[Harp-L] Music is not a competition?

[George Brooks <gbrooks1@xxxxxxxxx>]

David Fairweather wrote-

>So I don't buy into that
>"competition is bad" mindset.

I don't think competition is inherently bad.  I do think, however, that 
competition would probably make what is wonderful about festivals like 
SPAH and Buckeye less wonderful.

I was at the Buckeye jam that Buzz posted about.  Buzz is an absolute 
master at running a jam and has led many circles of harmonica players 
of varying abilities to some very impressive heights (his pairing of 
Ben Nathanson and Frederic Yonnet at last year's Buckeye blues jam 
being an example of his inspired leadership-it rocked!).  But this was 
something else.  The jam seemed to run itself, a runaway train that 
somehow stayed on the tracks and finally coasted safely into the 
station.  What a ride!   A number of people who were there, including 
Madcat, said it was the best harmonica jam they had ever been to.  This 
was certainly true for me, and by at least an order of magnitude.  I 
simply do not believe that the same magic would have descended upon our 
musical collaboration there in the Ohio night if the participants were 
adversaries during another part of the festival.

George