[Harp-L] XB-40s at SPAH (was St. Louis Blues)

[Aeskow@xxxxxxx]

--Dennis Gruenling told he has one, but said he
wasn't crazy about its  tone. Got the same comment
from my friend Ronnie Shellist. 

I kept  telling people that the tone of the XB-40 is
an "acquired taste," like good  scotch. :-)

More later.

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.


Hey Ken--
       You  sound so alive and invigorated--definitely a great advertisement 
for  SPAH.  And I'm very curious about this  whole learning-to-love-the- 
XB-tone thing (I notice you leave no alcohol metaphor  uncoined). I too have 
waffled on its "voice"--is it somehow just a little  cheesy, maybe? isn't it kinda 
thin and whiny?  So you deep-six it.   Then you just idly pick it up again for 
want of anything better to do and the  tone feels very bluesy.  And soon 
enough it starts to sound annoying  and nasal and not good again.
 
     What strikes me  is that on three occasions, playing the XB with 
friends, what sounded to me like  the Bad Aluminum Whine sounded rich and dynamic to 
other musicians (that small  crew you count on for straight answers).  Is it 
possible for a  harp to sound RADICALLY different to the player than it does to 
other,  well, mere mortals?  I know there's always some disconnect there but 
I  wonder this is an Xtreme case. Because in an ideal world, it'd be great to  
play that instrument with peace of mind about its tone.
 
    Ken, I do not hold you  personally responsible for researching this 
entire subject.  You will have  secretaries at your beck and call.  And keep those 
whiskey and bourbon  metaphors coming, man.  They evoke memories of bar gigs 
past, 9 to 1 with  two 15-minute breaks, blowing your brains out for no 
one--well, 20 people maybe,  but most of them with faces like trauma victims, or 
trauma causers..but  you're not troubling yourself a bit about it, because it 
feels so phenomenal to  be fused with your band and lost in the playing 
itself...Count off another  one, brutha...
 
     Ken?   I WOULD like a prelimary research document on my desk by tomorrow 
 afternoon.
 
Peace and Respect
Johnny T