Re: [Harp-L] sitting in

[BostonMoeJo@xxxxxxx]

Yeah, it's tough out there...
 
I recall Steve Miller relating a story about his salad days coming up  
through the blues clubs on Chicago's South Side. Blues jams and open mics were  
apparently quite common and popular in the late 60's. Steve tells a story about  
how, one night, a young harp slinger got up on stage crowding Junior Wells out  
of the microphone. Junior, not one to let something like that go by 
unaddressed,  took a knife out of his pocket and  stabbed him in the ass.
 
Call it what you want. I call it messin' with the kid.
 
~Bo
 
In a message dated 8/24/2006 10:44:56 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rickindavis@xxxxxxxxx writes:

Wow!   I never knew harp playing was such a tough-man  contest!  :-)

I have never worried about (or  been aware of) all these power relationships 
among bands and other harp  players.  I never think about who might "outshine" 
whom.  I just  play for the enjoyment.

As for sitting in, I never  ask.  In fact, I never take harps to a show 
unless I have been  specifically asked to join the band on stage beforehand.   

Let's be honest... Harp players have a HORRIBLE  reputation among other 
musicians (particularly guitarists) because of bad  players who Guss the band or 
pester for a sit-in.  Browse any guitar  forum for horror stories about harp 
sit-ins.  I am sensitive to that, so  I never sit in unless invited before the 
show.  I never ask.   

And I never allow unknown harp players to sit in  with my band.  When I've 
done it in the past it has usually been annoying  at best and a disaster at 
worst.

Jams are for  sitting in.  If I want to sit in and show off, I hit one of 
several  excellent blues jams in my area.  

-Rick