Jump to content

2012 Old Pal Festival Post-Mortem


Recommended Posts

I had a really good time this past weekend, and I wanted to share a bit.

 

I enjoyed learning new tunes, new techniques, meeting folks from here and elsewhere, as well as getting to put my hands on other makes/models/types of concertinas! (Just let me know when you want to get rid of that Edeophone, StephenTx ;))

 

Jody was both a joy to behold as well as to learn from. Our class rendition of "Yellow Rose of Texas" was one of the high points of the weekend for me.

 

All in all, it was a very good festival, and I can't wait to go again next year!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a really good time this past weekend, and I wanted to share a bit.

 

I enjoyed learning new tunes, new techniques, meeting folks from here and elsewhere, as well as getting to put my hands on other makes/models/types of concertinas! (Just let me know when you want to get rid of that Edeophone, StephenTx ;))

 

Jody was both a joy to behold as well as to learn from. Our class rendition of "Yellow Rose of Texas" was one of the high points of the weekend for me.

 

All in all, it was a very good festival, and I can't wait to go again next year!

 

I agree completely! It was a fantastic festival! I was pleased to meet many friendly people and talented players. The workshops were challenging for me. You'd all chuckle to hear me at home, working on those very simple exercises and trying to get my left hand to dance like Jody showed us.

 

I'll be back next year as well, to play with my new friends and see what you all have done with the materials.

Edited by sidesqueeze
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks really need to go to “Reed Bellows”, “sidesqueeze”, “highplainsman” and all the other wonderful players who made this year the best ever for the Old Palestine Concertina Weekend in East Texas!

 

We were thrilled to have Kathy from Oregon, Ken and Gary from California, and Erin from Maryland. Others came from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas for a grand total of over 20 concertina players.

 

There were lots of magic moments:

 

  • Dan Worrall’s “House Dance/Octave Style” presentation and his discovery of the “Double Z” method of playing.
  • English Music Session with Jody Kruskal and Dan Worrall and Mark Gilston that lasted until 2am, including the first ever “All-Anglo Concertina Caterpillar” in Texas, to the tune of “Mr. & Mrs. Mickey Mouse”.
  • Jody leading 12 of us in the “Yellow Rose of Texas” on the big stage Saturday Night.
  • Harold Herrington showing his very first instrument and various mechanical prototypes.
  • Jody’s Master Class when Nancy Bessent’s playing of “Out on the Ocean” turned into a spontaneous session of wonderful accompaniment.
  • And of course I have to mention YouTube’s “angloconc” teaching beginning Anglo and handing out draft copies of Gary Coover’s new 100-page Anglo tutor.
     

Unfortunately, the Sacred Harp ensemble class didn’t have enough note readers, so we just worked on “Yellow Rose” instead. Maybe we’ll work up the old hymns next year.

 

Non-concertina performers at the festival included Alice Gerrard, Wayne Henderson, Rafe Stefanini, Beverly Smith, Don Pedi, Cathy Barton & Dave Para, Bing Futch, Hem & Haw and many others on stage, in workshops, and under shade trees just “pickin’” with friends and strangers.

 

Jody Kruskal was great fun, as always, and was especially good at teaching all systems how to accompany tunes and how to fit in quietly and tastefully with old time string music players.

 

A great weekend of music in spite of the brutal East Texas heat and humidity. Luckily, unlike stringed instruments, concertinas are always in tune, and they even help to move the air a little bit so that’s a good thing.

 

Speaking of good things, we pigged out again at Shep’s BBQ – some of us even went twice!

 

 

 

Gary

 

 

Is Jody really that tall? Is that an Abbots Bromley Horn Dancer in the back?

 

 

Getting ready to squeeze our things on the main stage!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks really need to go to Reed Bellows, sidesqueeze, highplainsman and all the other wonderful players who made this year the best ever for the Old Palestine Concertina Weekend in East Texas!

 

We were thrilled to have Kathy from Oregon, Ken and Gary from California, and Erin from Maryland. Others came from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas for a grand total of over 20 concertina players.

