With an extra week this month, you’d think I could come up with something special and dad gum it, I believe I have. (You know, for my new metaphysical and mindful self, there’s nothing like a positive affirmation to instill the confidence I need to deliver a top-notch first Thursday welcome column for April.)
We’re packed and ready to head out to Walker Creek tomorrow morning. Got the instruments strapped in tight in the motorhome and based on the current weather report, we have our rain gear and umbrellas ready. It will take more than a few showers to dampen our fun.
I know Walker Creek is not a CBA sanctioned event but the entire cast, crew and audience all seem very familiar. Linda and I have attended a number of these camps (as well as number of CBA camps) and I always enjoy the opportunity to immerse myself in the musical and creative atmosphere of the camps.
My current deal is to bypass taking a morning workshop and just hang out. There is some different terminology floating around for this level of participation. Sleep-in campers, afternoon only campers or something like that but the name doesn’t matter much. Basically, you pay for the meal plan and get to jam for the duration of the camp. It’s not that I couldn’t use a few more lessons in any number of my musical pursuits but it’s kind of the old dog / new tricks thing with me at this point, although the bass workshop with Cary Black looks pretty good. I’ll be content with catching a couple of afternoon workshops and getting some jamming in.
Also I am volunteering to help at the camp in a couple of small ways. I’m helping with the RV parking on Friday and am co-leading a jam on Friday night at the campfire area.
I’m actually hard at work planning the jam (in my own mind). I’ll probably start with some late fifties early sixties Stanley Brothers and mix in some mid seventies Red Allen / Wake Frankfield stuff and then go free form from there. Naw! it will be dealer’s choice all the way, an organized trip around the circle with everyone getting a chance to call a song or tune. There could even be some old time folks around. From my perspective we’re taking all comers but I am drawing the line at Wagon Wheel (I can only be so mindful).
Unfortunately, we’re going to miss the Spring Campout as we are heading south after this camp. We are going to be camping on the state beach in Cardiff by the Sea, which just so happens to be about a mile and half from where our grandson lives.
As for FDF and CBA Music Camp plan), it will be the same drill as Walker Creek except for not being officially sanctioned (or having any meal plan). We have reservations for electric only camping and will be getting to the fairgrounds on Monday or Tuesday just to hang and jam. Obviously, there are many, many others who will be doing exactly the same thing as well, which leads to great jamming opportunities and some just plain socializing.
Again, in the volunteer mode, I’ll be working the bar at Vern’s again this year. I am telling you this now and will tell you this again, in each of the next two months because, as I have done the past few years, I’m inviting you, that’s right, all the dozens of you who are reading this, to stop by when I’m working and so I can buy you a beer and we can figure out where to jam later that night. So far this invitation has cost me 3 or 4 beers total in the 5 or so years I’ve been making this offer. If this sounds like a challenge, so be it.
So being mindful of reader fatigue and also mindful of needing to get to BevMo for beer and Tequila for this weekend, I’ll be signing off now.
Catch you next month.
