Re: [Harp-L] Jason Ricci in the FL Keys

[Garry Hodgson <garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Blake Taylor" <taylorb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> So how do we, as someone has already mentioned here,
> help Jason get the fame and riches he deserves so he doesn't completely
> burn out from  working 300 days a year, and get the rest of us
> mixolydiots laid more often as well?

if i had to choose between not burning out jason and the latter,
well, i dunno.  touch choice.

> I dunno. My guess would be to
> approach the jam-band crowd after the blues fans. Archive.org has
> already started this somewhat, but jam banders have always been
> attracted to virtuostic improvisation and experimental, genre-bending
> playing and songwriting.

jason understands this, and has been trying to break into that scene.
indeed, one of the main reasons for getting his shows up on archive.org
was to have him heard by this group of potential fans.

it's a tough sell.  i'm active on emule, the govt mule list, and i've been trying
hard to spread the word.  everybody i've burned shows for (maybe 30 or so)
just loves 'em, and many have written rave reviews of the shows they've
seen or heard.  but it's still really hard to get folks to come out and see him.
i'll post to the list when he's in NYC and get nobody from the list coming to
his shows, even though i know many of them live there and get out to see
other bands all the time.  i don't understand it, it's really frustrating.

add to this the wrinkle that when govt mule has a guest harp player sit in,
everybody raves about them, even when they (the harp players) are 
mediocre at best.  go figure.

> They've already welcomed folks like Popper,
> Warren Haynes, Robert Randolph, Derek Trucks - artists that weren't in
> the "Dead" vein, but were greatly appreciated for their musicianship,
> and now sell out large arenas.

well...mid sized theaters, anyway.

> Get Jason to Bonaroo or something, and
> they'd crap themselves, and watch the tapers come flocking. 

i'm trying to push for the warren haynes christmas jam this year.  last year
featured two harp players (popper and musselwhite), so there's precedent.
i'd even fly down to see that.

> I also kinda
> wonder why he doesn't play to the college crowd more (schools might even
> pay better than clubs, and they'll usually put you up in a room as part
> of the deal.)

it may be a chicken and egg problem.  college concert programs are often 
student run, and unless they know him, they're not likely to go there.


----
Garry Hodgson, Technical Consultant, AT&T Labs

Your love, your anger, your kindness, your hate.
All of it creates the future for you and your children.
What kind of future are you creating today?