RE: Dying artform

["scorcher" <s_c_o_r_c_h_e_r@xxxxxxx>]

Tim Moyer's reply:
Re: Dying artform
>
>
>
> "Scorcher" wrote:
> <snip>
> > Seems that now that the heyday of harmonicas is over, very few
> > people are interested in learning / playing / hearing about this
> > rather specialized sub-class of  harmonica music.
> <snip>
> > How do we save these cool esoteric harmonicas like Basses, Chords,
> > and Polyphonias from extinction? Does anybody have any ideas how to
> > "integrate" these into "more popular" musical forms? Or how to
> > start a harmonica band?
>
> It is true that most of the American practicioners of
> this "dying artform" are getting on in years, but there are some
> harmonica bands that have younger players.  Our Dallas Harmonica Trio

<SNIP>

> The tradition is very
> vibrant in Asia, <SNIP>
> Harmonica festivals across the Pacific Rim often feature a lot of
> this kind of harmonica playing.
>
> I believe that Mickey Rafael has used bass harmonica

<SNIP>
>
> If *I* were trying to start or join a harmonica band, I'd look for
> <SNIP> veteran
> players there,

<SNIP>

Yup...
I just met a player / collector that's really into the orchestral
instruments, and playing with a harmonica "band" on a semi-casual basis.

What I'd really love to see (& participate in)is a "Harmonica-centric"
band. -Not a harmonica band that excludes other instruments, not a
"Big-Band", "Oldies" or other format that plays music that's not "popular"
any more. One that features many different Harmonica sounds / textures with
other instruments - strings, keys, even (gasp!) percussion!

I think that to promote the (other-than-blues) harmonica (in it's many
varied forms) we need to integrate it into music that "folks want to hear".

Oh, sorry, starting to rant...;-)

BTW, what are some of the more "esoteric" musical genres y'all  play (or
have seen)?
I've seen / heard:

Blues (diatonic, chromatic, a little double-reed)
Klezmer (diatonic, double-reed)
Skiffle / Jug-band (diatonic)
Country (diatonic)
Western (diatonic)
Bluegrass (diatonic)
Old-time (diatonic)
Classical (Chromatic)(Mr Bonfiglio!)
Showtunes (diatonic, chromatic, a little double-reed)

- -Scorcher