[Harp-L] Re: Harmonica and 'Oneness'

["Rob Paparozzi" <chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

When I go to work I carry my toolbox, in it: Harmonicas

The one that came along around the 1920's with a button, I call a Chromatic and the other is the ORIGINAL and 1st harmonica the Diatonic and in my Larger Studio Kit there is my Bass and Chord Harmonicas. I have styled my session case after my Mentor: Tommy Morgan. For Tommy the Harmonica will never be extinct, how could it be? He gets called to bring ALL these instruments in the studio by some of the best Musical Composers in the Music & Film world.

He is hired as a HARMONICA PLAYER. 

Reading WILL make you a better musician in that you learn how to speak the language of music. This helps you to communicate with others on a more proficient level. YES..You can still be a great musician without reading, but you'll have to work much harder to play more diversely... as a big part of the music world IS communicating.

People who play this instrument and spend time 'dissing' the the different types be it Chromatic, Diatonic, Chord or Bass-as well as 'diss' the style of music played on that instrument WILL themselves become EXTINCT and that will only help our instrument in the highest.

When people tell me Harmonica is a toy I just invite them to one of my shows or refer them to the records of Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, Toots, Stevie, Tommy Morgan, Robert Bonfiglio, Larry Adler or Howard Levy...no more explaining is necessary.

There is NO need to announce your instrument as anything more than the HARMONICA and.....be proud when you say it,-)!

My other musical mentor is Danny Wilson who welcomed me to SPAH in the 70's (as a Diatonic Blues Guy) with total support and open arms, SPAH helped me grow, but it is unfortunate that some of it's members choose to stagnate in their thinking....too much preservation and not enough advancement!

Love & Peace,

Rob