By: Debra Devi
Day One: COC Guitar Workshop & Music Festival
Saturday – August 25, 2012
The future of the guitar is in good hands. Today, in a big white tent in a field here at luxury dude ranch Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork Montana, 11 young semi-finalists for Lee Ritenour’s Yamaha 6-String Theory Guitar Competition duked it out to determine which six will compete in the finals this Wednesday, which will be judged by Ritenour, Sonny Landreth, Chris Hillman and Dave Grusin.
The finalists will be backed by Sonny Emory on drums and Melvin Lee Davis on bass but this afternoon they were supported by the winners of the Lee Ritenour/Dave Grusin Rhythm Competition – Selim Munir on drums (UK and Turkey) and Hans Dewild on keys (Netherlands) – as well as bassist Clipper Anderson.
COC Guitar Workshop Rock Finalists
Selim and Hans are currently two of the hardest working men in show business, having just recorded a track with Ritenour in LA before flying here for a whopping day-and-a-half of rehearsal with the 11 semi – finalists — who played two songs each.
Despite the minimal rehearsals, the semi-finals were exciting and well-played. My personal favorite was Rami Halperin of Israel, who won for Blues with a powerful tone, impeccably soulful phrasing and real passion in his playing.
As Halperin noted before he began playing, “Israel is the home of some real blues. My grandparents ran away from Hitler. I got the blues.”
Another winner with a great future ahead of him is classical guitarist Karl Marino from Montreal, who infused his playing with sensitivity and emotion — reminding me of Scott Tennant, whom I first saw perform at the COC Guitar Workshop two years ago.
The winner for jazz was another Israeli, Yoav Eshed, who told me he was “shocked” when the video he sent in for the competition landed him in the semi-finals. Yoav’s technical precision, sparkling tone and musicality cut through not only the several hundred video entries from 52 countries Ritenour had to sort through, but also impressed today’s judges — Jody Fisher, Matt Smith, James Hogan and Susan Mazur. Eshed edged out Colin Cook, who also displayed tremendous technique and seemed perhaps the most relaxed and in tune with the backing band of all the competitors.
The Acoustic category showcased some beautifully creative performances, with both winner John Finley and Ben Filler pushing the boundaries of acoustic fingerpicking with soundboard rapping and fretboard tapping reminiscent of both Kaki King and Stanley Jordan.
Alex Sill took the Rock category with some fiery rock-fusion in a Rush vein, and Jamie Dupree wrapped up Country with clear strong picking and a lot of rhythm.
Although this is a competition and the stakes are high (over $65K in prizes including a full scholarship to Berklee), what struck me most was the camaraderie and enthusiasm among the competitors. “It’s not really about the competition,” said Alex Sill, “it’s about getting to hang with like-minded people – you just can’t get that excitement anywhere else.”
As Colin Cook put it, “We all got together and jammed and showed each other our favorite guitar videos — by the time we were done we felt like old friends. It’s the hanging with other guitarists and the friendships that develop that really make this a great experience. it almost doesn’t matter who wins.”
As i write this in the great room — a two-story log cabin — the great American flamenco guitarist Dennis Koster wanders in, drawn by the sweet sounds of a student practicing his classical pieces. To see Koster stand entranced, a gentle smile on his face, while the student completes his practice and then looks up to say with a grin, “You’re making me a little nervous,” captures what this week is all about – guitarists sharing their love of the guitar. Koster picks up and admires the student’s instrument; they talk of woods and their favorite classical pieces. Koster plays an exquisite bit of music on it while the student watches.
It almost doesn’t matter who wins.
About Debra Devi
Debra is the lead singer/guitarist for the rock band DEVI. She is also the author of the award-winning book, THE LANGUAGE OF THE BLUES: FROM ALCORUB TO ZUZU (Foreword by DR. JOHN), which has won praise from Bonnie Raitt, Joe Bonamassa and even Ministry’s Al Jourgensen. JamBase calls her “a supersonic fret-burner who writes hauntingly memorable songs.” She’s a Fender Girl Rock Nation artist and the first female guitarist invited to record for Guitar World’s “Lick of the Day” iPhone app.
guitar now (12 years ago)
Thank you so much. your article will be come to my mind.