[RP TownTalk] Music returns to RP!

[Robert Oppenheim]

I spent a delightful hour this afternoon listening to 15
musicians jamming in their new home in the heart of Riverdale
Park's Town Center (in the old Bookshop and Coffee Depot at
Queensbury and R.I Ave). 

This is now a regular event - every Saturday afternoon 1-5 p.m.
All are welcome.

You can just listen or join in with the playing and singing
(and a bit of dancing in place). The instruments are exclusively
acoustic, and the music is strongly folk/blues oriented. The event
is family friendly and enjoys a nice mix of race and gender.

The musicians play for the sheer joy of making music, and
the joy permeates the room.  Although you are welcome to just
listen, you should know that it's a jam - not a performance.
The musicians sit and stand in an informal ring facing each
other and trade off playing lead/solo and backup. It is mostly
improvisation - I saw no printed music at all. People and
instruments come and go as their time permits.

A cavalcade of instruments abounded: along with a conventional
flute, string base, harmonica and a variety of beautiful
acoustic guitars were: a Koncovka (a Slovakian wooden flute),
the smallest snare drum I ever saw, a mandolin, a washboard
"with cans" played with whisks, a Djenbe (a West African drum),
and a really good washtub base.

This is the new home for the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage
Foundation (AEBHF). They are a non-profit organization dedicated
to "keeping East Coast acoustic folk blues alive, through weekly
Saturday jams, performances, workshops, exhibits, and lectures."

An optional donation box helps pay the rent. 

For more info visit http://www.acousticblues.com/ or just drop
in next Saturday afternoon. You will be happy you did.

-Rob

P.S. The Gazette and anyone else is welcome to use my postings.