RE: [Harp-L] sitting in

["John Balding" <John.Balding@xxxxxxxxx>]

I bet that guy didn't "sit" in for a while after that...ba-dum-dum...

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of BostonMoeJo@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 12:18 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] sitting in

 
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




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