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Online edition of The Official Newsletter of the Jew's Harp Guild - The Pluck-n-Post -
Updated 4/2006 - Volume 10 Issue 1 - Spring 2006
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 A Word from the Executive Director
Gordon Frazier — JHG
Executive Director
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Hello Harpers,
As your new executive director, I thought I’d introduce myself. My name is
Gordon Frazier. I learned to play the Jew’s harp at the age of 11, or 36 (!) years
ago. Holy cow, how time does fly.
In my early 20s I did a library search and discovered the instrument’s intriguing
history and widespread global popularity. I had no idea. About ten years later I read The
Jew’s Harp: A Comprehensive Anthology, by Leonard Fox. There I found a reference to
VIM, published by Frederick Crane. I subscribed.
And then, in 1990, Fred sent his subscribers postcards telling about an international
gathering of enthusiasts in faraway eastern Siberia, taking place the next year. I decided
I couldn’t afford to go, but at the urging of a friend I was convinced I
couldn’t afford not to. And so I did. Whole ’nother story.
Upon my return my dad (Marvin Frazier) insisted on taking me to meet fellow enthusiast
Bill Gohring, son-in-law of dad’s friends in Arlington, Oregon. Bill and Janet lived,
at the time, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon. We all hit it
off, so Bill and Janet, their friend Bart Wood, and I decided then and there to start our
own festival. The North American Jew’s Harp Festival was the result.
Dad attended most of the earlier festivals, and when he did we had a virtuoso
rattlebones player on stage. His health finally prevented him from traveling, and he
passed on a few years back. But his spirit is alive and well at the NAJHF; I can still
hear him rattling them bones up on stage.
International News
• Watch PNP for updates on fests in Amsterdam the last weekend of July, and Oregon
the first weekend of August. I’m going to be so jetlagged! (See page 1.)
• A double DVD and a CD of the Fourth International Jew’s Harp Congress, held
in Norway in 2002, are now available online at http://www.munnharpe.no
Board Changes
We had a few changes in the makeup of the Guild board this year.
Janet Gohring stepped down as Executive Director last year but will stay on as
Secretary/Treasurer, and Kathi Vinson stepped down as Secretary.
Gene "Eldorado" Ralph also stepped down from his position on the board.
Gene’s enthusiasm and energy have been appreciated by all over the years. We wish him
good luck in all his endeavors, and look forward to seeing him and his guitar at the next
festival.
New to the board are John Palmes, from Juneau, Alaska, and Ingrid Berkhout, from
Seattle, Washington. (See page 7.) Both have been festival regulars for a number of years.
Welcome aboard!
A special note of thanks
In her farewell column, Janet did not begin to convey her role in the origins and
growth of the festival and the Guild. The first festival came about due to lots of work
from many folks, but Janet and Kathi were key players. Mailings, flyers, organizing
volunteers, getting folks checked in at the info booth, playing in the house band...seems
like they were everywhere.
The two were also instrumental in the formation of the Guild, and between the two of
them the organization became—well, organized.
Janet and Kathi are True Friends of the Jew’s Harp. We owe them a huge debt of
gratitude and in the coming months we will surely learn the hard way just how much work
they’ve been doing all these years. n
Gordon Frazier
Welcome new
Jew’s Harp Guild members
Bruce Salamandir—Auburn, WA
John James—Aurora, CA
Jerry Grulkey—Scotts Mills, OR |
NEW Board Members Guild board
election results:
Executive Director: Gordon Frazier; Secretary/Treasurer: Janet Gohring; Board Members:
Ingrid Berkhout, Larry Hanks, Denise Harrington,
John Palmes, Mike Stiles |
|
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International Jew’s Harp CongressSummer Twang Fests in Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s newest music hall, the Muziekgebouw aan ‘tIj, will host the Fifth
International Jew’s Harp Congress July 28–30, 2006, in association with the
International Jew’s Harp Society. Hundreds of players, makers, and researchers from
around the world will acquaint the Dutch audience with the astounding versatility of the
instrument.
The core of the congress is the participation of scores of accomplished
instrumentalists and their ensembles representing diverse musical traditions. In addition
to a series of concerts highlighting the Jew’s harp, the congress will include
cinematography, lectures, demonstrations, and a market.
