My Encounter With The M.A.N.
It's hard to believe there was a time when you had to learn sleight-of-hand technique from reading books. Written descriptions of hand positions, with associated line drawings and photographs.
Don't be tryin' to learn sleight-of-hand from a book if you're not in a mood to really focus.
I loved it. When I had those books propped open with a paper weight, and I had a deck of cards on a small close-up pad, and I was passionately trying to learn card magic techniques on my own, I had the feeling I was learning something secret and special. I would read some of those here's-how-you-position-your-fingers-on-the-deck paragraphs several times, and try over and over again to
"get the move right."
Back then, before video tape, getting someone who was a true expert to personally show you subtleties of sleight-of-hand, well, that was really valuable. Of course, those "in the know" have always been reluctant to share "the real work" with anyone who is a beginner.
In any case, there I was, studying my copy of Expert Card Technique, trying to learn the Strip Out False Shuffle. The drawings in that book are great, and the descriptions are excellent, won-derfully outlined. I got the basics from that book, but I couldn't really "get it right." Practice as I did, my false shuffle was awkward, not smooth, not totally deceptive. I kept at it of course. But I never really got it working good enough to go into my performances. I kept relying on false cuts and false running cuts. The Strip-Out False Shuffle eluded me.
And then I had a chance to visit personally with Martin Nash, in the small backstage area of the Close-Up Room at The Magic Castle. Those were amazing days at The Magic Castle, during the middle to late '70's. Sleight-of-hand was all the rage back then. And the focus on learning "the real work" was the passion of many a great card performer.
I had scored a wonderful full-time gig, performing card table magic on board the Delta Queen Steamboats on the Mississippi River, but when it came to really sophisticated sleight-of-hand tech-nique, I was still a beginner. I wasn't part of the "inner circle" at The Magic Castle, but I loved being up there very much, drinking in the excitement and the atmosphere, trying to glean what "inside knowledge" I could.
At that time, Martin Nash was in his heyday. He was working steady at trade show hospitality suites, and shopping malls, and also making appearances internationally. Once, when he agreed to lec-ture at The Magic Castle, so many magicians showed up, his leclec-ture had to be moved to a nearby church auditorium to accommodate everyone. He was awesome that day, and he "killed" in the Close-Up Room that week.
I was so delighted and impressed with his performance in the Close-Up Room the night I went to see him, that I decided to go backstage after his show to congratulate him and communicate my praise. I didn't even think he knew who I was. And, truth be told, some of my previous efforts to make friendly contact with other magicians of his caliber did not meet with much success. But, the Creator did bless me with a bold nature, and so there I went, into that really small, dimly lit, paint-peeling-off-the-walls dressing room to congratulate Martin Nash on his amazing skill and the incredible entertain-ment value of his show. I was prepared to be politely "brushed off." Instead I found a warm, sincere welcome, and an invitation to sit down and visit. How wonderful that was for me.
I was a guy doing a "gambling expose act" as best I could, with very simple routines and a large dose of showmanship, and I was getting really good results. But now, here I was, backstage with the guy who was the king of the "gambling expose act" at the time. I was faking a Second Deal, quite deceptively, in my act. Martin was actually doing a Second Deal, totally deceptively, in his act.
And back there in that room with him, he was not only willing to talk to me. He was in a talk-ing mood. (I have subsequently learned that one thtalk-ing Martin certainly loves to do, is talk.) What a surprising visit that was. What warmth I felt from him. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was an encounter of friendship and encouragement, at a time when friendship and encouragement from a per-former like him meant so much to me.
And yes, in the middle of that conversation, in that tiny little room, just the two of us, between shows, I added into our discussion that fact that I was having trouble perfecting the Strip-Out False Shuffle. "Let me see you do it," Martin said very directly. "Show me what you are doing." Oh Lord, I
thought to myself. Now I've gone and done it. Now I have to show THE Martin Nash, how really bad I am at the False Riffle Shuffle! Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?!
My concerns were not necessary. He spent several minutes with me, politely and sincerely and playfully helping me learn how to perform a really good, really deceptive strip-thru shuffle. In those minutes I experienced that truly wonderful feeling that all sleight-of-hand magicians live for… the feeling of "getting it." A combination of intellectual awareness and physical coordination that just
"clicks." You go from not having it, to totally having it. How exciting that is. That's what Martin gave me in that little room that night. He gave me the Strip-Thru Shuffle. And he gave me friendship. That was so incredible. A life is made rich by moments like that.
I have been Martin's friend ever since that first meeting. And his friendship has been a wonder-ful experience. And brother, can he talk when he gets going. He certainly has the storyteller's impulse.
Sometimes he'll call me on the phone just to communicate some little bit of news, and I have just learned to put my work down, and settle in for a long talk.
All these years later, I am still that newly-minted performer, sitting in that little room, back-stage at The Magic Castle, delighted to have a chance to visit with Martin Nash.
Bodine Balasco