One of the coolest things Blues Guitar Unleashed members tend to do is host informal jam sessions in various parts of the country (well, the world now since the UK jam)…
And of those, the New England jam last weekend (the 3rd) is getting to be one of the largest with I think 23 visitors (plus significant others, family, and friends.)
My birthday was Friday, and Cowboy’s birthday was Saturday (Cowboy hosts the jam.)
What they all didn’t know, however, was that Laura and I were planning to surprise them and infiltrate the jamming facility… check it out.
And even better… they let me sit in and play a few tunes too 🙂
60 replies to "Surprise!"
Moozishuns is the craziest peoples! 🙂
WOW!! That was so cool! What a genuinely warm friendly welcome for you two! There is nothing in the world better than friends like these!! That was awesome! Thank You both for sharing!!
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Griff, that s one of the greatest gestures you can make surprising and supporting your loyal fans and students. Hopefully you might consider checking out the Rythm and Roots festival in Bristol Tennessee sometime.
Griff & Laura,
You two have created a world where dreams come true. The very fabric of a persons life is changed when they learn to play music. It is one of the things that brings each person closer to God – because – deep down – no matter who you are – music touches your very soul. The world you created with BGU changes people and lifts their spirits as well as the music ability. You two have created a community of like minded people, from all walks of life, from all over the world. A place where we all share a common thread. In a world gone upside down – you two created a place of peace and learning…..a family…. you did good!!!
Dennis
Planet Houston
It is nearly a week after the fact and I’m just seeing this video now! Griff you and Laura are really two of the most amazing people that I know. This is just one example of how far you go for your students (I feel more like family). We really love you guys.
Can you believe it. Two of the best people you’ll ever meet.
Hope you had a very nice birthday Griff !!! Thank you for all the GREAT lessons . God bless you always …
As a student you are awesome,so down to earth,thanks for sharing this. Happy Belated Birthday If you are ever down in Sarasota, Tampa area let me know. Lots of those New England snowbirds will be down here till March.
Awesome of Griff and Laura to pop in to the NE Jam in Maine. And from just down the road in Corona California. It was really great to get to meet them both, along with the rest of our BGU family in attendance. I got to witness it from the mic side, singing Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door and then try and play a solo. Nerves!!!
A seriously great time and awesome experience!
Looks like fun. Sure hope you two had a great time. It was nice to see how good of a reception you received.
Thanks for sharing.
Griff – you are a good man! Greetings from southern Ohio.
I benefit so much from being a member of your extended guitar family.
Happy birthday. You and Laura keep up the good work. It is priceless.
The video of your visit to cowboy is wonderful.
Thank you so much for sharing that…I just loved it…Griff you are such an awesome teacher…..you give so much of yourself and ask for nothing in return…and I had no idea Laura was such a character.
leave it up to Griff & Laura to pull off something like this…and the video is a hoot…thank goodness Griff was carrying a guitar and not a gun…he’d probably been looking for a moose behind the club…bg..
when I purchased my first course a few years ago, I had no idea what it would bring…what did it bring? outside of tons of fun, improvement on the guitar and many new friends across the country and world, it also brought Griff & Laura to Maine from CA to a blues jam…go figure…
bet anything like this wasn’t even on the horizon a few years back…amazing…thanks my friends…later.
cowboy
That was inspirational! thanks for sharing your wife and adventure with us 🙂
Stealthily planned and executed Griff & Laura. Particularly liked the ‘Mission Imp’ scene – nice touch. If you all weren’t so far away I’d be nipping over sometime.
Regards, RMH
The surprise was so cool Griff. It would be grest to have a jam here in PA. Thanks for sharing.
WOW WOW WOW! All these comments are SO heartfelt! Makes me smile reading every single one of them! On behalf of Griff – THANK YOU for taking the time to watch the video and share your thoughts with us. Honestly – you all are amazing!
Griff and Laura, wonderful to see you both attending a jam in New England! Wish I could have been there. Thank you for your great teaching Griff (-:
That was a really cool video Griff. Glad to see you and Laura having so much fun.
NICE!!
“let you sit in”? are you nuts? You tore it up Sat and Sun and I had the honor and pleasure of playing bass behind you on one song. It was my first BGU jam and quite an inspiration.
Nicely done! What a great Birthday gig for you and Laura. Must have been a blast.
Thanks for sharing this video ,Griff. Looks like you both had an awesome time. I know if you ever walked into a jam I was participating in , I would totally freak out. You’re my favotite teacher and anytime I see an email from you ,I know I am definitely gonna learn something. Thank you for sharing your talent and knoeledge with us. You’re the greatest…..
Griff the reaction you and your lovely wife received was well deserved.I’m guessing all of those folks playing that day are a result of your amazing ability to encourage and teach the art of guitar. Having played guitar for 50yrs.in bands,groups and finally in a duo both here in Britain and abroad.Your skill as a tutor has proved you can teach an old dog new tricks.Many thanks.
John.
