Re: Why lay out?

[hippo@xxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Messenger)]

At 11:17 9/2/94 -0400, Norbert Brunhuber wrote:
> [bobbit] why lay out? [bobbit]

I think the main reason for this attitude is that a hell of a lot of harp
players don't know how to a) play quiet and b) play rhythm.  Playing rhythm
and accompaniment takes a whole different set of techniques and a very
different mind-set.

I've seen some players who can do it but a bunch more who can't (but think
they can).  The harp is one of the hardest instruments in the world to play
in a consistently interesting, crowd pleasing way.  And there is nothing
worse than listening to a harp player who doesn't know when not to play.

I recently started playing Hammond organ (+ Lesley) as a second instrument,
and it is amazing the difference it has made to my harp playing (or rather
to the audiences perception of my harp playing).  Less can most definitely
be more.  I can sit at the Hammond for a couple or three songs, let the
machine speak, do the funky gospel thing for a while, then get back up when
everyone is ready for some more harp.

Howard Levy is a good case in point - the guy is probably one of the best
players on planet earth, but spends a lot of time not playing the harp.  Of
course, being a virtuoso on several other instruments probably helps.

   -- hugh