Jew’s harp players from Asia, with their electrifying and idiomatic sound,
represent traditional musical cultures that have remained almost unchanged over the
centuries. In Europe and America there are remnants of original folk music traditions
associated with the instrument, and modern experimentation takes place as well.
In addition, there will undoubtedly be impromptu performances by players from different
cultural and ethnic backgrounds. These ad hoc ensembles highlight what is most remarkable
about these international gatherings: how mutual ties and fascination for a tiny
instrument can literally bring together the people of the world. n
(The above was freely adapted from the website www.muziekgebouw.nl.
Check the site periodically for further updates.) |
^ The Muziekgebouw aan ‘tIj (Music
Building on the Ij)
in its stunning setting in the Oosterdok Region on the River Ij. |
^ A high note of the 2005 festival:
Musical Saw players Squish, Rick Meyers and Curtis Chamberlain.
Photo by Jonathon Lay
|
North American Jew’s Harp Festival... and in Bay City, Oregon
The 14th North American Jew’s Harp Festival will take place August 4–6, 2006,
in Bay City, on the northern Oregon coast. Watch for the next issue of PNP, or visit our
website at www.jewsharpguild.org for updates. If you have other questions, see the
Pluck-N-Post box on page 2 for contact information.
Last year’s festival attracted the talents of photographer Jonathan Ley; at left
is his whimsical treatment of an all-saw rendition of "Ghost Chickens in the
Sky" at the Saturday evening concert.
You can view more of Mr. Ley’s work on his website: www.leyphotography.com |
| In the previous issue of Pluck-N-Post, webmaster Mark Poss
introduced a new feature of the Guild website, "Member Submitted Audio Files."
Check it out yourself on the Guild's home page at www.jewsharpguild.org/Audio/useraudio/Index.htm.
Soundings will take a closer look at individual audio files, with comments from the
performer. |
Exploring an acoustic polyphonic synthesizer
|
Vladiswar Nadishana (www.nadishana.nm.ru
or www.nadishana.de) from Berlin, Germany, submitted
an impressive solo on the Chinese tri-harp called kou xiang [or kou ksiang; it is also
known as a hoho].
The kou xiang consists of three small brass idiophones, connected with wire at the base.
Each is tuned to a different note, and may be played separately or in tandem. Mark asked
Nadishana for a description of his playing technique. He wrote:"About my style in
playing the Kou Ksiang. This is the mixture of traditional technique of Kuzhebarian people
in the South of Krasnoyarsk region (Russia), where I am from, with my own inventions. |
Kou Xiang [or Kou Ksiang;
also known as a Hoho] |
The way of fast rhythmical breathing is from Ancient Kuzhebar culture. And
the theme of this song is in 13/8, which is very characteristic to this culture too,
because kuzhebarians liked the odd signatures. Of course they played a different kind of
jaw's harp, similar to the one-tongue Altaian khomus. I apply this technique to the kou
ksiang. This is a great instrument with a lot of possibilities and it's a pity that there
are no kou xiang with 5 or 6 tongues. :) I have also added the "envelope
effect" and "fast doubling" method, when the forefinger is quickly
switching from one tongue to another. To do this you must always change the angle and
position of the kou xiang near your mouth by your left hand while you are picking the
tongues with the right hand. As a result you get the pocket acoustic polyphonic
synthesizer that needs no electricity and you can play it in remote Taiga for
example." |
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The Twain-Twang Connection
by Gordon Frazier
Not long ago I came across a website devoted to Mark Twain (the nom de
plume of Samuel Clemens; one of the two is my favorite writer, but I can never recall
which one). In the course of perusing the site I found a photograph of some Twain-related
items from the collection of Dave Thomson (the webmaster), and there on the wall behind
them was mounted a Jew's harp. What's this? I thought, and so I wrote to Mr. Thomson
asking about the connection. I was familiar with the "painful music" quote, I
told him, but did he know of others? And did Mr. Clemens himself play?
We corresponded; following are excerpts from some of Mr. Thomson's responses, reprinted
with permission.
