RE: [Harp-L] Extended solos

["Mike Reid" <mreid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The only reason I would attempt that is if the bar owner decided not to pay us I'd want to make sure the crowd leaves too.  When I first started playing I played with a guy that has been around for a long time in the Toronto Blues scene and he is a very talented guitarist.  I couldn't understand why no one wanted to play with him.  When we started gigging he would solo on every song about 3 times for about 48 bars each solo "on every song!" we would do 3, 45 minute sets and probably do 3 to 4 songs in each set.  Oh and he did not want me to do any fills while he played his solo's I told him to let me know when he was finished. He would turn and look at us to take solo's when he got lost on his and of course no one would know where he was including himself.   With him I think it was a confidence thing he wanted to make sure no one missed his solo or possibly walked in in the middle of it, I think.  Unfortunately most people walked out in the middle of it.  I think as I mentioned in a previous email it is important to do these things spontaneously and for the right reasons and I think that a heart felt solo can be equally moving weather it is a 15 second or 20 minute solo. I think it's important to remember that music is not a competitive sport it's not about who is the best or who knows the most stuff it's art and each artist is different and special in his or her own way.  You can sit on a store porch and play for the rest of your life if you've got it in you to do so.  And you'd probably die happy too.      

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Fugazzi [mailto:mfugazzi67@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 1:55 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Extended solos


I just received a recording of our last practice.  I
played a really really long (for me anyways) solo in
Mellow Down Easy.  It actually fits very well and I
really liked how it turned out.  Very melodic with
lots of dynamics (not that that means a lot...I am a
pretty average player)...good for where I am at with
my playing.  It was about three minutes long and I
don't think I could play anything any longer.

Kudos to those of you who can play for 20 choruses or
minutes.  I couldn't imagine saying that much at once.

As a band, we've had some ten minute jams, but again,
it isn't continually soloing.  We trade off and
emphasize dynamics.

I think a good jam can really be fun, but I think a
lot of it gets lost in the audience.  Variation is key
when playing long solos/jams.  It needs to stay fresh
and tell a story.

For what it is worth,

Mike Fugazzi
Harmonica/Vocals
NiteRail

http://www.niterail.com

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