 steam rising off of him for the entire hour-long set. Fun fact: Sicily is well- Taucha's historic Much like Anne of Green Gables in Ja- known for its local jaw harp, the mar-

pan, overtone music is big in Europe. ranzano. I took a marranzano work- city center So big, that there is a constant year- shop with Luca the next day and round calendar of overtone-related learned how to play in Sicilian triplet events perpetually taking place all over style. Very fast, VERY FUN. Ancient Trance the continent. And that, dear reader, is - World Music why I am here. On Saturday, two virtuosos showcased their crazy styles. Byon Kay is a groovy & Jew's Harp Last weekend, I attended one of these Japanese guy with a light, bouncy, ef- Festival events: the Ancient Trance Festival in fortless style. He is notable not only Taucha, Germany. It is an open-air because he has mastered the art of is a fusion of different musi- festival held in a small medievally cob- using a loop pedal with jaw harp and cal styles. blestoned village, with 3 stages. nose flute, but because he also some- Its roots lay by the Jew's The main stage was next to a pictur- how manages to be a rock star as he esquely algae-filled lake, the other was does so. His videos really must be Harp's play and with its at the local Schloss (castle) courtyard, watched. Check him out on youtube growth their sounds mingle and myspace! decked out with trippy lighting and with wonderful music from projections, and the third was in a lo- Tran Quang Hai is a retired ethnomusi- all over the earth. cal pub filled with half a dozen acrylic cologist specializing in overtone sing- portraits of Elvis. It does not get any ing, jaw harp, and of course, the musi- You are warmly invited to better than this. cal spoons. Naturally, he was a head- join this world! Furthermore, the line-up of performers liner at the festival. A native of Vietnam was virtually catered to the jaw harp and long-time resident of Paris, he http://www.ancient- fanatic. The festival is organized by managed to hold a rather large audi- trance.de none other than the guys at Dan Moi, ence rapt for an entire hour with his Europe’s major retailer of jaw harps one-man show, which he performed and bizarre musical instruments. Ac- while wearing a beret. cordingly, the program featured some Hai’s charisma shot to new heights really, really good bands that use jaw when he flawlessly imitated various harp as well as a couple of virtuosos opera traditions from around the who seriously know their stuff. world, first busting out a robust Sep 02 2010 bel canto, followed by a nasal Can- tonese aria, ending finally with an The festival kicked off to a very sweaty impassioned imitation of a Japa- start with the awesome Sicilian four- nese dramatic actor. He is that piece iPercusSonici. They comprise of perfect blend of scholar and clown. the amazing vocalist Alicia (who in ad- dition to having sick dance moves also I kind of want to be him when I rocked my personal favorite style of grow up. wearing running shoes with a dress), Tran Quang Hai >>> the well-known jaw harp player Luca Recupero, a sequined and steamy (continued next page) drummer, and a didgeridoo player with Page 6 PLUCK-N-POST

