[Harp-L] Re: future harmonicas and all that

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Let us consider jazz quartets.  They usually include a sax or  
> trumpet.  Of course, piano trios exist and need no sax or trumpet.   
> Sax and trumpet are lead instruments as per your categorization of  
> the harmonica.  But I don't think that it means that sax, trumpet  
> or harmonica are less essential.  They are essential to achieving a  
> particular sound that has its own particular merits.

One difference is, that there are at least as many sax and trumpet  
bands as piano trios.  In the blues, harmonica fronted bends are the  
minority, with bands without harmonica being the majority; in Jazz,  
bands without a saxophone are probably in the minority.

I'm not saying that the harmonica is not important in the blues, but  
I really do feel that the importance is overstated and exaggerated-- 
my point was that most blues bands don't have a harmonica, but most  
do have guitar, bass and drums.  So to call the harmonica "essential"  
to the blues seems like a significant overstatement.  There are many  
harmonica players who have been essential to the history of the  
music, and most bassists and drummers have been ignored (sidemen  
always are, and as the harmonica is primarily a frontman instrument,  
that's natural).  But that doesn't mean that the instrument is more  
essential than the others, or even as essential.

My stove has a fan above it.  This is nice as it circulates the air  
and keeps things from getting too hot, smokey or setting off the fire  
alarm (actually, not well enough--stupid thing is either in the wrong  
place or way too sensitive).  Many stoves have these fans, perhaps  
even most.  But not all.  Would you call the fan "essential" to the  
stove the way the boilers are?  The gas exhausts?  It's not a perfect  
analogy, but I think it might help to give a better idea of the point  
I'm trying to make.



 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'