| Author | Message | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 474 Registered: 9-2003 |
Well, it's that time of year again....Jorma is taking applications for the 2005 season (some 2004 classes are still open). Has any Club member taken a Fur Peace Weekend Camp? I have been dying to do one since I found out about this place a couple of years ago, but haven't mustered up the courage to take one yet. I figure since I just got my new Alembic bass, why not learn how to play the damn thing....and I figure I could do much worse than having ole' (former) Alembic #1 owner Jack Casady as my instructor. Since I am originally a guitar player, of course I wanna do a Jorma camp as well. Pick and Putt anyone? LOL! | ||
| tom_z
Junior Username: tom_z Post Number: 19 Registered: 7-2004 |
I've looked at FPR too. I like finger style, and have even looked at Jorma's online instruction on breakdownway.com, but I'd really like to do a flat picking weekend at FPR. I guess I'm mostly a rhythm guitarist. Maybe that's why I enjoy the company of drummers and bass players so much. =) | ||
| pas
Junior Username: pas Post Number: 15 Registered: 3-2003 |
I went to the very first session in April '98 & took the class with Jack. Overall I would have to say that it was a good experience. For more details, please e-mail me - alembic22030@hotmail.com | ||
| pas
Junior Username: pas Post Number: 18 Registered: 3-2003 |
To anyone that sent something to my hotmail address, I apologize for the lack of response. It seems that my junk mail filter has been sucking out more than junk mail! Again, my sincere apologies. As a Tuna fan since the mid 70's & as a bass player since the late 70's, I looked forward to this weekend with great anticipation. I have met & spoken with Jorma & Jack many times at shows, but the idea of spending a more interactive musical weekend was really appealing. As this was the opening session of the FPR, they were getting things in shape as we all rolled in. I drove from Catlett, VA across the mountains through West Virginia on Rt. 33 & into Ohio. It was a cool & adventurous drive. I have say that everyone I met was unfailingly nice - campers & staff. I'm quite the picky eater, but I must say the food was outstanding! The accomodations were 2 person concrete cabins with bunk beds. The fellow I roomed with the 1st night was a nice guy, but snored in unbelieveable fashion. Fortunately, they were able to provide alternate accomodations for him & I was able to sleep the rest of the weekend. The bathing facilities were basically of the high school locker room variety - group showers, etc. At this point in my life I don't much care for that set up, so if I were to go back, I'd probably book a room in town & go in for the sessions & meals. Logistically, the bass players were set up down in the recording studio, somewhat removed from the rest of the camp. We had a nice cozy set up with Jack & about 8 or 9 bass players of varying experience levels. As part of the admission process, they asked you to briefly descibe why you wanted to attend & what you hoped to get out of the weekend. I, as a Jefferson Airplane fan, was curious how Jack approached playing tunes written by Paul, Marty, Grace & Jorma - 4 writers with VERY differing styles. Over the course of the weekend Jack selected different pieces by each of them & showed us what he was doing & how he approached them. For example, he took "99 Year Blues", an ostinato in B - Jorma didn't write it, but it's one of his staples - & gave each of us a part to play - ie: one guy plays root/5th; one guy plays root/octave; another guy plays a 7th figure in a higher register, while someone takes a solo, etc. He had all of us going at it simultaneously! It was unique, to be sure. I gained an insight & respect for Jack's ability to arrange parts. One of the things I always loved about Jack as a player was his improvisational approach - rarely does he play it the same way from night to night. Well, he was improvisational as a teacher too. He was showing us something from "I See the Light/Sunny Day Strut" when I mentioned how cool I thought the his last run in the tune was - starts on the low A & goes in a penatonic run up the neck more than 2 octaves, resolving with a melodic note that ISN'T part of the peantonic scale - it IS cool! Well, he says "OK, you show me how YOU think it goes." So I did. I was pretty close. But I guess my point was that he wasn't so rigid with his course plan as to exclude points of interest when the arose. As I said, we had varying levels of experience in the class, from near beginners to a couple of folks like myself, who had been playing for a number of years. Jack seemed to spend more time & take a little more interest in the folks with little experience than those of us who had been playing a while. I think at this point, they have beginner, intermediate & advanced classes, which surely would have solved this dilemma. One thing to note & is simply a matter of policy is that there is no alcohol consumption allowed on the premises - completely understandable from a liability standpoint as well as the fact that both Jorma & Jack are on the 12 step program. Naturally, because I'm so contrary by nature, it made me want want to have a beer all that much more. Smoking a cigarette was restricted to very small, specific areas. It's Jorma's place & I respect their right to set the ground rules & I did abide by them. But it was a little on the PC side for my personal taste. In summary: I thought it was a bargain at $350 for the weekend. I think demand has been high & the price has doubled since I went. Would I be interested in going again...perhaps...I'm not sure it's such a bargain at twice the price however. If I did go again I would: A) Stay in town - I prefer private accomodations; B) Take an advanced class, which was not available the first time around. I've babbled on far too long here for someone of my somewhat limited attention span! I've got plenty more charming little anecdotes for anyone with specific questions... | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 646 Registered: 7-2003 |
Thaks. I think your post answered bassically all the things I was about to Email you to ask. I really can't afford the investment required to do Jack's workshop right now, so this year's a no go for me (I'm sure it will have booked up by now anyway). I guess I struggle a bit with the cost, too. Putting it in perspective - I really value what I'm getting from my bass teacher and would love to have more (I'd be willing and able to double up on practice time.). I could pay for the additional lesson time for a year for less than Fur Peace would cost me. In fact, I think I'm going to call my teacher right now... | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 508 Registered: 9-2003 |
I think they've addressed most of the concerns stated by PAS (excepting the showers), but the cost is now $875, up $75 from '04's prices!!! What I really wanna do is the "Pick And Putt" weekend. Man, jamming with Jack and/or Jorma, and riding in God's country on Harleys is my idea of Heaven on Earth. Pick, Putt, Eat, Sleep, Repeat! I'm concerned about shipping any of my instruments out there, though. Strapping any of my axes on the back of my Road King for a 600mi jaunt to Ohioan Appalachia from Joisey doesn't thrill me either. Bill: Is that a Freudian slip: "BASS-icaly"? LOL! Yes, it is a lot of dosh. My instructor gets $25/hour. He is not, however good he is, Jack or Jorma. And I will only live on this planet as me once. I have no real bills or responsibility and I have TONS of time off from work, so I figured I'd go for it. I guess I've been watching too many "Fantasy Camp" shows on the "Fine Living" channel, LOL! Remember: If you don't know Jorma, you don't know Jack! | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 651 Registered: 7-2003 |
Kevin: I noticed my slip just before I read your post - Yup, it's the Freudian kind, I guess! If I had the option to do Fur Peace this year I would have signed up day one. I guess my perspective on more lessons being better is this: I haven't played very regularly in years, I am a bass lesson drop out from way back, and I think I have many basics yet to learn. Though my teacher is an absolute disciple of Jack's, he'd tell you in a hearbeat that his chops don't compare. Anyway, if nothing else, my "more lessons" strategy gives me a way to rationalize away my disapointment about not going to Fur Peace till next year... Hope you go. Have you signed up? Bill | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 529 Registered: 9-2003 |
HAven't decided on the date(s)...I wanna do Jack AND Jorma's classes! |
