Oct. 21, 2024 - BANJO WEEK, ALL WEEK LONG
Yours truly, and the great Dr. Elias Kaufman
The fraternity’s "round robin"…a tradition for many years…each person prepares a piece to play. So nice to see Norm and Joanne Azinger, Madeleine Kaufman and Ruth Westlake. Our own Gavin Rice participated also.
The rehearsal for the orchestra was on Friday. I was not able to see the concert on Saturday because I didn’t get out of work till late. Drew Frech is the conscientious leader and Marc Smith kept the time with his awesome S. S. Stewart cello banjo.
BANJO WEEK, ALL WEEK LONG
October 21st, 2024
Good mornings folks,
This past week I was able to visit with some old friends from the American Banjo Fraternity. I was especially pleased to see my good friend Elias Kaufman, who I consider the grandfather of banjo history. Over 50 years ago when I put out one of my very first mailing lists, he called me on the phone. He told me that he received this "thing" in the mail and that if I was planning on doing this "banjo" business I’d better know who he was! Well he was right! When we were conversing on Friday afternoon, he was quick to remind me that most volunteer organizations are started by one individual who has a passion for something, but they seldom last after that individual passes away. The American Banjo Fraternity is an exception, it has been going on for 75 years. The current membership is small but determined. This difficult style of playing can be very exciting in the hands of some of the masters After all it was America’s first recorded music.
This week, Sam Snyder and Ryan Yarmel traverse the route to Lansing, Michigan in order to display our fantastic collection of early banjos at the "Banjo Gathering Conference/2024". This is something that I’ve attended for most years, and even hosted here in Rochester once, but I’ve elected not to go this year. These two young men are really the minds and the eyes of the business as I see it today. I’m getting old and I kind of make mistakes all the time. They have passion and excitement to move forward and I’m leaving them with some of the greatest vintage instruments that I’ve ever had. Oh, I’ll still be helping out in the store from time to time and holding court there on Saturday, but I think my role is becoming more like a Walmart greeter than an actual proprietor. That said, I’m really looking forward to a visit in Penn Yan, on Tuesday, with the greatest of all banjo collectors….Jim Bollman. I promised him a tasty dinner of local treats including trout cakes, local pesto and Finger Lakes Riesling.
With peace,
John Bernunzio
… filed under the millions of banjo jokes
Rochester, New York is proud to be hosting of the Classical Mandolin Society of America national convention coming up at the end of the month. We are pleased to be sponsors.
Monday looks to be a perfect fall day and we plan on spending it in Branchport! A little fishing might be in order.