***
The primary connection I have always made with the jew's harp was from The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer in which one of the items Tom received in return for letting other boys
whitewash the fence was "part of a jew's harp" which suggests that this was
perhaps only the harp without the twanger which would be typical Twain irony for a
"useless" trophy that only a boy would count as a treasure. From Chapter 2,
1876:
. . . when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty-stricken boy in
the morning, Tom was literally rolling in wealth. He had besides the things before
mentioned, twelve marbles, part of a jew's-harp, a piece of blue bottle glass to look
through, a spool cannon, a key that wouldn't unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, a glass
stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, six firecrackers, a kitten
with only one eye, a brass doorknob, a dog collar-but no dog-the handle of a knife, four
pieces of orange peel, and a dilapidated old window sash.
In "About Play Acting" 1898, Twain compared the act of reading Shakespeare to
oneself as being as frustrating as attempting to play "an organ solo on a jew's
harp" in comparison to hearing the great acting family of the Booths speak the words
of the bard on stage:
Nowadays, when a mood comes which only Shakespeare can set to music, what must we do?
Read Shakespeare ourselves! Isn't it pitiful? It is playing an organ solo on a jew's-harp.
We can't read. None but the Booths can do it.
So I think he was using the limitations of the instrument as ironic counterpoint rather
as he did in the great phrase "The difference between the almost right word and the
right word is really a large matter-it's the difference between the lightning bug and the
lightning."*
I'm not familiar with a passage where Twain used the word "painful" in
conjunction with the jew's harp [see next column-ed.] but I wouldn't put it past him to do
so, since he made fine humor at the expense of the accordion in "A Touching Story of
George Washington's Boyhood," 1867:
. . .I must have been gifted with a sort of inspiration to be enabled, in the state of
ignorance in which I then was, to select out of the whole range of musical composition the
one solitary tune (Auld Land Syne) that sounds vilest and most distressing on the
accordion. . .
***
I recall that the musical of Huck Finn (Big River) used a [jew's] harp as part of the
ensemble.
***
Plumb overlooked the passage in Chapter 38 of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where the
slave Jim is being held prisoner and Tom Sawyer persuades him to go "by the
book" and perform all the absurd rituals of prisoners in fiction:
"But, Jim, you GOT to have 'em-they all do. So don't make no more fuss about it.
Prisoners ain't ever without rats. There ain't no instance of it. And they train them, and
pet them, and learn them tricks, and they get to be as sociable as flies. But you got to
play music to them. You got anything to play music on?"
"I ain' got nuffn but a coase comb en a piece o' paper, en a juice-harp;** but I
reck'n dey wouldn' take no stock in a juice-harp."
"Yes they would. THEY don't care what kind of music 'tis. A jews-harp's plenty
good enough for a rat. All animals like music-in a prison they dote on it. Specially,
painful music; and you can't get no other kind out of a jews-harp. It always interests
them; they come out to see what's the matter with you. Yes, you're all right; you're fixed
very well. You want to set on your bed nights before you go to sleep, and early in the
mornings, and play your jewsharp; play 'The Last Link is Broken'-that's the thing that'll
scoop a rat quicker 'n anything else; and when you've played about two minutes you'll see
all the rats, and the snakes, and spiders, and things begin to feel worried about you, and
come. And they'll just fairly swarm over you, and have a noble good time."
As far as Clemens actually playing the instrument I think it's likely that as a boy and
young steamboat pilot and Western adventurer he did. Part of the "culture" . . .
he played the guitar and loved the sound of the "glory beaming" banjo. - Best,
Dave Thomson - http://futureboy.homeip.net/twain/
Addendum
A few years ago Frederick Crane wrote an article on the Twain connection for VIM (Vol.
7) which focused on the historical placement of the trump in the times and places of Mark
Twain's books. He quotes the passages from Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn above, but also
notes a passage from Chapter 23 of A Tramp Abroad (1880). I will let you look that one up
yourself, as it will expose you to VIM or Mark Twain, either of which will enrich your
life
* From a letter to George Binton, October 15, 1888 - PNP
** Twain had a sensitive ear for dialect. Note Tome and Jim's pronunciations
(JOOZ and JOOS, respectively). Jim's pronunciationwas -- and is -- a common
one, and seems likely to be the origin of the spelling "juice harp." - PNP
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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."