(Continued from previous page) May the Twang Be With You well as local acts, while the mainstage 6th. IJH Congress featured the Oct 14 2010 festival head- liners. We I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise when I say it’s hard were graced to verbally distill a four-day long international jaw harp with perform- event. Three weeks later, I’m still processing and figuring ances by Leo out what even happened at the 6th International Jew’s Tadagawa Harp Festival in Kecskemet, Hungary. It was billed as a from Japan, festival, but it was more like a wave that swept us up and Maria and carried us through a weekend so full of the jaw harp Kulichkina that it was actually impossible to see everything, or any- from Yakutsk thing, by the end of it. There were so many performers (who, it must and presenters that simultaneous sessions were sched- be pointed uled and a few hard decisions had to be made as to out, was which ones to attend. As far as international jaw harp awarded last festivals go, I was told that this was actually one of the year’s “Miss smaller ones. If that’s the case, then I positively can’t Khomus” title, wait to experience a “big one”. In fact, the next interna- and delivered tional event is scheduled for June 2011, in Yakutsk, Si- an act involving the different “characters” of the khomus, beria, so we won’t have to wait very long. interspersed with dramatic monologues, in full diamond- The Hungary festival marked a lot of firsts for me. It was encrusted Siberian costume). the first time I’d ever been surrounded by so many jaw The Russian multi-instrumentalist Nadishana dazzled harp players from so many different countries. It was the with his technical wizardry and homemade instruments, first time that I’ve been put up in my very own hotel and the U.S. boys of TriBeCaStan rocked out with room as a festival artist. And it was the first time I’ve French mouthbow expert and versatile musician Jerome, performed onstage in front of my international peers. All as well as two friends from Croatia. Jeff Greene is a kin- the musicians were staying in the Apollo Hotel, which dred jaw harp fanatic and compulsive instrument collec- meant that we got to connect over breakfast (scrambled tor (we suffer the same afflictions) and is one of the few eggs speckled with Hungarian paprika) every morning. special people who has actually made it to the end of my During the day, the hotel reverberated as musicians Masters thesis. John Kruth is a font of music history practiced for their upcoming performances. A great snap- and a rock star in his own right, complete with mad style shot of the Apollo experience involved a moment where and far-out, side-splitting stories. there was banjo coming from TriBeCaStan’s room down- stairs, didgeridoo and throat singing coming from Jonny Aron Szilagyi, son of jaw harp maker Zoltan Szilagyi, or- Cope next door, and me yodeling, twanging, and overton- ganizer of the festival, and virtuoso performer in his own ing somewhere in the middle. A joyfully eccentric sound right, reminded us all why the Szilagyi name is associ- bath, to be sure. ated not only with quality instruments but with master- ful playing as well. Each afternoon and evening was spent at the Kecskemet Youth Centre where the festival was held, checking out Many of the jaw harp stars who appeared at the Ancient workshops, concerts, and the latest offerings at the per- Trance Festival in Taucha reappeared, and we were re- formers’ green room table. I can’t possibly report on eve- united with Byon Kay, Tran Quang Hai, and Luca and rything I saw, but I can briefly summarize that the enter- Alicia from my favorite Sicilian band ever, iPercusSonici. tainment ranged from Hungarian multi-instrumentalist I also connected with Jonny Cope, UK didgeridoo player, Alex Horsch pumping out dancy folk tunes on Slovakian throat singer, and twanger extraordinaire, and we man- overtone flutes and Hungarian bagpipes, to the Dutch aged to get deep into quantum physics discussions be- duo Heug’s bizarre Dada-esque onstage antics, where, fore noon. All par for the course with people who think among the jaw harps, toy accordions, and plastic trum- about vibration and resonance all day long. Russian duo pets, they actually managed to appropriate an accidental TurbodZen tranced out the audience with their powerful squeak in the staging and incorporate it into one of their driving vargan playing, and Neptune called me up at the improvised loops. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is end of his set for a little genggong action. skill. Another highlight was meeting the master jaw harp The smaller teahouse stage featured some free jams as PLUCK-N-POST Page 7

