Re: Harmonica Chris

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At 5:15 PM 2/3/95, Harvey Andruss wrote:
>with Chris M as one example listed here. As a matter of fact, I think he
>has >received the reverse treatment from some of the more established
>blues harpers >around town (eg. recall his >Madison Slim incident on-list)
>where they claim >that ~that's not the way you play blues harp~.

This kind of prejudice isn't limited to harp players. If ya go to a fiddle
contest in Texas, tou better be playing Texas style fiddle cause that's the
only kind there is down there(they'll get the Rangers after ya). And in
Bill Monroe's mind, it ain't an instrument if it doesn't have strings.
Recently, at the same blues jam on the same night I heard "He's just a
Stevie Ray clone" and "he's doing The Sky Is Crying and he can't even play
like Stevie Ray"(Hell, it's an Elmore James song and Stevie Ray didn't play
like Elmore). And the harmonica wasn't recognized by the musician's union
until 1950. And I did a gig 2 nights ago with a guy that wouldn't use an
electric bass in his band if his life depended on it(had to be an upright).
And on and on...

I think it's all a crock. Seems I remember reading recently something about
playing music because it's a fun thing to do. That's a tough one but I'm
workin' real hard on trying to grasp that concept(play music cause it's
fun? hmmm...)

And my hat's off to Chris M. I can do plenty o' things with a harmonica but
playing the blues in all 12 keys is not one of 'em. And being challenged to
do it in public? Good job.

I have one question for Chris: When you get back to playing the blues in
one key at a time, do you just grab any old harp? Or do you get into
different moods like, well the bands playing a shuffle in E, I'm in the
mood to do that on my C# tonight?

Rkt