Re: [Harp-L] Miller is a 12-Year-Old Harp Monster

[Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

I think LD seems like a very nice kid and he's obviously fearless. 
And I loved his emotional "No!" when Simon Legree suggested that he 
ax his brother from the act.  But at some point we (as listeners) do 
have to set aside the personality factors and look at the music.

The young man certainly has technical facility and knows his way 
around the harp, but there is a distinct lack of musicality in that 
style of playing.  Of course, he IS only 12-years-old, and at that 
stage it's quite understandable that his motivation would center 
around the positive feedback he's receiving for his speed, flash and 
showmanship.  In other words, I don't think we can really blame the 
kid for giving the (oft-times simplistic) public what it wants...

How many Blues Festivals have we all been to where the crowd goes 
wild over some cheap trick like a guitarist repeating an ultra high 
note, ad nauseum?  Or controlled feedback that lasts for two minutes 
straight?  For better or for worse, crowds are made up of 
non-musicians who, for the most part, don't relate as well to 
musicality or taste as they do to flash and showmanship. <shrug> T'is 
just the nature of the beast.  There are plenty of grown men (and 
women) who rely on this tendency to a fault, so how could anyone 
think poorly of a 12-year-old for taking advantage?

I guess it just remains to be seen whether young LD will discover 
that there are musical solutions other than an endless sheet of 
notes.  Will he develop taste and musicality as he matures?  Will he 
discover the virtue of phrasing and negative space?  It wouldn't 
surprise me at all if he does, once a few years have passed and all 
this hype has faded.  Meanwhile, if he was my son I'd be proud as 
hell of him.  Then I'd slip him a Valium.  :)

cheers,
TB