[Harp-L] 20 minute solo

[SONNYTONE@xxxxxxx]

As someone who has sat alongside the greatest professional players both  
living and gone, it was never part of any of the great's act. They all had  
signature songs, would take extended solos, but they were playing for the  audience, 
not themselves. A solo of such length can seem like someone has  something to 
prove to themselves, and are playing AT the audience, not To  them. Certainly 
the content must be mixed, enjoyable to the ear, and have a  reason to be 
that long, otherwise it is just, Hey, look at ME, I can do this,  and that, and 
watch me do this.......  If the night is right, the feeling  is there, and the 
audience is with it, run your chops. Otherwise cradle them and  take them on 
journeys and rides that vary, sure do your walkabout or frenzy  song, take your 
long shot, but playing alongside the true master Howard  Levy,  honestly 
after a while the brain can only take in so much  before it sounds the same, no 
matter how different or technically proficient it  is ( No he did not do that 
long a solo, he's just overwhelmingly mind blowing).  Not everyone in the 
audience is a harp player and knows what cute things you  may be doing. Is it 
entertaining to all would be the guide. Every  night is different, use you feelings 
to judge it, and if it calls for it, go for  it.