Huskies Green and Gold? How ‘Bout Hoover Blues
Students at Hoover High School jammed thanks to a “Blues in Schools” grant.
The school colors are green and gold but there was an outbreak of those Cold Old Middle o’ January How Come Final Exams Come AFTER Winter Break Blues at Hoover High School all this week.
Thursday after school they had a recital that cured them.
Thanks to a “Blues in Schools” grant through the Central Iowa Blues Society, 13 Hoover students, novice musicians all, were selected based on applications that included essays to receive a crash three-day course in all things blues. Musicians turned clinicians included area blues artists and DMPS alums Frank Strong, Bob Pace, Dave Altemeier, Mark Grimm and Scott Davis. Collectively they represent something like a century of professional experience and they gave instruction ranging from the genre’s historical importance as part of the American experience to the fundamentals of playing harmonica, guitar, bass and drums.
It all culminated Thursday after school in the auditorium when those who dared took the stage and collaborated with their weeklong mentors. One who did and grinned throughout the brief set was senior guitar player Aurteamus Crow. He looked awfully glad to be a bluesman.
“I’ve been trying to teach myself guitar for about a year,” he said afterwards. “But getting to work this week with someone like Bob Pace I learned so much so fast.” Yes, apparently. When Pace strolled across the stage mid-tune and got instrument to instrument with Aurteamus their guitars carried on a lively conversation.
“What a great opportunity for these kids,” said Hoover School Improvement Leader Maureen Griffin. “Eight of the selected applicants are from our ELL (English Language Learner) population. This is a great way to help them learn about life here in America.”
Yes, the blues, like music generally, are universal.
“I love the blues,” Aurteamus summed up. Or, as emcee Don (T-Bone) Erickson from KFMG put it, “The blues is the roots and the rest is the fruits…”
