Walking into the Coffee Girl Cafe on Pier 39 on a Sunday morning in early June, I had expected a quiet morning to work. Instead I walked in on the final jam session of the 2nd Annual Astoria Tenor Guitar Gathering. Around 10 to 15 musicians who had come to Astoria from around the world, met Sunday morning for an impromptu session. The rhythmic and melodic sounds guitars, banjos, violins, harmonicas, and drums filled the air. The harmonious blend of instruments and voices, and the cheer joy of musicians playing together, captured the hearts and attention of all who had come to the coffee shop. After a successful weekend-long series of events, Mark Josephs, the founder and leader of the Tenor Guitar Gathering, gathered musicians around and celebrated the success of this year’s festival.
Background.
The First Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering was held in Astoria, Oregon on June 4th, 5th and 6th 2010. It was the first time tenor guitar enthusiasts of all styles, tunings and levels of expertise, from beginner to advanced, had the opportunity to meet and share. There were workshops on Friday and Saturday with musical events on Friday and Saturday nights at The Voodoo Lounge, where Spider Murphy, a fantastic tenor guitarist, hosted "An Evening of Tenor Guitars" with an excellent backup band from Portland consisting of Kevin Eastes on bass and Ray Thomas on drums...sharing a gig with the great Johnny Ward. The world's first "Tenor Guitar Orchestra" performed on the Trolley on Saturday at 9 am, boarding The Trolley at The Astoria Guitar Company. Mark Josephs, Marcy Marxer and Spider Murphy were on Carol Newman's show on KMUN, Coast Community Radio, between 3pm-4pm on Friday June 4th, and Mark and Spider were also on Gordon Styler's radio show on Saturday June 5th.
Mark Josephs, the founder of Astoria’s Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering, is a talented musician. Owner of the Towne Crier Cafe, Phil Ciganer, said of Mark Josephs, that his “versatility continues to amaze and delight me! He is one of the finest harmonica players I have heard anywhere, and an absolute master on rhythm guitar.” Josephs' love for the tenor guitar and music in general has fueled his life. His lifelong commitment to music (he plays guitar, harmonica, and writes and records music) includes encouraging other musicians.
2nd Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering, June, 2011.
Highlights of 2nd Annual Astoria Tenor Guitar Gathering: Over the weekend of June 3-5, tenor guitarists and other musicians gathered in Astoria, Oregon for the Second Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering. Events started off at 9:00 a.m. Friday and continued through Sunday afternoon. Held during Astoria’s Bicentennial, the Tenor Guitar Gathering included events throughout town. Friday evening featured a tribute to Nick Reynolds (Kingston Trio) who was inducted into the Tenor Guitar Hall of Fame. Nick’s son, Josh Reynolds, accepted the award for his father. The Hall of Fame induction took place during a fundraiser, Kingston Trio Sing-a-Long sponsored by local radio station KMUN. The Hall of Fame plaque (picture) was designed and built by Kurt Schoen. The Tenor Guitar Hall of Fame is looking for a permanent home here in Astoria, so if you are interested in helping sponsor or contribute space or funds to get this started, contact Mark Josephs’s.
Saturday featured workshops, a ride/jam on the Astoria Trolley, a jam hosted by Gordo’s Astoria Guitar Company, and an evening performance of featured tenor guitar players. Featuring a weekend of performances, music workshops, and a benefit concert for KMUN, Coast Radio the local public radio station, the Tenor Guitar Gathering featured Grammy Award winning tenor guitarist, Marcy Marxer and her partner, banjoist, Kathy Fink. Also featured was Mark Josephs (tenor guitar and harmonica), members of Salty Dog (Lorrel and Jim Dwyer), members of the Wanderers, Carl and Roger (who have been performing together for 52 years.
Saturday evenings performance, "An Evening of Tenor Guitars," featuring four different styles of tenor guitar players from all over the country. Featured guitarists included: Tenor guitarist, Spider Murphy, Grammy award winning musicians, Marcie Marxer and her partner, Cathy Fink (banjoist), and Mark Josephs (guitarist and harp player).
After workshops and performances all weekend, a number of the musicians gathered at Coffee Girl Cafe Sunday, morning for a jam session that lasted more than two hours. The cafe was filled with the beautiful blends of the tenor guitars, drums, violin, banjo, and harmonica, as well as the voices of all the musicians who gathered to enjoy the end of this year's, 2nd Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering.
Conclusion.
Near the end of the jam session, two women walked into the coffee shop. Both of their eyes lit up as they approached the group who were playing so beautifully together. The elder of the two women with eyes sparkling, introduced herself to me as “the mother of the man in the blue shirt,” Mark Josephs. She and Mark’s sister Donna both joined the group singing and clapping, as we all sang together and listened as one by one, each musician soloed while everyone listened or accompanied their performances, all in unison. The beauty of hearing the tenor guitarists playing together spoke right to the heartstrings of all who listened. For those who experienced any portion of this great gathering, be sure to mark your calendar for the first weekend of June, 2012 for the Third Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering. Pick up a tenor guitar and learn some new tunes, or bring your other instruments to accompany the tenor guitarists who will be gathering here next year. You’ll probably be hearing about the tenor guitar more here in Astoria as Mark Josephs is hoping to get a number of us locals to take up the tenor guitar so we can join the tenor guitar orchestra next June. Learn more about the Tenor Guitar Gathering and its founder, Mark Josephs by visiting his website and by watching for more articles on Mark Josephs and the Third Annual Tenor Guitar Gathering, 2012.
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