 

There were lots of magic moments:

 

  • Dan Worralls House Dance/Octave Style presentation and his discovery of the Double Z method of playing.
  • English Music Session with Jody Kruskal and Dan Worrall and Mark Gilston that lasted until 2am, including the first ever All-Anglo Concertina Caterpillar in Texas, to the tune of Mr. & Mrs. Mickey Mouse.
  • Jody leading 12 of us in the Yellow Rose of Texas on the big stage Saturday Night.
  • Harold Herrington showing his very first instrument and various mechanical prototypes.
  • Jodys Master Class when Nancy Bessents playing of Out on the Ocean turned into a spontaneous session of wonderful accompaniment.
  • And of course I have to mention YouTubes angloconc teaching beginning Anglo and handing out draft copies of Gary Coovers new 100-page Anglo tutor.
     

Unfortunately, the Sacred Harp ensemble class didnt have enough note readers, so we just worked on Yellow Rose instead. Maybe well work up the old hymns next year.

 

Non-concertina performers at the festival included Alice Gerrard, Wayne Henderson, Rafe Stefanini, Beverly Smith, Don Pedi, Cathy Barton & Dave Para, Bing Futch, Hem & Haw and many others on stage, in workshops, and under shade trees just pickin with friends and strangers.

 

Jody Kruskal was great fun, as always, and was especially good at teaching all systems how to accompany tunes and how to fit in quietly and tastefully with old time string music players.

 

A great weekend of music in spite of the brutal East Texas heat and humidity. Luckily, unlike stringed instruments, concertinas are always in tune, and they even help to move the air a little bit so thats a good thing.

 

Speaking of good things, we pigged out again at Sheps BBQ some of us even went twice!

 

Gary

 

One of the very best Palestine workshops we've had, for sure...and this was year eight. I think there were about 22 or so attendees, which is amazing considering how remote Palestine is.

 

I enjoyed it all immensely, both the concertina events as well as some shape note singing and hanging out with friends. For me, the high spot was the late night session with Gary and Jody and Mark...it is great to play English tunes with such folks. Second to that was seeing the draft of Gary Coover's new book on the Anglo. For anyone wishing to play in the English (accompanied) style, it is amazing...it certainly puts all other such tutors in the shadows. Unlike my books, which play to my penchant for digging up music from long-past players, Gary has easy to read transcriptions from modern players, and some really great tunes, fully worked out. I plan to spend the next month or so working my way through them. You have a treat coming when that book is published.

 

Thanks again to Gary and others for all the work involved in pulling this year's event off without a hitch. Y'all come back.

 

Dan

 

ps. a minor edit. I didn't 'discover' the 'Double Z' method of playing; I just discerned it by listening to the playing of the ancient ones, on old field tapes. Many of those old recordings are on the House Dance CDRom (see my website, link below).

Edited by Dan Worrall
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess my favorite moment was when our old reindeer friend Dancer (Morris Dancer, actually) decided to join in with his version of Forked Deer. Jim Bayliss (back row, right) was clearly impressed.

post-442-0-23916000-1333430605_thumb.jpg

Edited by Stephen Mills
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a wonderful, transcendent weekend, with more great music in one place than I've heard in a long time. I truly appreciated meeting fellow concertinistas - y'all  are great folks and, I'm honored to say, new friends. Special thanks go to Gary Coover for coordinating everything, to the workshop leaders, and of course, to Jody Kruskal, a great teacher, engaging, fun and respectful. It meant a lot to me as a beginner that the experienced hands were so willing to share. My only regret is that I played some really really fine concertinas, which ignited in me a strong (and expensive) desire to upgrade my humble boxes.

 

The overarching spirit of the Old Pal festival is dedication to the songs. In the jams, all levels of musicianship were welcomed. The song and the communal joining together to play it was the focus.  A few times I experienced a song transformed into a living, breathing thing, when all the instruments entrained together and the music levitated and shimmered. I'm proud to say that we concertinists upheld this spirit of community and sharing.

 

I love Texas barbecue (with Shep's among the best), but ladies and gents, I must admit that I ate nothing but salads Sunday and Monday.

