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Online edition of The Official Newsletter of the Jew's Harp Guild - The Pluck-n-Post -
Updated 11/2005 - Volume 9 Issue 3 - Autumn 2005
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 A Word from the Executive DirectorJanet Gohring — JHG Executive Director |
Hello
Harpers,
I hope you enjoy this special
“Festival” edition of Pluck-n-Post. The 13th annual North American
Jew’s Harp Festival was very enjoyable and a great time was had by all. A great big
“Thank You” to all our volunteers who made the festival a success. Without each
and every one of you, it could not happen. If you weren’t there, we hope you can
attend in the future … you won’t regret it!
The recap of the minutes from the annual
post-festival Guild meeting are included in this issue. Many of the items I normally
address in this segment are included there.
I will be stepping down as
Executive Director at the end of this year. After 13 years, it is time for me to
pass this “flag ship” on to a new captain. Gordon Frazier has been nominated as
the new Executive Director. If he is elected, I am confident he will do a fine job of
leading our Guild and am very grateful to him for his willingness to accept this
nomination. I hope each of you will give the new director as much love and support as you
have given me. I have much appreciation for everyone who has helped the Guild and festival
become what they are today … thank you all!
Over the years, our small group of
Jew’s harp aficionados has blossomed into a very well organized, and very well known
organization. We have become one of the key groups who are keeping the Jew’s Harp
alive and growing throughout the world. Each of you should feel very proud of your
efforts. I certainly am proud to have been a small part of this success.
So, with positive thoughts and hope, I
look forward to many more years of helping this small, mystical instrument become even
more of an enchantment to us all.
Be well, be happy … and keep
twangin’
Janet Gohring
Welcome new
Jew’s Harp Guild members
Jonathan Faddis — Loa, UT,
Bruce W. Hodges — Portland,
OR,
Roger Hurliman — Cloverdale, OR,
Joan Broughton — Seattle, WA, Ed Clark — Potsdam, NY
[good to be back in touch with him after all these years!] |
Following is a brief synopsis of the meeting held
August 7, 2005, in Bay City, Oregon after the festival.
Festival Wrap-Up
General discussion on festival expenses; comments on the 2005 festival. Discussion on next
year's festival and vision of future festivals. In summary, we all agreed the festival
should be (1) kept small; (2) a good mix of player-oriented folks and simple community
event and (3) a scaled down venue to be held, for the most part, at the city park with the
Arts Center housing the evening concerts.
Guild Business
- Ingrid and Gordon volunteered to work on a new design for the Guild Shirt.
- Report on Guild expenses; status of NAJHF CD stock and sales.
- Discussion to fill two vacancies on the Board of Directors. Ingrid Berkhout and John
Palmes indicated they would be interested. Their names will be placed on the 2006 ballot
for election of officers.
- Janet announced she would be stepping down as Executive Director at the end of the year.
She would like to stay on as an honorary board member. Kathi Vinson is also stepping down
as Secretary/Treasurer. (* see addendum)
- A discussion followed on how best to divide Guild duties in the coming months.
- Gordon Frazier-Will continue as editor of Pluck-n-Post; he was also nominated as
Executive Director.
- Either Gordon or Larry Hanks-Will be Official Representative to the International
Congresses.
- Ingrid Berkhout and Joan Broughton-Festival secretaries and coordinators of the NAJHF
Info booth.
- Denise Harrington-On-site Festival Coordinator.
- Denise, Jim Nelson, Ingrid, Rick Meyers and Rob Hoffman-2006 Festival Committee.
- Pat Vining-Bay City Arts Center liaison.
- Janet Gohring-Interim Guild Secretary/Treasurer; honorary board member.
- Dan Gossi-Internet Coordinator.
(For a copy of the complete minutes, please send a request and SASE to Janet Gohring,
69954 Hidden Valley Lane, Cove, OR 97824.)
Post-festival Addendum *
After consideration, Janet has decided to perform the duties of Secretary/Treasurer
until someone else is able to take over that position. On August 22 Gene Ralph sent in his
resignation as a Board Member; in light of this Janet has suggested that she stay on the
board (rather than be an honorary member). This will ensure that there will be enough
names on the ballot to fill the board slots.
Amendments to By-Laws
- After the discussion at the annual meeting, the following amendments were made to the
By-Laws of The Jew's Harp Guild via an e-mail meeting of the Board of Directors on August
24, 2005.
