By Amy WicksMy friend Brad Wheeler has taught over 10,000 students in the Ogden area how to play harmonica through the Blues in the Schools program he started several years ago. Saturday October 14th he wants to put Ogden on the map by breaking the current Guiness record for the world's largest harmonica ensemble. If you don't know how to play, that's ok- there will be lessons before we try to break the record. 2,500 harmonicas will be given away, or bring your own if it's in the key of A.
Bring the family to Lindquist Field for this great FREE event. Local Jazz legend Joe McQueen will be playing, as well as the Legendary Porch Pounders and the Kap Brothers Band.
PLACE: Lindquist Field
REGISTRATION: 10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
(This time slot is for or the first 2,500-registration will continue through out the day for those bringing their own "A" harmonica.)
INSTRUCTION FOR BEGINNERS: 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.
For those of you who wish to teach yourself and skip the instruction class, go to Brad's Harmonica Army Website, for an animated tutorial .
INTERMISSION: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
For those of you teaching yourselves please show up around this time so as to get registered and to give yourself time to get situated to break the record.
RECORD ATTEMPT: 3:05 p.m.
The current record again is 1,800-we would like to break it by at least 2,500-if you wanna be a part of this event and don't wanna gamble on whether or not you'll be 2,501, feel free to insure yourself a spot by purchasing your own Harmonica in the key of "A." Then go teach yourself "When the Saints Go Marching In" with the animated tutorial.
CELEBRATION: 3:30- 4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
More information at:
Harmonica Army Website
Charlie Trentleman (Std-Ex)
Deseret News
Update 10/14/06 10:06 p.m. MT: We attended today's Brad Wheeler Harmonica Army Maneauvers at Lindquist Park, and had a real blast. The event had the look and feel of an old-tyme Emerald City event, with fantastic music, 1200 or so relaxed Emerald City townsfolk, and the sort of citizen camaraderie we remember from the pre-Boss Godfrey Street-fest days, when local events weren't modeled after church picnics, and the lumpenproletariat weren't obliged to enjoy a cool one like livestock in a roped-off corral.
A giant Weber County Forum hat tip to Brad Wheeler, our Numero Uno Ogden Booster, and to the various musicians, (too many to name individually,) volunteers and others who helped make this event a great success. Special thanks also to Raptors GM John Stein, who graciously opened the stadium doors, rolled out the red carpet and provided ground crew at no cost to the event promoters.
Everyone who signed up at the registration desk received a brand-new Hohner Hot-Metal Harmonica; and when the time came for the playing of "The Saints" around 3:45 p.m., the stadium rang with the sound of over 1,000 Emerald City citizen-musicians -- most of them mainly "on key."
This event has the makings of an annual event, we think. Inasmuch as we failed to exceed the standing Guiness Book record of 1,800 players -- Brad is already talking about next year's reprise.
For those interested in viewing our WCF photo record of today's remarkable event, check out our new photo album here. If any of our gentle readers would like to submit their own images of this event, we welcome you to send them via our contact link; and we'd be glad to add them to our photo album.
Update 10/15/06 8:55 a.m. MT: More from this morning's Standard-Examiner.
15 comments:
We've spoken with Brad Wheeler and he confirms that the Lindquist Field concession stands will be open throughout this event, serving up their full menu of delicious baseball chow, sodas and suds!
This so called "world's record" is a farce.
It was not my idea.
No world record will be recognized without a gondola.
You people are clueless.
They will be serving beer?
HORRORS!
Does Bishop Godfrey know about this?
Frackenfritz!! I wish we hadn't been involved with other things today! I really wanted to attend.
Wish it was held at nite too. Some fun.
????????
Well Sharon, I do believe the ads say the world record harmonicathon will be tomorrow. So pucker up honey and get ready to blow those Godfrey blues at the old ball park on the morrow.
The main man Godfrey is likely to be there too. You will be able to tell him from the crowd cause the harmonica in his little lyin lips will look gigantic compared to his pin head.
I too am pissed I missed tomorrow's event.
Hey Cat
You're cool as long as you don't miss yesterdays.
