Fun in Europe



I returned Sunday from my visit to Zurich, Vienna, and the UK, and I had
a lot of fun.  In Zurich, I met up with my old friend Roland van
Straaten. Roland had a key to the biggest cathedral in Zurich, and late
one night we went to the chapel and played harmonica duets in that big,
resonant space.  I recorded the event on my Zoom PS02; I'll be checking
the results later this week and will advise if there's anything worth
posting to my website for download.

I found no jams in Vienna -- in fact, one of the two jazz clubs in town
was apparently closed on Saturday night! -- but there was plenty of good
pastry and amazing ice cream available, not to mention lots of great
architecture.  I was luckier in the UK.  I was invited to a jam with
Honkin' Dave Shannon and his Kickass Blues Band in a club in London, and
a good time was had by all. In Burton Bradstock, a little village in
Dorset, 2 hours from London, I happened entirely by accident on a
Saturday night performance by the English acoustic blues band Sugar Mama
UK in the Three Horsehoes pub. Sugar Mama's instrumentation is two
acoustic guitars and brushes on drums, and harmonica fit right in.  It
was a good night. 

I carried my yard sale Labtec AM22 mic throughout Europe -- it's cheap,
light, and easily replaced if lost -- and it performed well with Sugar
Mama UK.  With Dave Shannon's amp, which is tuned specifically for harp,
the relatively low output and steep high-end drop off of this mic didn't
cut it, so Dave kindly lent me an Astatic.  I am more aware than ever
lately that the mic and the amp act as a unit, and the mic that sounds
great with one rig will sound like hell with another. 
  
I missed seeing Rob Paparozzi, who informed me via email that he was
playing the Montreaux Jazz Festival (backing Bonnie Raitt and Carla
Thomas) while I was in Zurich.  I trust Rob had as much fun as I did
(and worked a lot harder -- what a tour schedule!).

Thanks to all on the list for their helpful suggestions for harmonica
opportunities abroad.  

Regards, Richard Hunter





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