Fortunato,

The Getaway has developed through tradition a double approach to its program. The first is the "mini-concert" where the primary focus is for participants to listen (and perhaps, sometimes, to sing along). The second is the "workshop" where the primary goal is to share songs in the particular genre or centered on the particular topic. The leader of the workshop is there to "kick things off" and keep the ball rollin' if it slows down too much.

Gee, I remember playing two songs at Max's workshop on "Blues", and I guess that was what I was expecting to do. At the Getaway I am somewhat embarassed if my contribution does not include "audience participation" which is clearly what many come to do. Sometimes I am just sharing a song that I hope most have not heard. That's because I like to hear new (to me) songs.

Max had never been to a Getaway, so I expect he had no idea what was expected. I know Barry told me he had asked Rita to do schedule his workshops later in the weekend so he could learn "the customs".

However it is, if you attended a lot of the workshops, you would have noticed others with patterns outside of the mold, not just Max's discussion group.

My limited experience with the Getaway is that the audience is pretty tolerant of whatever you want to do. Last year, I went to a blues workshop where the guy taught a few blues licks. I learned some and went away very happy.

Roger in Baltimore