After reading Scott Swebke's profound article in todays SE, I began thinking. I have one question, Will we all have to go around all of the time wearing ski suits, and boots, carrying ski's and poles whereever we go. In the summer, we could use the ski's for barbecuing if they were still made of wood. Apounds to me we are going to still have to go out of town to puirchase other clothing, if we want to wear them what with all of the sports stores opening in Emerld City
Thanks to all who made this free event happen. What a great gift to the community! A pity we didn't break the world record but I'm already excited about next year and I promise to do more recruiting. Only one negative: Our humble blogmeister was seen walking around and taking photos during the event, and with no harmonica anywhere near his lips, or even in his hands! A pity he didn't do his part to bring us one closer to the world record.
Did you all read Kristen Moulton's article in the Trib today? On Matt Jones and the investigation.
She's so good. Dared to broach the subject of the stalled 'investigation' into Jones' alleged complaints and the 'investigation' into Godfrey and Griener's misdeeds. Will we, or will we not, have the verdict before NOV?
Election time, folks. Of course, we could all guess this 'investigation' would go nowhere when Godfrey brot in his own man to see if he and Greiner were at fault!
The investigative attorneys should have come from St George! DiCaria, Godfrey and Greiner all dine on creamed chicken at the same functions. I'm disappointed in our Council for not letting Godfrey know he was out of line (again!) for usurping their authority and responsibility by jumping the gun and asking Di Caria to come in AND giving the SE the 'exclusive' on it. THEY are the ones who should have brot in outside counsel to 'investigate' the GG duo.
This Council, for once, must take the high road and slap this little dictator down publicly when he flexes those tiny muscles he must be toning in Gary Neilson's gym. Dorrene DID that on Jan 10 when Brockette of Ernest Hosp showed up without portfolio. Dorrene apologized for the Council questioning him in public because the mayor and his administration would not supply them with requested info!!
She's been a target ever since.
Thank goodness for Moulton! The SE does not serve this community. Letters on the Peterson/Gondola scheme are not found on the editorial pages of the paper, but one must get on the internet. Shameful. Just as the citizens cannot see the Council meetings on CH 17, we can't have our opinions voiced IN the paper!
We are fed pablum and it leaves a foul taste in our mouths.
Talked to my neighbor Raptors GM John Stein today, and thanked him profusely for graciously providing the venue.
He was pleased with the event and will do it AGAIN.
He notes that Our Emerald City Harmonica Army, although failing to set a Guinness record...
Now holds all the records in Lindquist Field, Weber County and other places.
He calls it "a seed," that's been planted.
Rudi:
Well, you need to talk to him about being so abandoned to all decency and honor that he switched team affiliation to the Los Angeles National League Baseball Organization [falsely called the "Dodgers" by the depraved, deluded and the badly brought up. The Dodgers of course are lost in the BMT [for the poorly educated, that means the Brooklyn Manahattan Transit company, aka the subway] from which they shall someday emerge and return to their people. For truly of Ebbitts Field it is written "if we rebuild it, they will come." Until then, this Ogdenite has no choice as a man of honor but to root for all visiting teams against the Los Angeles National League Baseball Organization affiliated Ogden Raptors. Bummer.
They're riding the rails with Judge Crater.
Don't sweat it Curmudgeon.
I got it straight from the only source of really true information in Ogden, Curt Geiger, that the BROOKLYN Dodgers, and I don't mean no chicken shit farm team but the real magilla, is moving to Ogden as soon as the Gondolas are finished.
The OGDEN BROOKLYN DODGER! Ah the glory we will all share.
The only downside I can see is the required re-naming of Washington Blvd to Flatbush Avenue. Our future generations may grow up thinking that President Flatbush preceeded presidents Adams, Porter, Jefferson, Madison, etc.
The OBD will do their spring training in the new ball park that will be built adjacent to to the Tyrollean Chalet in Malan's basin. They also have pledged to play their world series games in that venue, which will bring enough gondola riders to pay for the whole thing. In fact I think they will have to build an extra gondola line or two to accomodate those world series patrons PLUS the three million riders a year that will be dropping off from I-15 to ride the only gondola on earth that will glide silently over the huddled baseball loving masses of inner city Ogden.
This of course if even more reason why the citizens of Ogden need to pony up to the plate and shell out the dough to get this project going befored Telluride steals the glory and the series from us.
Twenty years from now there will be no world series played in any town withoug a gondola. And that's a fact.
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