LeeVaris - 8-5-2007 at 04:44 PM
Hi all,
I just got back from Lark Camp and I've got a few interesting videos and audio recordings to share – check out Sinan Erdemsel here:
http://www.varis.com/LarkCamp07/content/Sinan.html
other videos with Wa'el Kakish and Sami Abu Shumays here:
http://www.varis.com/LarkCamp07/Movies.html
Photos and some audio here:
http://www.varis.com/LarkCamp07/
This was a wonderful experience where one can participate in numerous workshops in a beautiful woodland setting. A great place to jam and learn middle
eastern music as well as a number of other world music traditions. I highly reccomend it - especially if you live near the west coast!
Enjoy the samples! 
SamirCanada - 8-5-2007 at 05:14 PM
Nice vids Lee.
Sinan is on top of his game really.
Jameel - 8-5-2007 at 05:52 PM
Nice vids and pics, Lee. I like the "tent" look of the place with all the oriental rugs. Sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.
oudplayer - 8-5-2007 at 06:47 PM
hey lee
wow nice vids again and its good you had a great time.
question how does it work ?do u foccus on one instruemnt lets say oud or riqq or something and only learn that , or what ???? just wondering.
thx sammy
How it works
LeeVaris - 8-5-2007 at 08:08 PM
Well...
This was my first time at the camp and I could only stay for half of it. At Lark there are basically 3 different "camps" which break out into general
themes. Camp 1 is generally European folk music and for the most part this ends up being Brittish Isles stuff - Irish, Scottish, etc... they have
various eastern european "gypsy" type workshops, Flamenco and some Greek fiddle & bouzouki stuff along with a sprinkling of French stuff as well
but at night the gypsies usually end up in camp 3 to jam with the middle eastern musicians. Camp 2 is music of the Americas – US Blue Grass, New
Orleans Jazz, Swing and Cajon – South American, Cuban, Andes, Bosa Nova. That leaves Camp 3 which is music of the middle east, Arabic and Turkish
primarily. You can study percussion with any instrument you like. South Indian style flute, Ney, oud, bouzuk, violin, rebab or any variety of long
necked lute.
The "Greek Tent" is in Camp 3 mainly because the Rebetika boys have more of an afinity with the Turkish musicians – they even have a Turkish flag
next to the Greek flag outside the tent! There are shuttle buses that run all day from 8 AM until 3 AM to take you between camps - I heard that this
year there were 750 people at the camps! Of course I spent almost all of my time at camp 3.
Its a very informal thing – you can attend any workshop you like at any time. The workshops are scheduled at the same time every day and generally
you would attend the class held for your instrument of choice but you don't have to follow any sort of program. Arabic music is mostly taught in an
ensemble setting so you are playing oud along side a violin, ney and drums. Sami teaches arabic violin and maqam lessons – very cool ear training
type stuff that I sat in on and played along with the oud -- everybody is super friendly and nobody minds. Sinan taught a Turkish ensemble class that
was a little beyond my level but I still got something out of it. The best part is between classes you can often catch people like Wa'el, Sami or
Sinan and get some private one-on-one lessons. Sinan showed me how he re-strings the oud, basically he did it for me, very cool. The Greeks teach
bouzouki, tzoura, Baglama – classic Rebetika pre-1940's very informal tune swap kind of thing. The thing is that these are master musicians and you
are hanging out smoking and drinking with them – its like music heaven.
At night there is always some kind of concert around 10 PM and then its off to the Greek Tent around 12 PM to jam until everyone just passes out
(usually around 3 AM).
There are always surprises, great musicians, everybody sharing techniques, tunes - whatever.
Oh, and they serve very good full meals – breakfast lunch and dinner!
kasioti - 8-5-2007 at 08:08 PM
It was a great weekend. It was too bad I was only able to be up there the last day and a half. It was my first time up there and I happened to see all
three camps. A wonderful opportunity to learn and meet new people. Thank you for posting the videos and pictures and music!
Microber - 8-6-2007 at 04:42 AM
Very nice videos.
What is that wonderful samai played by Sinan and Sami under the title 'Sinan & Sami play' ?
Samai
LeeVaris - 8-6-2007 at 06:01 AM
I'm not sure except that it is by Goksel Baktagir from his Okyanustaki Sesler (Sounds from the Ocean) album. Sinan had the music for everything in the
album. He approached Sami two days before the concert and asked him if he could learn it. The video represents just 2 days of practice!
I'll see if I can't figure out the title of this particular piece and let you know.
Microber - 8-6-2007 at 06:19 AM
Definitely, Göksel Baktagir is one of my prefered composer.
Thanks for your answer Lee.
Robert
alex-nozh - 8-6-2007 at 12:47 PM
nice videos 
thanks for share 
Cyberquills - 8-6-2007 at 03:38 PM
HI Lee
Coo, great videos.
CQ
Orahim1 - 8-7-2007 at 02:43 PM
Lee,
Thanks for posting those great pics. I've been wanting to attend that camp for some time...maybe next year. I do have a couple questions. 1st, there
are a few pics of people playing their instruments in a room. It looks as if one gentleman is playing an Irish bouzouki. Is that correct? Secondly, in
the room/tent where there are instruments hanging from the walls, there is an instrument which I can't make out. It looks like it has a face on the
face with two eye and an oval mouth. Is that some sort of cumbus? Thanks for your answers in advance!