Ken Bonfield actually advertised this concert as “Beyond Six Strings” (an old standby many of us have used for such special shows).  I prefer my title riff on his own “Artistry of the Guitar” show.  Well, that’s what it was!  4 (very different) players, 4 tunes each, in the round.  Great fun!

We played (late this afternoon) in a nice room in San Pedro called Alva’s, to what we call in the business a “small but appreciative audience.”

Ken played his Al Carruth harp guitar (of course), doing his trademark mood-setting “mellow ballads,” Pete Bradshaw played some very lovely new classical pieces on one of his many Wingerts (a dry run for his spot at this year’s Gathering), Frank Doucette proved by far the best composer of all of us (the bum), playing his Wingert HG#1, and I did my usual weirdness – 2 on the Dyer, the Dunn harp-uke and the public debut of Al Carruth’s Beast.  Hey, I had to do it, in honor of Ken’s all-Carruth new album and tour.  Managed my way around the backwards subs, and the soundman set up a separate mic just for the harp section – it worked great!

Ken hung out with Jaci and I the night before.  Here we are for the commemorative 2nd-only-get together of Al Carruth’s fabled Beast (mine) and Belle (Ken’s):