A Slice of Blues Harp Heaven ...

This terrific video -- not mine -- of Satan and Adam, who just put out their new album "Back in the Game," is from Hill Country Harmonica in Waterford, MS a few weeks ago.

Adam Gussow, who I studied with for a bit in the early part of the last decade when he still lived in Manhattan, puts on this harp hoedown near his home in Oxford where he teaches literature at Ole Miss. Hard to put into words how inspiring it is to have a large collection of some of the best blues harp players on the planet under the same little pavilion (a place called Foxfire Ranch) with about 150 harp-crazy dudes (and several women this year!) from all over the country and from several foreign lands. And everyone learning from each other all weekend long! Jason Ricci, Sugar Blue, Charlie Sayles and Jimi Lee were on the ticket this year. In addition to their blowout performances, each had something to offer in breakout classes or in lecture/interviews conducted by Adam.

I went last year, too, and can't see missing next year.

I'll have more to say about all this soon. Gotta get some practicing in!

Oh, if you're reading this and want to learn blues harp check out Adam's lessons on youtube (just search for kudzurunner) and visit his website, Modern Blues Harmonica.

A Devin and Magaret Duet

Chef Devin

Devin in her new Chef's outfit -- Dec. 25, 2007.

Things Devin has said recently

I was taking her home from school in her stroller and she asked if mommy was home, and I said she wasn't, that she was working on her book with Frances.
"What is her book about, Daddy?" she asked
I told her that that was a good question, that it was about voting.
"Do you know what voting is?" I asked her.
She told me she did, that she remembered mommy going into the booth last year and she sat on the "lady's" lap (one of the clerks), because she was afraid to go in with mommy behind the curtains.
Amazed by her memory, I said that's exactly right, and that mommy's book was about making voting easier (actually, it's about centuries of efforts to make it harder for people to vote, but I figured I'd save that lesson for next year) and that what mommy was doing was very important.
She paused a moment and then said, "And you have an important job, too, Daddy."

Devin -- Williamsburg, VA -- May 2007

Dylan stuff

The New Yorker has a great Louis Menand essay riffing off the book, "Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews," in its current issue. Read it here.
The Rolling Stone interview with Dylan is also thorougly enjoyable. Get a taste here.

New Orleans

It's the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I spent a few days in New Orleans in June with the New York Press Association. I wrote this article upon my return. I won't ever forget my experience there. Here just one picture from my trip. There are more in the artilce. You really can't fathom the devastation until you make a trip down there. As I say in my article, there is much fun to still to be had in New Orleans and, of course, a lot of work to do. I'll post some info soon about how to do both.

Me as a Kid

That's me on the right, with my brother, on the left, circa 1968 on Long Island. I think I look a little like Devin, there.