New subscriber

[Bill Vesely <wvesely@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Howdy

   I'm a new subscriber to the Harp list. I've been a blues fan since my
days at the University of Chicago in the early 60's.  At present, I'm
living in Iowa City and look forward to the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest
in the Quad Cities as the big event of the year. I've always marveled at
harp players, how they can get such an incredible sound from such a small,
simple instrument. 

   I bought a cheapo "Pocket Pal" about a year ago and got some books on
blues harp from the library, but gave up in disgust after a short time,
thinking "This is impossible".  Or maybe the harp I bought wasn't good
enough. (And I learned to play the oboe without difficulty when I was a
kid.)

   So the thing sat in a drawer until about a month ago, when I saw a
blues harp workshop being taught by Steve Price. After only one session,
thanks to Steve's excellent instruction and encouragement, I began to have
hope that maybe I can learn this thing. So I have a long way to go, but
I'm beginning to get it to sound vaguely like a blues harp. 

   Could anyone give me the phone numbers to obtain catalogs for Kevin's
Harps and Farrell harps? Any other words of advice and/or encouragement to
a new player would also be welcome. 

   Bill