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.