- Amendment to 4.30: The Board of Directors shall meet once a year, at a time and place
designated at the previous Board Meeting. Additional Board Meetings may be held as
necessary, at a time and place designated by any three Board Members as set forth in
paragraph 4.40. [change to number of times the Board meets annually]
- Amendment to 5.10: The officers of the Association shall be Executive Director and
Secretary/Treasurer. All officers shall be members of the Association. [Eliminate the
Assistant Director position]
- Amendment to 5.40: [delete this section, "The Assistant Director shall assist the
Executive Director"]
- Amendment to 8.20: In the event of dissolution or liquidation of said THE JEW'S HARP
GUILD the total assets, after the payment of liability, becomes the property of the Bay
City Arts Council, a non-profit organization located in Bay City, Oregon; or if they are
not a viable organization at the time, then to a non-profit fund, foundation, or
corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational,
religious, and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax exempt status
under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. [Amend heir designation from Eagle
Valley Grange Park to Bay City Arts Center]
Meeting minutes were taken by Joan Broughton; synopsis written by Janet Gohring.
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Memories of a first-time
festivalgoer
Resonant tones in a parallel universe
by Joan Broughton
| I had no expectations as we headed out to Bay City, Oregon; I was a
festival virgin. I had been learning how to play the Jew's Harp, having listened with
interest and amusement to my pal Ingrid Berkhout playing her harp for years and whenever
possible for the city folk in Seattle. Always game for an unusual adventure, I forgot to
ask what might be going on, who and how many would be there, whether there would be a
chance to participate or just spend the weekend listening to the pros who I suspected
would be there. I just knew that Ingrid loved the festival and the people and tried to
attend the event whenever she could. So we packed up the camping gear and her considerable
instrument collection and set out to experience an amazing parallel universe. What I
found out is that the event is attended by hugely talented musicians and folks who just
love to jam and share their love for the versatile little Jew's Harp. I learned a huge
amount about how to play, where to find variations of Jew's Harps all over the world, and
what a role the instrument has played in a surprising number of cultures.
There were plenty of opportunities to participate in jamming with a broad variety of
instruments from a saxophone to a classical violin to guitars, mandolins and banjos, a
didgeridoo, nose harps, clackamores, harmonicas, collections of unusual and delightful
percussion instruments and always the beloved Jew's Harp. |
Joan Broughton - Photo by Ingrid Berkhout |
| At one point, nearly the whole crowd, all ages and orientations, joined in
for some great improvisational jamming and people who weren't playing were dancing and the
whole scene was magical. My fondest moment came on Friday night when I decided to play
the festival "gut bucket' bass [made by the late Eric Leffingwell-ed.] and fell in
love. From that moment on, it was hard to separate me from that home made wooden marvel
with the resonant tones accomplished with a line from a weed whacker. This is no
galvanized washtub with a hole drilled in the center, my only previous exposure to such an
instrument. This is something else entirely. At one point, one of the great sound people
put a microphone under the base of it for my own personal gut bucket solo. What a thrill!
There were almost enough opportunities to hear the real pros like Bill and Gordon on
the harp and a performance by John on the mouth bow. On Saturday, volunteers were divided
up into "bands," each with a variety of diverse instruments, given time to
practice two numbers and expected to perform on stage that night. It turned out amazingly
well. The "women's jam" led by Janet, an inspiring piano and vocal talent, was
huge fun.
Needless to say, I am a convert and convinced that from now on, if it's August and
festival time, I will be there. Thank you, hard working festival planners and Jew's Harp
Guild, I am most grateful for your efforts! |
^ Squish (panpipes) - Curtis Chamberlain (clackamore)
Nikki (train whistle) |
^ Eclectic Band Scramble - Sax to Washboard
|
New Jew's Harp Guild Website Features
JHG website users will now be able to upload their own sound files and pictures to
share with the world. Just complete the forms and use the uploader, and within a few days
your files will be available to listen to or see (this is moderated... the reason for the
delay).
The submission pages are:
http://jewsharpguild.org/soundsubmit.html
http://jewsharpguild.org/picsubmit.html
The results will be posted at:
http://jewsharpguild.org/audio/useraudio/
http://jewsharpguild.org/images/user_pics/
The Discussion Group has also been modified to prevent spam and I invite you all to
post new topics.
Thanks to all for your patience through this process.
Mark D. Poss - JHG Webmaster
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 POST YOUR NOTES |
The PLUCK-N-POST needs more
contributors!
If you have ideas for articles, sketches, or pictures, etc.
