Re: [Harp-L] An illustrative story.

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "samblancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 10:12 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] An illustrative story.


> Hi Folks,
>
> There have been several posts on this list about harp players' ability to
> behave themselves when playing out at jams or where ever, so that our 
> little
> instrument can rise in respect, the idea being that if you actually suck 
> at
> playing the harp and don't know enough musically about what you're doing 
> it
> all goes to contribute to the general public's being annoyed by the
> harmonica rather than being thrilled by it. In short, many harp players, 
> my
> self included, wish all beginning/intermediate players would try to get a
> good grip on what they are doing before venturing out to a live music 
> venue.

This is precisely the point I've been trying to get across.

> I thought I'd share with you a couple of anecdotes that illustrate this -
> what do I call it? - 'ethic' a bit.  I recently went out with my 
> girlfriend
> to hear a blues band that is a favorite of mine in the area.  It had been 
> a
> while since I had heard them and I was surprised to see they had a new 
> front
> man doing vocals and harmonica.  In a word, he sucked.  This guy was 
> really
> torturing  his harp up there and I was amazed that this very professional
> band was putting up with it.  The overall effect was that he brought the
> whole band down (IMHO).  (Incidentally, he was using a Harp Commander, and
> now that I've heard one being used I don't think I'll be buying one. Maybe
> this was  not the best use of it though.)

The thing to realize is, if his vocals, which is THE most important thing as 
a front man are excellent, except for a few harp fans in the audience, few 
are going to care as much about his playing. If his vocals and stage 
presence is together, it will often outweigh the harp playing ability.

> I also went out to a local jam recently where there were two other harp
> players veiing for stage time.  Now these guys *were* good players and so 
> I
> didn't mind waiting my turn in this situation; in fact their being there
> made the evening, and my playing, more enjoyable.  But I was thinking that
> if there had been someone there who really sucked at the harp it would 
> have
> made it far less fun and no, it wouldn't have made me sound better by
> comparison. It would have just made all 'harmonica activity' less
> appreciated.  So I can see why some contributors on this list come off
> sounding rather harsh in their chastising of their fellow players.  I'm 
> not
> perfect and I am definitely not a prodigy on the harmonica but I will say
> this:  I made sure I had a good idea of how to play with a band before I
> started playing out.  This was mostly to save my own but from
> embarrassment - I wasn't worried about doing honor to the harmonica or
> anything high minded like that.  But I do see where it's important to the
> harmonica community as a whole to try to be proficient before you go out 
> and
> bother other people with it.  So - this sounds really corny, I know- let's
> all try to do our instrument proud when we play for others to hear.  And 
> if
> you aren't really good yet maybe you should keep it at home for a while
> longer until you are.
>
> Sam Pittsburgh

Again, you see where the point really is. In an interview in Mississippi 
Saxophone magazine, Rod Piazza himself had said that one of the things harp 
players should avoid doing is getting on stage too soon, before you're truly 
ready to be up there. Too often a beginner thinks that once they're able to 
get a single note and then a bent note, they're suddenly good enough to be 
on the bandstand, and it takes more time in the woodshed to be there, and 
acting like silly, arrogant, rude drunk on the bandstand, something I've 
seen far too often, really makes things so much more difficult for really 
good players to get across, even to the point that some clubs absolutely 
will NOT hire ANY band that has a harp player in it, and from years of doing 
band booking myself, I can clearly attest to the very truth of this. It's 
also a no-brainer reason why a very average guitar player will often get 
more positive response than a really good/great harp player, and so those 
are a few MAJOR reasons why I put the onus SQUARELY on the shoulders of 
other harmonica players, who too often are in self denial of this IMNSHO, 
like a severe alcoholic or drug addict.

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/