Re: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician

["Chris Michalek" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jeans and a T shirt unless I have to wear dress pants and a button up shirt but almost always jeans and some form of shirt.  





>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bob Cohen [mailto:bcohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 09:53 AM
>To: 'Harpl list'
>Subject: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician
>
>As part of someone's advice on how to sit it with other musicians,  
>the comment was made that one needed to "dress like a musician" to  
>assist with the overall credibility of your request.  This got me  
>wondering?  Especially because it often happens that before people  
>hear me play they don't think I'm capable of authentic blues.
>
>Just last month, I was at a jam session at Chan's in Rhode Island.  I  
>sing/front and blow harp.  One of guys who played on my set was a  
>regular from The Cadillac Horns, a well respected horn-centric roots  
>band who said with genuine awe and affection, "When first looked at  
>you, man.  I thought you were an accountant or something.  But man  
>you got the blues."  I laughed it off by saying how much I enjoy  
>surprising people, which is true, but this isn't the first time I've  
>heard that comment.
>
>So first and foremost, how DOES one dress like a musician?  It seems  
>very disingenuous for me run out and buy a shark skin suit, snake  
>skin shoes and slick back what's left of my hair.  I'm even less  
>likely to festoon my body with tattoos.  And well, truth to tell,  
>I've got enough trouble being my genuine self to work up an alter-ego  
>complete with a cool blues nickname.
>
>And beyond the specific question, it's very puzzling to me how the  
>non-technical aspects of our performances really do affect how we're  
>perceived and ultimately our success.
>
>Bob Cohen
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