[Dixielandjazz] Support live jazz

[Marek Boym]

As those who have read my correspondence may remember, this weekend is a
Gypst Swing Weekend in Israel.  It's taking place in teh BEn Shemen Youth
Village, actually an agricultural boarding school.  Last night, in addtion
to the regular activities, there was a concert oby Swing de Gitanes with
guest artist, the Italian guitarist Dario Napoli, who is also on the
teaching staff.  A jam session follwed.
Unfortunately, none of my friends joined me on the trip there (a bit over
half an our's drive), as it was definitely worthwhile!  I do not need to
rpeat the praise of Swing de Gitanes - the many times I have gone to see it
say it all.  Mr. Napoli turned out to be an excellent musician and a very
nice and friendly gentleman; he played an Israeli made Gypsy guitar.  After
a few numbers the SdG played alone, then Dario Napoli returned, and i an
shor while they were joined by th really excellent - and very young Omer
Ashano).  I am happy to say that our own guitarists proved to be at least
every bit as good as their Italian guest.
Towards the end of the show Yaakov Hoter called another guitarist to come
on stage and gave him his guitar, which to me was a a sign of things to
come - I (rightly) assumed that he wouldn't have done it for a slouch.
Soon the pros were replaced by jammers, but not for long - eventually they
were back and joined the jam session, it was so good!  Oren Sagi, the bass
player whose solos always command quiet, sat in on a guitar, and after a
while Omer Ashano put his violin away and took a Gypsy guitar.  At times
there wre eight guitarist playing together, and managed not to get in each
other's way but rather play as a unit.  Wonderful!  At some stage, the
trumpeter Eli Preminger camo from Tel-Aviv and joined the fun on trumpet.
Ampng the guitarist was the left-handed Mush (pron. Moosh), another
excellent musician (who married just a month earlier).  There were several
guitarists who drove some 120 miles from the north just for the cocert and
the jam, and they showed their mettle, too.
In short - one of the best whows I have recently attended (and, as you
should know by now, I attend a lot).  David Mencher, the organizer of the
weekend, has very good reasons to be proud!
Unfortunately, the small hall became depopulated after the concert, as only
a few people remined for the jam session.  I would have expected people who
paid good  money and came to study at that weekend would be eager to listen
to other musicians performing and participate in the jamming.  I was very
surprised and disappointed it wasn't so.  But no matter, those who stayed
had a well deserved treat!
As an example of Omer's playing I'm attaching a link to a 2013 video from a
dance party where he played as a member of the Betty Bears (at the time, he
was still on regular military service; he doesn't play with them anymore).
I, by the way, have never seen that group, as it features singing on every
number - small wonder, since the leader is the vocalist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qACUbJ_rsro#t=102
Enjoy!