[Harp-L] Changing Harps/Jams etc

[<alliance@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ben Felton sez (among many other things):

 

I guess that's my guilty secret. When I'm invited to play at jams ,(which
rarely happens these days considering my frequentation of establishments
where such events are held) where a harp player is already on stage, I
systematically pick a harp different from the one he's using in order to
sound different. 

 

Ben FELTEN

http://harmonica.typepad.com <http://harmonica.typepad.com/> 

 

I agree . . . case in point:

 

A few years ago, at Augusta, I was sitting in a circle of players at Phil
Wiggins' bachelor party . . . There were a bunch of pretty cool cats there:
Iceman, Alan Holmes, Joe Filisko, Grant Dermody, Mr. Cephas, "Cooler Jim"
Schwall etc, and as luck (or fate) would have it, I was sitting next to Phil
just as he finished one of his usual very long and blistering solos, and it
was my turn to play . . . 

 

Taking the "Ben Felton" approach, I played a Stevie-Wonder-ish high note,
very slow, short, minor key solo in 4th position, and managed to survive
with my pride and reputation (somewhat) intact . . . 

 

Regards-Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC