RE: Conventions (warning-Long)

[the Leones <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

   The other day I posted something whereas I used percentiles. This 
elicited some off list e-mail to wit: I was basically told that I 
would be held accountable for anything(s) I wrote. So here goes.

   Someone mentioned that there were 6 TRILLION people on the planet. 
Actually, I can remember that it was on my birthday (2002) that the 
global pop. topped 6 BILLION. Soooo, let's take some figures and toss 
them out on the table and play around with them and see what they do. 
And since I have a fixation for figures, we may as well work this 
into the porridge.

   Let's say that out of 6,ooo,ooo,ooo people there are 6,ooo,ooo who 
either DO, Have, or have at least tried the harmonica. Does this 
sound ludicrous? Maybe, maybe not. There are probably a million just 
in Japan. China, fageddabowt it.

   Now, let's propose the theory that 6,ooo are fairly decent. I don't 
think this is a ridiculous claim. Ooohhh, this comes to 99.9 
percentile.
So let's see there are 6,ooo,ooo harmonica players and 6,ooo are 
good. The figure *I* used was 96.3 percentile, and stated that there 
are enough players in this region that could be explored.

   BTW, 96.3 percentile adds ANOTHER 21,600 to the porridge (total now 27,600).

   But wait, I digresseth to much. Go back a ways and bring the figure 
down to 600 (99.99 percentile). Do ANY of you know 600 harmonica 
players? I doubt it. While there are more than that right on this 
list, how many fit the 600 super collosal 99.99 percentile?

   Let's go a little farther and take it down to 60 (99.999 
percentile). I hate to tell you but THAT figure represents a "Finer 
than the finest" GOLD situation. Can anyone name them? Let's be 
honest here and remember that YOUR perception of who is or isn't a 
*STAR* may be different. Certainly "Name Recognition" would be a 
factor here, and NOT just to the people on this list. The "Average" 
harmonica player doesn't know these people let alone the "Informed" 
player.

   Example: You go to the Ft. Myers Harmonica Club, (OR the other TWO 
clubs I have belonged to) and ask around. There are 71 active players 
(+ spouses, + sick or inactive players). I have also found that just 
about every trailer park (resort?) down here has from 6-20 harmonica 
players.
I was shocked to find there are (when the snowbirds are in town) 
HUNDREDS of harmonica players JUST in SOUTH WEST Fla.

   So last time we were still on THIS planet, we ended up with 60. 
Let's go down to 6 now. This may (or may NOT) depending on YOUR 
perspective include certain names. MY perception "Might" be
1...... ONE Chromatic based Harmonica Trio/Quartet
2...... ONE Chromatic Singleton..Female
3...... ONE Chromatic Singleton..Male
4...... ONE Diatonic Fronted band
5...... ONE Diatonic Singleton
6...... ONE "MULTI" Instrumentalist

   Speaking of mirrors: There is a mirror in my bathroom. The only 
other mirror(s) are in the wife's bedroom. I only get to see the 
bathroom mirror on Wednesdays (when I shave for my Jazz gig). If I 
were to walk past a mirror and look into it, could I (keeping a 
straight face, mind you), honestly say to myself "You're GOOD kid"? I 
don't think so.

   I don't go to any of the "Teach-Inns". Is this arrogance? Not at 
all. Since I was already performing at 14 to 16, took a 25 yr lay-off 
and "Came back" 19 yrs ago, I should ALREADY know the stuff that the 
teachers are teaching (and I DON't). For me to sit there with someone 
half my age would be VERY embarrassing. And it's NOT PRIDE..It's 
HUMILITY. Also, since I am older now, it makes more sense to let 
someone who could REALLY use the lesson, STILL has the time, and 
STILL has the energy, HAVE the chair. I rarely perform at SPAH. 
Though a perfectionist, I suck and usually get ill right before going 
on.

   My original post was described (by a few) as either arrogant, 
judgemental, cutting, "dissing", etc. It was far from that. Using the 
word "Lesser" was taken to mean lesser player. NEGATIVE, it meant 
lesser REPUTATION, lesser NAME RECOGNITION, lesser BREAKS.

   If ya'all will remember, I said "Just because someone is a 90 
percentile doesn't mean they won't be a better SURGEON than a person 
who was a 99.9" We see it all the time. THIS is EXACTLY why some 
people are going UP the stairs while others are coming DOWN. THIS is 
why a person can be an Olympic CHAMP one day and an Olympic CHUMP the 
next.

   Every convention (I have been to 17), I come away stunned after 
hearing someone I had previously NEVER heard (OR) heard OF. EVERY 
convention brings surprises. Let's keep doing this. I suppose my 
wording left something to be desired. I felt the Dallas SPAH was a 
good "MIX". The only persons I had ever heard were Paul Oscher & 
Norton Buffalo. The only persons I had ever heard OF were Fata 
Morgana, Phil Wiggins. I didn't even know that Buffalo was the guy 
with the Steve Miller Band, so (technically), I didn't even KNOW I 
had even HEARD Buffalo. And, this coming from a guy who knows a lot 
of players? Go figure.

   Imagine the "average" player out there. Who do THEY know? Who have 
THEY heard of?

   One last note: I may have a night where I am PHYSICALLY able, but 
my MIND-SET isn't right. On another occasion, my MIND may be right 
but my BODY is wrong. Sometimes BOTH mind and BODY are Kaflooey. 
Sometimes I am "HOT" (like Wednesday). Sorry, but that means I have 
about a 25% chance of being any good, and you can't do THAT if you 
want to be a *STAR*. The ONLY thing seperating the good from the 
really good is "Consistency"..There I said it.

   smokey-joe