GUIDE TO THE GUILD  Ralph Christiansen maker Zoltan Szilagyi. Part metal smith, part busi- My love affair with this under appreciated little instrument, ness man, part philosopher, Zoltan is one of those in my case the , started back in 1970 or 1971. I was rare people who truly feels that he is fulfilling his shortly out of High School and attending a Jr. College near where I lived in Northern California. One day I was crossing destiny and doing his life’s work. And what a life’s the quad to class and passed a woman sitting on the grass work it is, to be one of a handful of people who playing this instrument and making this most incredible spend their time making high-quality jaw harps and sounds. It turned out that her father had been a teacher in exporting them all over the planet. No collection is the Philippines and she had been introduced to the instru- complete without several of this man’s fine and ment called Kunbing or Kubing there. When her family moved back to the States so her father could be the principal of the imaginative instruments. school of a small near by town, she brought some back. I On the last night of the festival, nobody wanted to think she only had one left. say goodbye. We all walked back to the Apollo Hotel I used to do a lot of sculpture and carving boat models and together for the last time, and stayed up drinking used bamboo for masts and oars so I begged her to let me beer and cavorting in the breakfast room until 4am, borrow the Kubing for a couple of days to copy it. She had never seen me before, and didn't know if she would ever see trying rather unsuccessfully to be quiet in consid- me or her Kubing again, but she let me borrow it. I took it eration of the other, non-jaw harp guests in the ho- home and copied it and returned it to her. I never saw her tel (how could ANYBODY possibly not like the jaw again, but if I did I would give her a BIG hug. It has brought harp, we justified to ourselves in our blissed-out so much joy and enjoyment to me and others I could not state). At 6am we hopped on an airport shuttle to- thank her enough. gether and all hugged goodbye at the airport, know- Not long after that I lived in Taos, New Mexico for almost a year. Those long, dark, cold winter nights were perfect times ing that many of us are destined to see each other to practice and explore the instrument. I've been playing off again and again, in different parts of the world, all and on for 40 years. I was in a long "dry" spell for about 15 because of a tiny, strange, special little instrument. years until I went to a concert by Norton Buffalo, one of the best players alive. The performance was so inspir- It’s a weird way to make friends, but somebody’s ing I started making and playing again. gotta do it. Deirdre A problem I had though was that the Jew's Harp could not be heard above the other instruments. People kept saying "I saw you going like this (making a plucking motion) but I couldn't hear anything." Very flustering! Part of the problem was having a mike small enough not to be in the way. I thought of taking apart a telephone (this was before cell phones were very available) and using the mouth piece mike. But the problem was solved when I heard a lapel mike pick up the whistle in some ones speaking. I figured it would pickup a harp. Next was how to amp it! Solved when I saw a young boy at a music festival strolling along with a guitar and a small "practice" amp. It works well; portable and gives good volume. I play at "OLD TIME MUSIC JAM" once a month with a Country player, a couple of Folk music players, sometimes with a couple who play Hawaiian, Celtic players and occa- sionally Rock and Roll. Also once a week at a Open Mike night at a local coffee shop. In the 40 years I’d played I hadn’t met another Jew's Harper player until 6 years ago. It's easy to tell a guitar or a fiddle Below: Neptune, Ralph and Deirdre player by their case, but how to tell a Harp player? Then I met two at a music fest. Larry Hanks was leading a work- shop, I think, and Neptune was in the audience with me. Larry introduced me to the JEW'S HARP GUILD and I intro- duced Neptune to the Guild. One of the best times of my years is to gather with fellow Harp players at the Jew's Harp Guild Festival in Bay City near Tillamook, OR, next is attend- ing the International Jew's Harp Festivals, usually held every 4 years. The one that was staged this year was in Kecskemet, Hungary. Although smaller than normal because of the econ- omy, it was still vibrant with attendees from all over the world, North America, Europe, Asia and even Russia and Siberia (where the next IJHF is scheduled to be held in 2011). I met old friends and made new ones and learned about dif- ferent instruments from different countries and cultures. Ralph Page 8 PLUCK-N-POST

Twanging thru Technology By Susan Stickel - Music Manager “…treating the Jew's harp as a legitimate musical instrument and encouraging others to do the same"** is what Board Member/Festival Founder Gordon Frazier fervently said about improving the image of the instrument, and it is what Bruce Hodges for nearly four decades now has also been compelled to accomplish, but for a much more per- sonal reason. He has taken a unique tunnel, a detour of sorts, off the pathway Gordon is on in order to illuminate those in the dark about the Jew's harp, his favorite than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and being the Hörzing Coal Black, by using the harp in a wondering what life had been like if I'd just been my- way possibly never before imagined, at least up until the self." last few years judging by what has been arriving on You- Be that as it may, it cannot be said that there haven’t Tube where there is a harper or two using an amplifier been times when he stood, harp in hand, looking down and microphone. Long before these harpers arrived on at the E.J.H. and thought, to paraphrase him, that what the scene, Bruce had begun infusing the cadence of gui- he was doing was simply ludicrous, that people would tar multi-effects processors along with amplification and never take him or his music seriously, and what a waste headset microphone to create what he has dubbed The of high tech equipment for just a “stupid” little Jew’s E.J.H. (Electric Jew's Harp). Now mind you, this has harp. not been without some unexpected curves and pot holes His light of creativity having been dimmed, albeit just along the way. temporarily, because he came to find out that like your When Bruce thought his vision of The E.J.H. might run-of-the-mill addict, he too had a recurring compul- become a reality, he was excited, full of enthusiasm and sion and in essence was and is in the thralls of it, that so naturally freely talked to friends, family and ac- being that darned ‘ole Jew’s harp which has become quaintances about one day making it big with his Jew's such an integral part of him, and besides, there is no harp and an equipment ensemble. Unfortunately, after 12-step group designed to cure one of their love for the he was repeatedly met with everything from laughter to darn thing anyway! So, like any other addict, he re- downright being snubbed by the music shops he fre- sumed his playing and his love for the harp soon capti- quented, he was no less thrilled but merely less forth- vated him once again. coming and that’s when a little birdie told him, “Don’t For the next few years, roughly 2002 through 2007 it tell them, show them.” The naysayers were closed was just Bruce and his E.J.H. with him discovering new minded, subdued by the darkness of the tunnel… a tun- techniques of musical expression just about every time nel which Bruce was then and continues today to stead- he sat down and put his microphone headset on. He ily illuminate with his being full throttle ahead on his enjoyed the solitude and the opportunity it leant to his drive towards his dream. You see, for Bruce, it is like creativity, but he had always wanted to share his tech- what Author Brittany Renee once said, "I would much niques and learn other techniques as well from fellow rather have regrets about not doing what people said, Continued next page PLUCK-N-POST Page 9

