Re: [Harp-L] Are we in a Golden Age?

["Leonardo Kenji Shikida" <shikida@xxxxxxxxx>]

harmonica players are playing better. It's more difficult to be
considered a "skilled" harmonica player these days. the instrument had
evolved.

at the same time, the music industry makes things more difficult today
to reach the great majority of the population. It's not enough to be a
great musician. Your music must fit the industry demands, you must be
good looking yourself (if you're female, you must be gorgeous too).
It's more important to look good on the videoclip because they can fix
your sound in the computer.

compared to the Borrah Minevitch's times, harmonica is certainly much
less popular.

while we can see lots of great harmonica players everywhere, playing
in several pubs and small places, I can't see many harmonica players
reaching the real big places. The big festivals. Playing for tens of
thousands at Stadiums.

so it's a golden age in terms of skill, but not a golden age in terms
of popularity

that's what I think

Kenji

On 10/27/06, Michael Rubin <rubinmichael@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Okay, I know I don't post much so don't take my cynical attitude as my basic personality, but anytime anyone says "Hooray for us!"  my warning buzzer goes way off.
>   Although it is unquestionable that Howard is one of the most innovative and skilled harp players ever (and that there are plenty of incredible players in the world) we should not forget Larry Adler, The Two Walters, Rice Miller and Sonny Terry who certainly did as much for the harp.
>   I think it comes down to awareness.  We are alive today and everyone on this list is way into harp.  Therefore we become aware of the present scene and it floors us.  However, I think it is safe to say that the Chicago blues scene of the fifties and sixties wiped the floor of modern harmonica, at least in terms of layperson's awareness.  People knew who Little Walter and Paul Butterfield was.  Ask any layperson today and you would get only "the Blues Traveller guy"  and they couldn't even call John by name!  You would have to remind people of Bela Fleck and those who could remember would have no idea of why Levy is special.
>
>   Just my opinion.
>   Michael Rubin
>   Michaelrubinharmonica.com
>   Just my opinion.
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Kenji
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