View Full Version : The Kaufman Kamp Experience
levin4now
Jun-28-2004, 2:49pm
Well folks - it was quite a week in TN for the Steve Kaufman Flatpicking Camp. I have never attended anything like this before so I didn't know what to expect.
The instructors were top notch. For mandolin, we had:
Alan Bibey
John Moore
Carlo Aonzo
Don Stiernberg
Roscoe Morgan
Butch Baldassari
Guitar instructors included: Pat Flynn (formerly of NGR), Steve Kaufman, Chris Newman, Tony McManus, Uwe Krueger. Banjo instructors included: Dennis Caplinger, Billy Ray Lathum (formerly of the Dillards and KY Colonels), Jens Krueger.
The classes were great. I learned alot. Lots of great jam sessions going on through the night. Food was great (for cafeteria food) believe it or not and the concerts/performances by the instructors at night were absolutely jaw-dropping. I sat front row a lot and every concert was incredible.
I might keep this "column" going with some more details and pictures if I get a chance.
Alan
PS John Dennitson - sorry I missed you - I checked a lot of name tags but didn't see you - what class # were you in?
mmukav
Jun-28-2004, 4:38pm
Sounds awesome! I've always wanted to attend one of those camps, but I keep using my extra dough on instruments and accessories! I'd love to see some pix if you can put 'em up!
johnnymando
Jun-28-2004, 7:46pm
Alan,
sorry we didn't hook up.I was class #5.
That was the best week I have ever spent picking,learning and mostly laughing with my dorm pals.I still have no feeling in my point or middle finger of my left hand from jamming most nights until 3:00.
Alan and Butch taught me some new licks and Don has opened up a new world of jazz-swing style stuff.Just scratching the surface on that....
John
levin4now
Jun-29-2004, 6:41am
Well here is picture number 1. It is a pic of all the instructors getting introduced at the opening session..
From left to right we have: Don Stiernberg, Butch, Bibey, Sherry Marshall, John Moore, Jens Krueger, (Steve Kaufman, blurred, foreground), Dennis Caplinger (banjo - John Moore's bandmate), Murphy Henry (The Murphy Method), Cathy Fink, Pat Flynn, Beppe Gambetta, Tony McManus, Adam Granger, Mike Kaufman, Marcy Marxer, Donna Dixon (Steve's wife).
There were others there, but maybe not all introduced yet,including Casey Henry (Murphy's daughter, so pretty - who cares that she plays banjo!), Roscoe Morgan, Carlo Aonzo (probably behind Steve Kaufman in the pic)...
Currently I'm listening to "Bluegrass Etc", John Moore's band, off one of the 9 CD's I bought while in Maryville.
Hey! I was in Mando class #5 too! (I was the tall guy, 33 yrs old with a Triggs mandolin) What an awesome week of great music. I learned a ton of new stuff and can't wait to go back through it all and eek out more information. It was a fabulous experience. I learned something new from every instructor. Don's theory stuff and Alan's triplets will take a bit longer to digest I imagine!
cheers, Rich
I'm curious - was Alan playing his Loar or the Bibey model?
He played his signiture model during class, but I'm not sure what he was driving for his concert.
levin4now
Jun-29-2004, 9:29am
Alan played his Loar during our class. (See picture).
He also played his Loar in concert.
(glare on headstock in photo...i'll get another pic later.)
levin4now
Jun-29-2004, 9:30am
Alan capturing the attention of his students.
(any mando cafe-ers in this pic?)
Sorry, thanks for the correction. Was it John Moore playing his new signiture model then?
levin4now
Jun-29-2004, 12:10pm
No need to apologize Rich! I was in class 2. Alan played his Loar during my class but had the signature model the next day. He had both with him in Maryville.
I didn't know he had a Loar. I was sitting class, and noticed the crackle in the finish towards the edges of top and wondered how old it was and if it was a loar.
John Moore was playing his new Gibson Master Model that Gibson gave him. (Pictures of that to follow...)
Butch played a 'Daley' in class - he was borrowing it. Will Kimble came to Maryville to bring back a mandolin to Butch (I believe). Butch also had his 'Cohen' mandolin with him, as well as a "fairly" blonde Gilchrist with him.
Roscoe Morgan had a Cole A model that was awesome.
Don Steirnberg had a new (1.5yr old) Collings F in class. He played what I think was a Nugget in concert. It didn't have a scroll but an extended point on the top there.
Of course, Carlo played an mandolino neopolitano or something like that. A bowl back.
levin4now
Jun-29-2004, 12:44pm
John Moore's new Master Model.
He had a neat story about how he picked up this mandolin. Gibson gave it to him of course, and told him it would be at Telluride. John drove to Telluride but said there was no way he could get into town as busy as it was so he drove up to the top of a mountain where there was a skilift. He called someone he knew (I think he was a member of Sam Bush's band) and he carried the Master Model in its case up the mountain on the skilift and they made the transfer there. Imagine that site if you were hiking around that area and saw a Master Model fall out of the sky.