Please query the JHG:
PLUCK-N-POST
The Jew's Harp Guild
69954 Hidden Valley Lane
Cove, OR 97824
Or use the JHG Feedback form. |
Please note: To protect our posters from spam attacks the @ sign in email
addresses have been replaced with the word "at."
Q & A
Q
INTERNATIONAL
CONGRESS:
I’ve been enjoying your newsletter for years as I’m now mostly in Asia
and it’s my connection with the outside world as it were. I’ve been playing on
this magnificent instrument for the last 20 years but specializing in South Indian,
Rajasthani, H‘mong and Balinese, Lombok harps the last 12 years in Asia. I was also
on the last DVD of the fest in 2002 in Rauland, Norway playing on morsing, morchang (both
performing and lecturing) and genggong klopokan; an archaic form of that wonderful
instrument. However,
I have a humble question; who is organizing the next
congress in Amsterdam 2006? I was invited to play by Annelise who was organizing
for der esbreker (the event location) but have now lost contact—it would be of great
help if you could put me into contact with the current organizers of the
event—I’m in Europe touring for most of the summer each year (now in Berlin) so
now organizing for the next year. Thanks for your time,
Namaskaram, Steev (steevjawharp at hotmail.com) |
A
The Fifth International JH Congress will be
held in Amsterdam July 28–30, 2006,
at the new Dutch Center for New Music (Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ). See www.muziekgebouw.nl for more on the center, and watch for an
article on the congress in the next issue of Pluck-n-Post.
—ed. |
Q
With its distinctive sound and subtle complexity the Jew Harp is an instrument that should
be raised in our community rather than lost in the sands of time. I would like to learn
more about the instrument and hear from people who have experience with it. [The
Guild] website features some of the only information on the web about playing the Jew
Harp. I am having a hard time finding someone to teach me and my best friend how to play.
We are having a very hard
time with the volume of the instrument. We cannot make the tone very loud at ALL.
We followed the directions and passed the harp around to several friends with the
directions, but no one could get the volume that I have heard from other players. Any
suggestions? |
A
One
reason for low volume is that players refer to an oft-used instructional graphic showing
the placement of the common steel Jew’s harp against the teeth. In the graphic, the
player is baring his teeth, lips curled back, like a wolverine in attack mode. This
illustrates the placement of the frame, but does not illustrate a good playing technique.
Once the frame is against the teeth, the lips should “uncurl” so they rest
lightly on the upper and lower parts of the frame. This focuses the sound of the boing
into your mouth cavity, preventing “leakage” which might be the cause of your
problem; the less boing that goes into the mouth, the less there is to resonate. Let us
know if this helps. (This is all assuming you have a decent instrument, by the way; see
the “Tsk!” sidebar in the previous issue of PNP.)
— ed. |
Q
Hi folks. Can you tell me the site for Freidrich
Schlütter in Germany? I googled unsuccessfully. I also called him, but we
don’t speak one another’s language, so i couldn’t take the letters over the
phone. |
A
Ja. It is: http://www.schluetter-trump.de,
in German but with English translations of most pages. E-mail: maultrommel at tiscali.de — ed. |
Folks
Looking for Folks
I’m a multi-instrumentalist (former
17 year veteran with mandolinist David Grisman). I perform and educate with a wide variety
of found sound instruments and I’m trying
to locate Ray Jacobs about his cardboard instruments. I played one at Artichoke
Music in Portland, OR and wish to speak with him about acquiring or commissioning him to
build one or two... would greatly appreciate
any contact info. on him! Many Thanks,
Joe Craven,
Blender Logic Arts
joe at joecraven.com
707.678.1351 hm / 530.902.4413 cell |
Can you put me in touch
with anyone in the Nashville
area who is an experienced Jews Harp player? Thanks,
Dean
Hinton
2120 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN
615-844-9445 / wdhinton at nashvillescene.com |
Video on Portland Cable Access
I’ve prepared a 29-minute
video of parts of the [2005 Festival] Saturday evening concert for airing on
Portland cable access... I’ve also made a short video of slowed down
waterfalls to the music “Minor Third” by Gordon Frazier and Bill Gohring [from
the 1998–2000 Festival Highlights CD —ed.] that I would like to submit, kind of
a Surreal Water video. I enjoyed the festival a lot this year, and hope to attend in the
future.
The Minor Third video will show separately on cable access,
being 3 1/2 minutes long it will be filler at the end of the 1/2 hour or hour. It usually
takes 7–10 days for the station to program a video. You could check at
http://www.tvctv.org/ and search for Jews Harp Festival for program times, but the area
where it will play is the west side of Portland on channels 21 and 23, with rare times
when it might play all of Portland on channel 11.
