Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Willie Smith as 'intermediate player'

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Good point.  Well, I'd guess "fancy" isn't and wasn't all that  important to 
Willie Smith as far as his harp playing is concerned.   Feeling and emotion is 
everything, with or without the "flourishes".   I'd be perfectly content 
being so "intermediate" a player as  well....
 
Elizabeth
 
"Somebody mentioned that they felt Willie Smith was an intermediate  
player, after hearing him play. That bothered me a little, though I am  
guessing the person meant intermediate in comparison with some of the  
heavyweights on this list, perhaps himself.
For me, I figure  intermediate is somebody who can improvise a little in 
cross harp,  figure out the key of the song on his own, play slow blues 
or  'boogie/shuffle' stuff and can also play some straight harp 
melodies.  (yes, this might be me.)
I guess intermediate would have different  meanings for different 
people, then. (Is this where the infamous IMO  comes into play?)
My meandering point is: Sure, Willie  Smith probably never played 
above the six hole and he didn't play  anything fancy. But he played 
Chicago blues the way I expect it used  to be played.. the tone, the 
timing, the phrasing, the 'feel' was good  for me. If a person can 
convey the "feel" of a song in a strong  fashion, I hate to see 
intermediate used to describe his playing. If I  could play that well . 
. . Ahh, I guess that won't happen. But I sure  can enjoy it.
Steve "Moandabluz" Webb
still, still, a fool for the  harp"