RE: [Harp-L] what else do you do?

["JOHN AUST" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm a retired biology teacher and have only been seriously playing the 
harmonica a year or so but have had a 'mouth organ' since childhood. I've 
played Eb bass and trombone in  CCF band, endured piano lessons, played 
guitar and sung in teens Buddy Holly, Elvis etc. Later I  earned a bit of 
money with country/old pop as resident group in a restaurant  and in 
pubs,weddings and parties. I later played and enjoyed accordion and singing 
both in choral society and barbershop.
Meanwhile I took up windsurfing which eventually (30 years) lead to carpal 
tunnel problems - numb fingers unable to play guitar and accordion for any 
length of time so picked up my old tremolo mouth organ and my chromatic and 
was tempted into getting a Lee Oskar and learning to bend notes and learn 
some blues riffs. I went to a blues harp workshop at a local folk festival 
and  heard Brendan Power perform at a pub he was brilliant but the music he 
played that really  struck home was his traditional Irish tunes. I bought 
his tutor book and CD and now  spend my time learning and playing irish 
tunes, I've started joining in at a local weekly session in a pub with D and 
G harps I've paddy richter tuned.
 I've sorted out bending the easy (logical?) way with XB40s and love the F. 
Father Christmas is getting me a G and low D that I'll retune. My collection 
of Irish harmonica CDs is growing and has just been enhanced by "Blowing 
Through The Reeds" by Steve Shaw who contributes here.
 Please join with me in singing the old song:  -- "If only I'd started 
earlier and practised more ............."
                                                                     Cheers, 
John.