Cheers, Bob
Nesbitt
_________________
Websites
| I found your website very interesting, I came across it as I am
researching my Tromans family from Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England. Many of the Tromans
family were Jews
Harp makers and at one time Rowley Regis was known as the world centre for jews
harp making. If you are interested in our discussions on the subject have a look at www.rowleyregis.com and search in the forums under
jews harp and Tromans. It is believed the name Tromans comes from their occupation. |
Please
visit my website about “Ne’Karombi” in Tana Toraja. You’ll also
hear the instrument.
URL: www.batusura.de/neka.htm
Gary from
Germany |
| Thanks for including the video link
in PNP. The reason that the
link below wouldn’t work is because
the computer read the period at the end of the link ”...small.” as part
of the link.
The video comes in three sizes, you can choose according to what you think your
readers would be most comfortable with. As
always, it is a trade-off between video quality and bandwidth usage. Here are the links for the three sizes uncluttered
by human punctuation:
http://www.hilltribe.org/videos/08-video-english-jingnongjammin.php/small
http://www.hilltribe.org/videos/08-video-english-jingnongjammin.php/medium
http://www.hilltribe.org/videos/08-video-english-jingnongjammin.php/large
You might notice that having a link ending in something like
/small is pretty weird. It’s just a trick
I have used to make Google’s spiders want
to read the page.
Anyway, I don’t know
much about Jew’s Harps, but they seem much more popular than I had imagined. I get 1–2 people per day linking to that video
via the link I put on Wikipedia. That’s more than I would have expected.
Thanks for your interest
and let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers,
Jonathan Morris
jon at hilltribe.org |
From the DX Listening Digest 5-113, July 10, 2005 Incorporating
Review of International Broadcasting edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
(used with permission):
LAOS [non]. Hmong
Lao Radio, via WHRI South Carolina, 11785, Sunday July 10 at 1317 with what sounded
like a Jew‘s harp, really neat rustic music. I just wish they would play more
of it during their weekly hours, Sat 1200 and Sun 1300. Excellent reception here, if not
in Laos
Glenn Hauser, OK
DX Listening Digest
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2005 Festival Participants
Jew's Harp Players
Bill Gohring, Cove, OR; Bruce Wayne Hodges, Portland, OR; Charles Davis, Vernonia, OR;
Dan Gossi, Boise, ID; Denise Harrington, Garibaldi, OR; Geoff Phillips, Baker City, OR;
Gordon Frazier, Seattle, WA; Ingrid Berkhout, Seattle, WA; Janet Gohring, Cove, OR; John
Palmes, Juneau, AK; Joan Broughton, Seattle, WA; Jonathan Faddis, Loa, UT; Larry Hanks,
Berkeley, CA; Marcus Tenaglia, Portland, OR; Martin Nelson, Garibaldi, OR; Matthew
Tendick, Veneta, OR; Michael Stiles, Meridian, ID; Ralph Christensen, Eureka, CA; Rick
Meyers, Portland, OR; Rob Hoffman, Portland, OR; Roger Tendick, Veneta, OR. |
Workshops
Mouthbow (John Palmes); Care of the Jew's Harp (Bill Gohring); Intermediate Jew's Harp
Playing (group); Bamboo Jaw Harps (Ralph Christensen); Geography of the Jew's Harp (Gordon
Frazier); Twang Time Circle (group).
^Bill Gohring - JH Workshop
|
Our thanks to photographers:
Joan Broughton, Jim Gohring, Ingrid Berkhout,
Janet Gohring, John Palmes
^ John Palmes om MouthBow
Other Musicians
Alice Field, Banks, OR; Brianna, (unknown); Christine, (unknown); Curtis Chamberlain,
Portland, OR; Gary DeLong, (unknown); Gene Ralph, Banks, OR; Jack Roberts, Carson, WA; Jim
Nelson, Garibaldi, OR; Joe Wrabek, Garibaldi, OR; Judith, (unknown); Julie Woodward,
(unknown); Michael, (unknown); Nikki Jones, Portland, OR; Sara Kaufman, (unknown); Squish,
Portland, OR. [Sorry for the omissions; contact us so we can add you to the mailing list!] |
\/ Ralph Christensen - Bamboo
Workshop
Raffle Winners
Amber Stiles, Betty Diamond, Bob Mouyios, Bob Nesbitt, Brett Hurliman (2), Denise
Harrington (2), Dick Diamond, Gene Ralph, Ingrid Berkhout (3), Jack Roberts, Jackie
Gohring, Jan Burns, Janet Gohring (2), Joan Broughton, Kathy Baker, Larry Hanks, Marcus
Tenaglia, Melkuni, Ralph Christensen (2), Red, Roger Tendick, Sandi Nuxts, Tina Blackburn
^ Bruce Wayne Hodges
|
Band Scramble
- Band #1 Name to Come: Jim Nelson, Joan Broughton, Rick Meyers, Bruce
Wayne. Played: Roots and Shoots (written by Jim Nelson); No Use In (Joe Raebeck original).