Pneugrass
Jun-29-2004, 6:08pm
Wow! What a week! Eat,class,eat,class,open discussion on various topics,eat,evening concert,jam,jam,jam....sleep a few hours then do it all over again! I'll have to take a vacation to get over my vacation. I'll be back for another go next year!
Scotti Adams
Jun-29-2004, 6:20pm
..wow..what a nice Fern MM...Im jealous...I want one...hey Big Joe..ya listening? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
BigJoe
Jun-29-2004, 8:37pm
Hey Scotti...Actually John's mandolin is just a regular Fern with a radiused fingerboard. That was what he specified. John is one of my favorite mandolin and guitar pickers and one heck of a nice guy. Great chops and low on ego.
levin4now
Jun-30-2004, 5:15am
Oops, I'm sorry everyone - John said it was a Fern. I just must have got caught up in the abundance of nice mandolins. I also have little to no experience viewing or playing such instruments!
levin4now
Jun-30-2004, 5:22am
John in concert playing his new Fern. He played with Caplinger - what a fantastic concert.
levin4now
Jun-30-2004, 5:24am
Pat Flynn, Jens Kruger, and Butch Baldassari getting ready to rip into Blackberry Blossom (with Pat Flynn weaving "Paint it Black" into the B part during his final break.) Completely awesome.
Wilson
Jun-30-2004, 5:42am
Hello Alan, etal.,
I was there too, and in Group 2 with you. I'm the four-eyed fat guy witn the older Collings A sitting in the back row in that picture of Alan Bibey's class which you posted. What a great experience that whold week was. The concerts alone were worth the price of admission. Don Stiernberg played a two-point Nugget in concert and his Collings F in our class. Carlo's mandolin was a Pandini. I wish I could go again next year.
it's about time J Moore got one. When I was at Kaufman's in 1999, JM was playing his Kentucky and he 1/2 jokingly said how his student got a Gibson for free.
Scotti Adams
Jun-30-2004, 6:46am
Hey Scotti...Actually John's mandolin is just a regular Fern with a radiused fingerboard. #That was what he specified. #John is one of my favorite mandolin and guitar pickers and one heck of a nice guy. #Great chops and low on ego.
..now aint that a big ol bummer http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif ....I really thought something was afoul there with that snow white binding on the peghead...didnt quite look like a MM..Hey..seems like all the big dogs have got Gibbys....cant ya seem to convince Ronnie McCoury to play one? just wondering http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
levin4now
Jun-30-2004, 12:38pm
If you don't mind me submitting photos of this....
Butch and Don Stiernberg helping Alan out during his concert at Kamp Kaufman 04
If I recall, they were playing "Midnight on the Water" at this time.
Big Joe
Jun-30-2004, 1:10pm
Hey Alan...I would just say keep your eyes open over the future. There are some great products to introduce....a little at a time.
A real highlight for me was Carlo putting my kit mando through its paces in class.. It roared in his skilled hands.. made me realize the instrument is not my problem http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Keith
http://www.mindspring.com/~p38/carlo_plays_stewmac.jpg
Did anyone else at Kamp buy Roscoe Morgan's new CD, "MandoHead"? I am truely lovin' it. Every track has it's own flavor and every time I listen to it I get more from the music as well as an all over body chill-- I highly recomend it for any mando lover with ears for more than 'just' straight bluegrass mandolin playing; eventhough it has plenty of great bluegrass, hard driving stuff on it too!
levin4now
Jul-01-2004, 5:26am
Carlo had chops - he was unbelieveable. His musicianship was draw-dropping to say the least.
I did not buy Mandohead. - I ran out of money after buying 8 CDs.
levin4now
Jul-01-2004, 5:29am
By the way, what do you get when you have one hundred relative newbies jamming together at <100bpm?
SLOW JAM.....
levin4now
Jul-01-2004, 11:09am
What do you think was the most common fiddle tune I heard played at Kaufman Kamp last week?
Blackberry Bloosome, Red Hairred Boy and Whiskey Before Breakfast were the top three for sure! I played Foggy Mt. Breakdown a couple hundred time too! What a good time though. I love those tunes.
Rich
levin4now
Jul-01-2004, 5:44pm
I'd say Whiskey B4 Breakfast and St. Anne's Reel for sure. I saw the instructors tear up BBBlossom a number of times. Surely one of my favorite tunes. I wish I'd seen fly on Beaumont Rag as well.
ADM
johnnymando
Jul-01-2004, 8:08pm
We jammed on all of the above plus New Camptown Races,Forked Deer,East Tennessee Blues,Cherokee shuffle....
I was roomed with all guitar flatpickers.We had some great jams and had tunes from all over the country.
I'm still struggling with the reality of being back to work....