[Harp-L] RE: Required Reading

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

In response to Mr. Ross, (I say this while smiling, please don't read in any negative emotion whatsoever)
   
  Snuffy writes: 
   
   "it is meaningless, personal and simply a fun if frustrating  
exercise"
   
  In response to my recent top-five challenge.
   
  I say:  You just described just about every hobby ever attempted, including playing the harmonica.  We celebrate  guys who throw a ball into a hoop for crying out loud... but we have fun doing it.
   
  I hate "top lists too" because they are usually done by people with an agenda.
   
  My goal is not to be annoying.  My goal is to mine this huge "community" for a little gold.  I'm a scientist.  OK, I admit it. . . I"m a nerd too.  I thought of a question, and I sought data to get closer to the answer.  It's a subjective world, and you can't please everybody, but with such a large data pool, certain broad trends are likely to surface.
   
   If just one new harmonica player gets hip to Miles Davis (having only, for ex. studied harp tunes prior) then the exercise adds value.  
   
  We so often discuss gear, techniques, and theory, but we shy away from the subjective.  We all agree to disagree, and attempt to avoid conflicts, however, I think Harp-L is a little thin on the art department sometimes. 
   
  IMHO  It's ok to study the way music makes us feel.  It's ok to try and ID a handfull of records that just about EVERYBODY loves.  It makes you think,  "you know, there's something about that music. . . How can I learn from it, and aid my own musicianship/art/playing etc?"
   
  Great lists so far.  I'm compiling them.  It'll probably add more value to the world than the last antibiotic I worked on in "real life".
   
  Dan G.
   
  www.jdbone.com
   
   
  Message: 24        
   Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:39:18 -0400
   From: Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] lists

I truly despise lists of "top five" and so forth.  It's the same  
problem I have with Grammys or the Oscars--art cannot be judged the  
same way a footrace can.

Now that I've said that, here's my list--the caveat, of course, is  
that it is meaningless, personal and simply a fun if frustrating  
exercise.  I'm limiting myself to albums here, which again makes  
things difficult.  No particular order, they are just numbered so  
that I don't go too far.