- Band #2 Number Two (aka Horse Dung Beetles): Gordon Frazier, Bill
Gohring, Gary Delong (nose flute), Jeff Chance (harmonica), Gene Ralph, Martin Nelson.
Played: Spanish Eyes; Quit Your Low Down Ways
- Band #3 Dancing Bananas: Bruce Wayne, Matthew Tendick, Squish, Rob
Hoffman; Breanna; Judith. Played: Mr. Bojangles; De' Oh
- Band #4 The Big Cheese: Dan Gossi, Nikki Jones, Geoff Phillips, Mike
Stiles, (sax players); (singer); (piano). Played: You Are My Sunshine; Down By The
Riverside
- Band #5 Denise Ronstadt & the Straight Ponies: John Palmes, Denise
Harrington, Marcus Tenaglia, Curtis Chamberlain, Roger Tendick. Played: Then I Won't Want
You; Instrumental Radiation/Mama Don't 'Low
- Band #6 Jungle Whalers: Jack Roberts, Janet Gohring, Julie, Ralph
Christensen, Ingrid Berkhout, Alice Ralph. Played: Lion Sleeps Tonight; Long Hot Dusty
Road
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Festival Organization
Janet Gohring (information booth); Denise Harrington & Jim Nelson (local contacts,
publicity); Jonathan Faddis (Saturday evening MC); Gordon Frazier, Larry Hanks, &
Ingrid Berkhout (scheduling); Gene Ralph & Jim Nelson (sound engineering); Gene &
Alice Ralph (signage, publicity); Bay City Arts Center volunteers (meals, maintenance,
moral support).
|
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Pictorial Archive
The Jew’s Harp Guild Pictorial Archive
needs photos of your favorite ‘harps. Send (non-returnable) pics and info to:
The Jew's Harp Guild
69954 Hidden Valley Lane
Cove, OR 97824
Or submit them now
at: http://jewsharpguild.org/picsubmit.html
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THE
JEW'S HARP GUILD
CLOTHING AND RECORDINGS
|
Send check or money order to:
Jew’s Harp Guild/Festival
69954 Hidden Valley Lane
Cove, OR 97824
|
 |
2005 Festival T-Shirt Featuring
a very cool full-color photo by Ingrid Berkhout
of a Gohring harp on the half-shell. Sizes available: Adult M, L, XL (sage shirt)
Youth L (sand shirt)US$15.00
each + US$ 3.00 S & H in USA -
Canada add US$ 4.00 - add US$ 5.00 all other
international.
Allow 4-8 weeks for delivery. Sorry no CODs.
Specify style, size and quantity when ordering. |
 |
Summary:
Highlights 1998 - 2000
The North American Jew’s Harp Festival is
. . .
musicians from Australia, Austria, Hungary,
the Netherlands, and the United States
playing traditional, original, improvisational,
and uncategorizable music on Jew’s harp,
dumbek, bhodran, Clackamore, cigar box
fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, random
pieces of wood, and more.
There’s nothing else like the
North American Jew’s Harp Festival.
Compact Disc - DBS-2707 - Total Time
: 61:47
US$12.00
each + US$ 3.00 S & H in USA (US$ 5.00
international).
Allow 4-8 weeks for delivery. Sorry no CODs. |
See the JHG
STORE for makers, sellers. publications & jhg products
North American Jew's Harp Festival
1997 Highlights CD The CD features 20 of the
best Public Domain, spontaneous music,
or original composition performances of the 1997 festival.
The CD was well accepted at the Molln Congress.
There are only a few left!
US $12.00 each
Shipping:
Domestic US - 1 item US$ 3.00
Each additional item US$ 1.00
International - 1 item US$ 5.00
Each additional item US$ 1.00
Send check or money order to:
The Jew's Harp Guild/Festival
69954 Hidden Valley Lane
Cove, OR 97824
|
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|