harpers. Therefore, when the Jew's Harp Festival tracted with a music supervisor to promote the mu- moved to Bay City Bruce was quite elated because sic on his CD "Hearing is Believing" to those in the now other harpers were at a more convenient loca- movie, video game, and other industries where his tion, close enough for him to bring his E.J.H. station unique sound would make for awesome background to join in the festivities which after that became an music. annual pilgrimage. However, the irony of it is that Even one tune making it into a motion picture, though he brought his equipment that year and the video game or some other media would be the culmi- next few years he did not use any of it becoming ap- nation of his nearly lifelong dream…a dream that prehensive on arrival as to what the response would was concocted not for riches and fame but so one be to something so outside the box let alone the day he would be able to financially be able to help realm of what is typical for a normal festival. But, the homeless of our society in a much greater way even with the chance of not using it, he figured it than he has ever been able to do before. (Oprah, you would better to have and not need than to need and go girl!). not have. Bruce’s strong desire to help our community’s Over the years the equipment making up The homeless stems from him on various occasions hav- E.J.H. station has changed somewhat with the birth ing been there himself, thereby giving him insight of new technology and this past year's festival was into the plight of men, women and children strug- the opportunity for Bruce to introduce to his now gling day to day to survive. longtime friends, his fellow harpers, what he and his He would like to be able to finance mobile home current E.J.H. station configuration could do. Un- parks and other such communities that they can call fortunately, the first night of last year’s festival, home. For now though, Bruce is continuing to cre- when he expected to wow the audience, instead it ate new music, looking into recording scenarios was more like a motion picture train wreck with his again and just enjoying playing his harp, jamming performance being derailed by his arch enemy feed- with a friend, James Weiss, and looking forward to back. this year’s festival. Bruce's CD can be bought online Luckily, the second night with the help of Jerry at www.cdbaby.com/cd/theejh . Stutzman who sat at the helm of The E.J.H. station, **(PLUCK, Spring/Summer '93) Jim the sound man, Bruce on his Coal Black Jew's harp and Rob and Ingrid kicking up their heels to the music on the dance floor, it was quite the show and fun was had by all, the masterful musicians, the eloquent dancers and those of us lucky enough to be looking on at the comical spectacle. Bruce over the last year has once again reconfigured The E.J.H. station and is look- ing forward to bringing his new compilation (formed with the theory of less is more) to this year's festival. Besides his playing mu- sical equipment with changing gear in and out over the last several months, he con- Page 10 PLUCK-N-POST