GROUP PLAY: I have
always had a jews harp of some description, since I was about 13 years old-and that was in
1965. I love having a twang when the mood takes me. Your site is excellent and I am amazed
by the amount of following there obviously is for these instruments in the United
States... ¶ I am thinking of starting up Jews Harp Workshops
for a string of village festivals in my part of England. I have got some ideas buzzing
around my head, but wondered if you might have some clues. About the sort of things a
group of learning players could do together for example. I have some ideas, but they sort
of depend on harps of different tones to get a rhythm going and I think both the large and
the very small ones are the most difficult to play. ¶
Also-where can I get instruments at wholesale prices for resale, just to add another
angle. I hope you are able to help.
Cheers, Peter EmblingAt the North American Jew's
Harp Festival we have tried various key combinations with sometimes surprising results.
Even combinations that are not "pretty" can be interesting; for example, two
harps tuned a half-step apart (like F and F#) produce enharmonic, unearthly tones. ¶ It's
also fun to get a good-sized group playing in the same key...ideally, in different
registers. The resultant thrumming drone can be rhythmic and hypnotic. On the other hand,
the Kyrghyz of Central Asia put together choruses of perhaps a dozen players, each
switching between several keyed khomuses during a single song. ¶ It might be fun to add a
backup instrument to your choir, such as a flute, didgeridu, or a drum or other
percussion. ¶ The only makers I know of who sell wholesale are Whitlow, Schwarz, and
Wimmer. ¶ This is an interesting topic! Readers: What are your thoughts? Have you tried
similar experiments? - PNP |
I am a member of Rowley Regis Online England (www.rowleyregis.com). On that website there is a lot
of interest about Jews Harps. A lot of people on our website have ancestors who made Jews
Harps in our area. Two names that made Jews Harps are Jones and Tromans. We have a lot of
visitors on RRO from the USA.
Thank you for a very interesting site.
Brian Hall
England |
Hi all. Please go on my website www.bjoc.com (go to the BJOC page and look for the words
Discover BJOC tracks), and you'll get some of my sounds playing jharp with my band.
dj Blond Boche
Vibes.provider at blondboche.com
Switzerland
Cool sounds! Thanks for the link. -PNP |
I really like what you guys have gotten started. I began playing
the jew's harp about five years ago, I'm now 25 and trying to get my friends and local
community involved in either playing instruments along with, or playing the jew's harp
themselves. I will be ordering from your site and selling to these folks at the price I
buy them at just to get a crew together. When I have more money I will join your guild as
well, but for now, just a friendly hello from a fellow enthusiast.
Mikey Miller
Olga, WA |
I played the jew's harp as a
child with part of my father's jug band. (including but not limited to banjo, fiddle,
string drum, washboard, etc.) My earliest memories of playing on stage are from about 7
years of age. (I started earlier) I would like to say hi to someone that knows what I am
speaking about. When I pull out my current harp I don't get much respect. (I should
mention that I am female and this doesn't help the situation). Thanks,
Jennifer
Albuquerque, NM
Jug band music is not unknown at the North American Jew's
Harp Festival-we have a house "gut bucket" and we often have washboard, musical
saw, and other kitchen band instruments. We might have even had jug! You should come up
and join us some year. We know what you mean by a lack of respect for the Jew's harp, but
we are working to change that. Out of curiosity: where did you grow up? And where and when
did your father play jug band music? - PNP |
I'm a bluegrass banjo player and I want to play some
jew's harp. I bought one a while back but it didn't sound like I thought it should. What
type should I get and where can I get one?
Scott Wiggins
Wichita, KSI have a question (thinking out loud). Are you able to
acquire a certain trump if I order it or are you limited in what you can get? There are
some trumps I'm interested in but, for one I'm not really wanting to deal with overseas
transactions. Second I'd rather buy it from you if possible. Anyway let me know. Thanks,
Tony
Scott and Tony: The Jew's Harp Guild does not sell
instruments, but several of our members do. See page 8 for contact and other information.
Which kind to get? That depends on what type of music you are playing as well as your
personal preference. If you have a question about a particular trump feel free to write or
e-mail; maybe we can help. -PNP |
I was looking at the date for the annual get together over at
Garibaldi [Bay City] and I see that it is the same weekend as a major Cowboy Action
shooting match that I compete in each year so I won't make it. I'd sure like to know when
any of the Guild members are shown on TV. The way I found out about you was channel
surfing and on one of the cable channels was the beautiful & melodious boinging of
multiple jews harps and I went nuts. My wife was rolling her eyes. Hopefully someone lets
fellow harpers know when the others will be on TV.
