Re: [Harp-L] asking to sit in

[Bob Cohen <bcohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob Maglinte wrote:

> Well said, and a 3rd reason is also based on the situation with the 
> contract because there are tons of club owners who do not want anybody 
> sitting in with a national act unless it is someone who is very well 
> known on a national level, and not just locally. 

I get it.  To put the points made thus far in more objective language, 
in general it's considered bad manners to ask to sit in. When it's a 
National Act it's the height of poor manners.  This was the thing I was 
looking to understand, as I am, to my core, a gentleman.  And of course, 
there are legal issues as well as ego issues.  Makes sense.  Thanks for 
the support here.  I've avoided making an ass out of myself, at least 
for tonight.  :-)

***

Here's some food for though, as this thread seems to have struck a nerve 
among some, there are people out there whom no one has ever heard of, 
who can deliver the goods but who have chosen sleep and middle-class 
comforts over playing in smoky bars until 2:00am for $50 to $75 a gig.  
And who aren't interested in preforming for drunken, indifferent 
audiences whose priorities are get drunk, get laid, and make it home 
without getting a DUI/OUI, and oh yeah there's a blues band at the bar . 
. . . 

So now it's my turn to flash some ego ;-)  Hey we've all got one, 
right.  Am I in that category?  Don't know.  But whenever I play, where 
ever I play, people respond positively.

In fact the best gig I ever played was last year at the Providence Zen 
Center last April.  They do an annual concert that that's part of their 
Buddha's birthday celebration.  One of the monks is an AMAZING guitar 
player from the West Coast with an extraordinary wealth of experience 
and depth of musicianship.  In fact he was friends with Charley Beaty 
back in the day.  Though he had to quit the high life because he had too 
much fun.  He and I teamed up for a harp/guitar thing that was nothing 
short of amazing.  The coolest part was the audience and the venue.  The 
lights were on.  They were attentive.  Their minds and ears were open 
for the magic that's at the heart of every good song.  IMHO, you've 
never played until you've performed in front of a sober audience that 
has come just to listen to you.  All of this to say, talent comes from 
many places and dues get paid in may different ways.  So the next time 
someone, who perhaps doesn't know better, asks to sit in consider that 
first they love the music as much as you and second maybe the guy can 
really play.

Bob Cohen