[Harp-L] Heavy Harp Discussions.....

[Bachman <harptime@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am so happy to read the insights of such accomplished players on this
list. I am equally as pleased to read what all others have to say. I am sure
that this recent discussion has much meaning and purpose to some and is pure
puff and posturing to others. Here is my personal take on the subject:

 

When I started blowin' harp I did so because I fell in love with the sound
of the instrument. Dylan, Sonny Terry & Butterfield started the process. I
wasn't impressed by the musicianship and technical abilities of these guys.I
was floored by the way they expressed their emotions and the way they
affected my emotions when I heard it. Then I heard Stevie & Toots and was
equally floored at their expression of emotion through the chromatic. I
bought one of each when I started, diatonic & chromatic, There is no doubt
that I gravitated to the diatonic because it was much more "non-musician"
friendly. My mission from the start was one of emotional expression and not
musical prowess. 

 

Some of us are driven by emotion, some by technique and some, of course a
grand mixture of both. Some of us want to want to move mortals with their
music others want to move musicians with their music and some of course, a
grand mixture of both.

 

Bottom line: For me it is emotion. I don't care how you get to me
emotionally or how I get to you emotionally. Either you/I get there or you/I
don't. It's not notes per second, 13th position, underblows, overblows,
sideways blows, chromatic played diatonically or diatonic played
chromatically. That is why Howard Levy can move me and so can Bob Dylan. I
am listening to the songs and how the harp contributes to that piece of art.


 

Once again I feel compelled to post a link to that interview with JJ
Milteau. I love the way this guy has approached his instrument of choice.
http://planetharmonica.com/ph1/VE/interviewUK.htm . If you read some
Butterfield interviews you will see that he also looked at the harp much
more emotionally than musically. If he had a really wanted to make "real"
musicians happy and break ground my guess is that he would have stayed with
the flute. Thank God his heart was bigger than his ego!  

 

I personally do not care when outsiders look at the harp as a toy/novelty.
Fact is; that was part of the initial attraction to me. I will never be a
"true" musician as many of you others already are or strive to be. I will
always be this big mushy emotional guy just trying to express my self in a
musical context. Of course that's just me and you all have to do your own
thing your own way. It's all good as they say. 

 

Some of you have heard me. My gift from above is tone and delivery. That is
what I strive for. Sometimes my delivery is just a plain cheese pizza.
Sometimes it has a little pepperoni on top. Every now and then it has some
onions, pepper & extra cheese! I will never deliver an "everything" pizza.
For that please call; Levy Hut, Papa Paparozzi or Bonfiglios!

 

Peace, love & music.

 

Warren Bee