Journey from West to East NEW CDs “Journey from West to East” is the single al- bum of Aksenty Beskrovny (director of project “Jew`s harp speech”). The general idea of this work is combination of west and east styles of playing on traditional models of jew`s harp between different people (Austrian maultrommel, Bashkir kubyz, Nepal murchunga, Yakut khomus). Eight music instruments, sixteen music travels from west to east and dumb jew`s harp speech in each moment of music. Album is focused as for people, who like jew`s harp, and as for people, who likes ethnic and original music. See: http://www.overtone.cc/profile/aksenty? xg_source=activity

Do you The 55 min long CD comes in a slim paper case. Both the urban hippies keen on tribal have a new rhythms (Congo Catapult) and drum and bass addicted bartenders (Sphereology) can find Jew’s Harp something for their taste while the musical CD to an- roots of Australian indigenous people or the Yakut shamans are also palpable all along the nounce or recording. Each track visualizes the pictures of wonderlands (Light Soul Dance) or the bit- wish to be ter real world (Off the ) in the listener's mind. The three virtuoso musicians have re- reviewed corded the most energetic and multifarious dancemusic album in a unique style. in our See: http://records.aural.hu/ newsletter? Order code: AR1208-CD Airtist's first album , “Wireless” is a unique recording that creates the atmosphere of elec- Airtist: Please tronic dance music with Jew's harp, didgeri- doo and human voice (beatbox). As its title Áron Szilágyi: Jew's harps use our refers, there are no electronically produced Döme: Human beatbox sounds in the recording, only the natural vi- Markus Meurer: Didgeridoo feedback brations of the instruments can be heard in such a form that is absolutely unique, despite form the fact that this music could have been to tell us played thousands of years ago, too.

about it TWANGING and where E C to send it THRU See article on for review N Page 7 O Bruce Hodges’ CD L HEARING IS BELIEVING O ….then I heard his tunes, G now I'm a believer… Y www.cdbaby.com/cd/theejh 69954 Hidden Valley Lane Cove OR 97824 USA PLUCK-N-POST [email protected] THE OFFICIAL TRUMPS For sale Hand made and Lindsay Porteous Scottish Champion Jawharpist Hörzing & Wimmer from Austria Tuned - $36 each Szilágyi of Hungary (Keys Middle C down to C#) Tutor Pack Classic American Whitlow Please Specify Key How to play and have fun Schlütter of Germany When Ordering with the Jew's Harp Blue Dolphin Book, CD, or cassette with harp Items from: Jew's harp - $36 (Book, CD or cassette may also China - India - Vietnam - Russia (Free tones - rich be purchased separately) with long sustain- Wayland Harman Design MouthBows ment, works air well) Jew's Harp & Mouthbow Tutor Cassettes CDs & Tapes Blue Whale Jew's harp - $42 New CDs: The Art of the Pickin' Bow (1/2" longer than Blue Dolphin) & The Art of the Trump www.mouthmusic.com Free shipping in US For list and information: www.jewsharp.com Gohring Jew’s Harps Lindsay Porteous - Tron House 69954 Hidden Valley Lane Culross, Fife, KY12 8JG Scotland Cove OR 97824 Phone: ++01383-880271 gohringjewsharp at coveoregon.com Order by phone: 208.841.8780

The Jew’s Harp Guild Please send me the following Jew’s Harp Guild products: Jew’s Harps, Flutes and Percussion JHG PRODUCTS From Various Cultures ___ Past NAJHF T Shirts (our choice—size L only) US$ 8 ea www.danmoi.de ___ 2009 NAJHF embroidered Patch US$15 ea

___ 1998-2000 NAJHF Highlights CD US$15 ea John Palmes: Singer/Folk Musician ___ Bumper Sticker “Harpers Do It With Spring” US$3 ea Workshops: Mouthbow, Harmony Singing, Songwriting ___ World of the Jew’s Harp Postcard US$2 ea Mouthbow: Bach,J.S. to Brown,James SHIPPING CHARGES:

US$3 for domestic addresses US$5 for international addresses “Any excuse to get out of Alaska in the winter!” [email protected] www.efolkmusic.org

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North American Jew's Harp Festival 1998 - 2000 Highlights

“Twenty-two samples from three years of the NAJHF are as diverse as anyone could imagine. There are a passel of world-class players; wonderful solo improvisations; compelling duets; tradition; frivolity.” - Fred Crane, PNP 2003

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