The Happy Harpist

May 25, 2005

If you hear angelic sounds wafting from the home of Jerry Wares in Traverse City it’s because he’s building enough handmade harps to outfit a band of angels.
When he retired from the ownership of Wares Brothers Office Supply, Jerry’s interest in furniture-making soon dovetailed with his wife Marilyn’s passion for music.
“My wife was taking harp lessons and the instrument she learned on wasn’t much of a harp,” he recalls. “I thought I could do better, and within three or four months, I was doing better.”
A lifelong amateur woodworker, Wares has made approximately 25 harps over the last couple of years. “I use primarily hardwoods like walnut, maple and cherry,” he says. “And some exotic woods such as bubinga, leopard wood and purpleheart.”
Wares builds harps in three sizes, including 29, 31 and 36-stringed instruments. Fiddling with the string aspect is what makes a harp particularly difficult to make. “The challenge is to get the right length of string so that it vibrates on key,” Wares says.
His best seller is a 31-string gothic harp which offers a range of four octaves. And speaking of range, prices run from $795-$2,400, depending on the size of the harp and the quality of the wood.
So far, Wares has been selling his harps through word of mouth or by way of harp teacher Sharon Olson.
One happy customer is his wife Marilyn, who started playing less than two years ago. She currently performs at funerals, weddings, open houses, and as a member of her cancer survivor’s group.
Marilyn and Jerry are also iris growers of some note and will be hosting a garden walk in early June at their home at 3334 Swaney Road, near the tip of Mission Peninsula. Watch for press announcements for the show, which is timed for when the irises hit their peak bloom.
And as you enjoy the scent and color of those extravagant flowers, you’ll no doubt hear the strains of Marilyn’s harp wafting over the garden -- a harp built by her husband.

For information on harp sales, call Jerry Wares at 231-223-4895.

-- by Robert Downes


Northern Michigan Rocks Vol. V

Since its inception in the early ‘90s, this compilation series created by Terri Ray of Double Rock KLT has become one of the most eagerly awaited and competitive icons of the local rock scene.
Vol. V includes 17 tracks culled from hundreds of entries in a project coordinated by Leah Sarki of the radio station. A concurrent series of concerts has showcased performers from the CD at venues such as the Leelanau Sands and Shimmers.
Local fans of live music will recognize a number of artists, including Mike Moran, Amanda Waggener, Dose, Blisstripp, SMYT, Blufrog, Indulge, Jeff “Jabo” Bihlman, and Mojo and the Boogieman.
The CD also includes lesser-known performers, some of whom are coming up from the high school or junior college scene, sure to be talked about tomorrow once they make the leap to local stages. These include Corduroy Bones, Bad Side, Jimbo Fuller, Amputee Beauty Pageant, Illusion, Two Faced Heroes, Miriam Pico, and The Push.
Being a compilation CD, this is one of those something-for-everyone albums, with each artist offering a glimmer of the pop-rock spectrum.
There’s acoustic pop with a shot of angst from Mike Moran, whiplash acoustic rock from Corduroy Bones, and a southern rock sound from Dose that could give the Black Crowes a run for their money. Melissa “Lissa” Krahnke of Bad Side has a voice that pounds Pat Benatar into the sand by comparison and Blisstripp lives up to their buzz as Northern Michigan’s next powerhouse band. SMYT clobbers the hardcore metal end of the spectrum while Miriam Pico is our vote for a homegrown version of Dido with her beautiful voice on “She Waits.” Indulge cooks up a blend of emo and post-prog rock on “Save the Night,” and in short, each artist brings something to commend.
Northern Michigan Rocks Vol. V offers a good who’s who introduction to the local rock scene. As in any compilation, its only failing is that with one song each, the listener gets just a taste rather than the full flavor of each artist. But hopefully, that taste will be enough stimulus to check out these performers at local venues. For more on the CD, check out www.wklt.com.