Tye Wood
Portland, Oregon
That melodious boinging is "Minor Third" from the
1998-2000 Festival Highlights CD, used with permission by Bob Nisbet to accompany a short
video of flowing water that is being used as "filler" between programs on
Portland public access. Mr. Nisbet also produced a video of the 2005 North American Jew's
Harp Festival which was also slated to air on Portland public access TV. -PNP |
| Hi, I my name is Heather, and my
cousin and other family members have been playing the Jew's harp for as long as I can
remember, but I never knew the name of it (my cousin always called it the humdinger!!)
Whenever I tried to explain it to other people, they never knew what I was talking about,
and I really wanted to find out its name! I tried searching it on Google and eBay for
quite a while, and finally found your site. I just want to say thank you for dedicating an
entire guild to this amazing instrument that holds so much sentimental value to me! If it
were not for this site, I probably would never know its name, and would not have been able
to tell other people about this great instrument.
Heather Adams
Ontario, Canada
"Humdinger" is a great name - we'll have to add
it to the list. Do you know the origins of the Jew's harp playing in your family? -PNP
I am not sure where the jew's harp playing began in my family. We all live in
the Eastern Ontario region, but I think my uncle (who married into my family) had
ancestors who were French and Ukrainian. I think he might have just picked one up at an
auction sale or something, and it just kind of carried on, and I am not sure if he bought
it because his family had played it. I think he may have started a little tradition in my
family. Thanks for your help!
Heather |
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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
A plucked chicken
"Show-N-Tell" is a new feature of Pluck-N-Post. Please submit your own
photographs and stories. Do you have an unusual Jew's harp, or one with an unusual
history? Tell us about your favorite one to play, or show us the first one you owned. All
of them have histories. We'd love to hear them.
Recently spotted on eBay (and no, we don't know who placed the winning bid): a homemade
wooden-and-steel Jew's harp in the form of a chicken. The tip of the lamella can be seen
just peeping out from the back of the chicken's feet. According to the seller, the
instrument "was made around 1905 and according to my husband's grandfather it was
made in Western North Carolina for him by his father, William Debruhl."
This is a wonderful example of a homemade Jew's harp, and a fine piece of folk art to
boot. We would love to get a closer look at it...perhaps it will show up at the festival
one year. |
 |
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The Jew's Harp Guild has been around for just over ten years, and has a constantly
changing membership made up of players and other interested parties from around the world.
But who, exactly, are they? In an attempt to address that question, this column will
feature a Guild member or two each issue. As always, your contributions and suggestions
are welcome. To kick things off, this seemed a handy place to introduce our two newest
board members, John Palmes and Ingrid Berkhout. Note: These photos were taken at the 2005
festival by Jonathan Ley (www.leyphotography.com). We will feature more of Mr. Ley's
photographs in future issues.
 John Palmes
is a folk musician and fisherman from Juneau, Alaska. John writes and sings his own songs
while accompanying himself on guitar, and is also widely known for his mouthbow expertise.
He has been invited to Australia (twice!) to teach workshops, and has also given them in
his home state and other parts of the Northwest. His latest claim to fame is an interview
on NPR upon the release of his recording "Mouthbow: Small Voices." He has
several recordings out; check them out at efolkmusic.org.John first attended the NAJHF
in Richland, WA, in 2000, and has made the annual pilgrimage from Juneau ever since. |
 Ingrid Berkhout
is Dutch by birth but has lived in the United States for many years; she currently resides
in Seattle. She is a musician and big fan of the Jew's harp since being introduced to the
instrument by her friend Des van D˜k. In Seattle Ingrid is well known in certain
circles for the "Space Aliens" performance she and a friend presented a while
back. (Yes, it involved the Jew's harp.)
Ingrid is also a sculptor, painter, and photographer; one of her photographs is
featured on the 2005 festival T-shirt.
Ingrid first attended the festival in 1993, when it was the Sumpter Valley Jew's Harp
Festival. She has been a regular since; ah, the tales she could tell. |
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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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|