I just had a friend pass on, cancer. It’s been a tough few months getting here. Bill was a guy who helped create community by stimulating, teaching, and generating opportunity to play (old time, traditional). People were jamming in the hospital near the end in tribute. It’s kind of wild that I found Grif’s offering of musical inspiration as I was working through this process with my friend. It’s been a great way to release, learning some blues, kind of a Godsend if you will. Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know how I’ve seen music become the glue that brings people together. This video shows it again. While Grif molded this lovely contribution to many, we all have the responsibility to carry on the message as Cowboy has done. It’s a blessing, pass it on (find a way to jam with your neighbors).
Man, how cool is that! Really really awesome stuff…
Cool video and a really nice treat for the BGU guys.
Dave Havant England U.K.
Hi griff how ya doin and that pretty thang. Laura. What a good looking young couple all. The best fom us here in plymouth England Edward and Valerie xx
You’re a neat couple! … Know you must’ve had a great birthday. “Mission Accomplished!”
VERY COOL!!
YOU 2 ARE SILLY WHERE YOU GUYS HIGH? LOL! FINALLY SAW THE REAL GRIFF. I LIKE THE WAY YOU USED MISSION IMPOSIBLE FOR YOUR MUSIC. I SAW A LOT OF LOVE THERE. IF YOU EVER PLAY IN THE SOUTH BAY I’LL BE THERE TO JAM AND MEET YOU. HEARED THEM PLAYING DYLANS , KNOCING ON HEAVENS DOOR. A GREAT SONG I PLAYED IT WHEN I WAS IN A BAND. IT WAS A LIL SLOW TEMPO.
BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRIFF. YOUR # 1 STUDENT, PAUL DRAGOTTO.
Like the man said, “it’s not the number of breaths we take, it’s the things that take out breath” and I saw some gasps in the video. Great fun!!!!
Looked like a real good time and fun by all. I was waiting to hear you jam. ALSO, Hope you had a GREAT Birthday!
This was SOOOOOO fun! The reception we received was truly breathtaking. I just love all these guys and gals, and so proud of my hubby for creating a place for these fine folks to meet, chat, jam, and become true friends. You all better practice, because I think this might become a habit of ours – popping in when you least expect it! LOL. If you’re having a jam in your area – let us know – we might just stop by and join in the fun!!! <3 THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!
Way to go…things like that keep you young….Happy B-Day!
That’s real cool.. And funny too!
Ditto on the COOL dude.
(by the way, your wife’s a “whack” in all good ways!)
Very cool way to hang in maine . should visit sabago lake next time !
Very nice; you can see how much you have given by what you have received in the hearts of your minions. Well done.
That was nice of you to do Griff. I can see you are thought of very highly by all of your students. I would love to be good enough to do the same, but it would be far reaching at this point. I can also see you two are a nice couple. Thanks for sharing Kevin B Florida
Nice! Really cool. If there are other BGU folks in San Diego, I’d love to coordinate something.
Looks like a GREAT surprise Griff!! Hope to meet you one day! Your wife is WAY COOL too!! HAPPY Birthday, zookeeper!!!
Totally cool Griff! Thanks for posting.
That would definitely make for a great birthday gift having you and Laura dropping in and getting the chance to jam together. Life’s not over, so perhaps one day as I only live 4-5 hrs away from Corona, CA. It’s on my bucket list
That was totally cool Griff!! Nice touch with the Mission Impossible theme.
Now that was AWESOME my friend!! You are the coolest, most hands-on, best material, explain by the KISS method teacher in the world! Good on ya Griff. And I gotta spend more time on the Forum!
Bob from Parker, CO
Nice. 🙂
You are so cool. Another reason you’re so good at what you do. You put a lot of fun & love into it.
Very, very cool Griff! Thx for sharing.
Neat surprise!
Just a passing thought … any BGU subscribers in (real) England — west of London (Chertsey/Staines/Woking???)?
Bernard
bernard@bluecedars.co.uk
Yes in the UK but a bit North of you in Worcestershire.
Regards
Mike
…you’ll need to travel way north to find the “real” England, Bernard! Making my way through “Blues Gig in a Box” after 12 months on the BGU course and lovin’ it! Going to see (and “meet and greet”) Joe Bonamassa in March 2015 at the Hammersmith Apollo having already bought his limited edition lithograph and Epiphone Les Paul Pelham Blue.
Best wishes
Al – Staffordshire.
I’m not so much west of London than West London– Chiswick in fact. Working my way through both BGU and Acoustic BGU courses and cant fault either of them
Hi fellow BGUer!
In the early ’70s a crowd of us reprobates used to rent the house at 10 Cavendish Rd (opposite the Quinton Hogg memorial Sports ground) – small world!
Cheers
Al
I used to play tennis at least once a week at the club on the Quinton Hogg memorial ground for about 30 years until it folded last year– a very small world.
Looks like they love you guys in New England
Yet one more reason why I wish I could have been there. One of these days!
Very cool y’all. Can’t keep it unless ya give it away.
Respect
Bobby “Del Rio”
I have not recvd my beg blues coarse yet.two weeks already,what’s the holdup