Spend a day with harmonica gurus Adam Gussow and Ronnie Shellist
To date, Adam Gussow and Ronnie Shellist have co-hosted five harmonica workshops. These events are quickly growing in popularity across the U.S. The format is such that not only do you get to hear Ronnie, and Adam teach their own segment, but also co-teach for a portion of the event. There will be plenty of time for Q & A as well! You will have the opportunity to play and receive individual/direct feedback from both Ronnie and Adam, to help get you to the next step in your playing.
Dates, Location and Venues
Date: Sunday February 4th 2018
Time: 9-5pm
Location: GVA Cafe Bistro located at 17400 Monterey Rd. Morgan Hill, California
*Doors open at 9am for check in and meet and greet. Please do not arrive any earlier as we do not want you waiting outside.*
What to bring:
Time: 9-5pm
Location: GVA Cafe Bistro located at 17400 Monterey Rd. Morgan Hill, California
*Doors open at 9am for check in and meet and greet. Please do not arrive any earlier as we do not want you waiting outside.*
What to bring:
- cash, credit cards or checks for CDs, food in house
- harmonica in key of C and A
- audio recorder (if desired)
- pen & paper (if desired)
Schedule
9:00-10:00 Check In, Meet & Greet, Announcements
10:00-11:15 Adam Gussow teaches "Working up and down through the blues scale: a study in two grooves"
In this session I'll use Sonny Boy Williamson's "Checkin' Up on My Baby" as a way of exploring a melodic movement, with a call-and-response flavor, that is central to the blues tradition: moving upward from the tonic to the dominant, then moving back down to the tonic. We'll start simple, with no bends, then add nuance and complexity. We'll also explore what happens to the melodies we've been working with when we switch from a shuffle groove to a straight-time groove—all the small adjustments that are required in order to make it flow.
11:15-11:30 Break
11:30-12:45 Ronnie Shellist teaches "Blending groove and melody in your playing" In this session Ronnie will cover the art of combining rhythm/chordal playing and melody. This is a topic that applies to solo playing, duo playing and full band. Learn how to develop your improvisation approach with a big full sound that blends both chords and single note playing together seamlessly. This approach also strengthens your sense of groove, as you master smooth transitions from the entry and exit point of your rhythmic playin, weaving single note runs around the chordal playing.
12:45-2:00 Lunch, hang out, talk harp
2:00-3:15 Open Q& A session. Bring your questions for Ronnie and Adam to this open forum style discussion. Anything goes: technique, practice routine, gear, stagecraft etc.
3:15-3:30 Break
3:30-4:30 Jam with feedback. You'll have a chance to get up and play a few times around a 12 bar so you can get some specific feedback from your instructors.
9:00-10:00 Check In, Meet & Greet, Announcements
10:00-11:15 Adam Gussow teaches "Working up and down through the blues scale: a study in two grooves"
In this session I'll use Sonny Boy Williamson's "Checkin' Up on My Baby" as a way of exploring a melodic movement, with a call-and-response flavor, that is central to the blues tradition: moving upward from the tonic to the dominant, then moving back down to the tonic. We'll start simple, with no bends, then add nuance and complexity. We'll also explore what happens to the melodies we've been working with when we switch from a shuffle groove to a straight-time groove—all the small adjustments that are required in order to make it flow.
11:15-11:30 Break
11:30-12:45 Ronnie Shellist teaches "Blending groove and melody in your playing" In this session Ronnie will cover the art of combining rhythm/chordal playing and melody. This is a topic that applies to solo playing, duo playing and full band. Learn how to develop your improvisation approach with a big full sound that blends both chords and single note playing together seamlessly. This approach also strengthens your sense of groove, as you master smooth transitions from the entry and exit point of your rhythmic playin, weaving single note runs around the chordal playing.
12:45-2:00 Lunch, hang out, talk harp
2:00-3:15 Open Q& A session. Bring your questions for Ronnie and Adam to this open forum style discussion. Anything goes: technique, practice routine, gear, stagecraft etc.
3:15-3:30 Break
3:30-4:30 Jam with feedback. You'll have a chance to get up and play a few times around a 12 bar so you can get some specific feedback from your instructors.
Performance Schedule ($10 cover)
Ronnie Shellist, Adam Gussow and Aki Kumar evening show
Time: 7pm
Location: GVA Cafe in Morgan Hill
Time: 7pm
Location: GVA Cafe in Morgan Hill