 

Thanks again to all for making the Old Pal Concertina Festival a wonderful experience.

 

Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great photos. What we need now is a Facebook-type "tagging" of the participants so some of us can put names and faces together.

 

Maybe this will help:

 

Group photo (left to right) - Donna Shelton, Rick Todd, Ken Shaw, Mary Ellen ?, Jody Kruskal, Kurt Braun, Stephen Mills, Bob Harvey, Harold Herrington, Adam Dugger, Nancy Bessent, Kathy Howell, Jim Bayliss, Gary Mayo, Larry Wilson, Erin Kelly, Gary Coover, Dan Worrall.

 

Stage photo (left to right) - Adam Dugger, Erin Kelly, Kathy Howell, Larry Wilson, Ken Shaw, Rick Todd, Jody Kruskal, Kurt Braun, Nancy Bessent, Bob Harvey, Mary Ellen ?, Dan Worrall, Gary Coover.

 

And of course there were some folks and some instruments we missed by just not being in the right place at the right time - they were probably in a jam session somewhere actually playing music instead of posing!

 

Gary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a wonderful, transcendent weekend, with more great music in one place than I've heard in a long time. I truly appreciated meeting fellow concertinistas - y'all  are great folks and, I'm honored to say, new friends. Special thanks go to Gary Coover for coordinating everything, to the workshop leaders, and of course, to Jody Kruskal, a great teacher, engaging, fun and respectful. It meant a lot to me as a beginner that the experienced hands were so willing to share. My only regret is that I played some really really fine concertinas, which ignited in me a strong (and expensive) desire to upgrade my humble boxes.

 

The overarching spirit of the Old Pal festival is dedication to the songs. In the jams, all levels of musicianship were welcomed. The song and the communal joining together to play it was the focus.  A few times I experienced a song transformed into a living, breathing thing, when all the instruments entrained together and the music levitated and shimmered. I'm proud to say that we concertinists upheld this spirit of community and sharing.

 

I love Texas barbecue (with Shep's among the best), but ladies and gents, I must admit that I ate nothing but salads Sunday and Monday.

 

Thanks again to all for making the Old Pal Concertina Festival a wonderful experience.

 

Rick

 

Nicely stated, Rick.

 

One thing all of us have forgotten to mention is all the work and dedication put into the overall festival by the Wright family....an amazing family musically and spiritually. It is no wonder that we all are so drawn there each year. Those of you who haven't been to this old time music festival are missing out on something truly wonderful, especially when compared to so many of the larger commercial-type gatherings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a wonderful weekend! It was my first time at Old Pal, and it was a treat to meet such a friendly and talented group of musicians. I learned a lot & have renewed my resolve to Practice :) And the Saturday night session was great fun; I was sorry to have to leave at 1 am...

 

Thanks to all who made the festival happen! Hope to be back next year to play music with you all again!

 

~Erin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of weeks before Palestine, I attended the National Accordion Association convention in Dallas and heard this fella play this great song, "Palesteena", on accordion.

 

Edited by Jim Bayliss
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of weeks before Palestine, I attended the National Accordion Association convention in Dallas and heard this fella play this great song, "Palesteena", on accordion.

 

Great. Here is another version, recorded in 1920:

 

This tune has surfaced several times before on this forum. I think I posted the full score...if not, I do have it and you can find it by searching via Google.

 

All we need now is for Jody to learn this tune....it is perfect for Palestine! I don't know anyone else with the chops for the 'oriental' (Klezmer-ish) accompaniment.

 

Jody, are you listening? Do you take requests?

 

Dan

 

ps the original sheet music can be found in the "levy sheet music collection" online...free download.

Edited by Dan Worrall
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was so excited to be there in the morning on the first day as everyone was friendly and I enjoyed meeting the cnet members. However, I went to lunch at Applebee's and got into some bad food (or something) and got ill. Was not any fun lying in bed and up and down to the bathroom so I returned home to Tyler which is fortunately only 45 miles away. Next year!

StephenTx

Edited by StephenTx
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...