[Harp-L] Blues, harmonica bands, and novelty acts

["Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "James" <wasabileo@...> wrote:
<big snip>

>BTW Borah Minoveth and the Harmonicats were regarded as "Novelty
>Acts" and light entertainment 

<another big snip>

So were the early blues records - the ones that actually sold. They
featured jaunty rhythms and melodies, and lyrics designed to shock and
amuse, frequently with subject matter that no upright, churchgoing
person would allow in their homes - sexual innuendo, talk of
drunkenness, violence and cruelty - anything that would get the
attention of the listener, no matter how crass and lurid.

Both blues and early harmonica bands were sold to the public as
novelty acts. Doesn't mean they weren't any good. The quality of
writing and the level of musicianship in those harmonica bands was
extraordinarily high - just listen to the records and ignore the
promotional photos. A number of the teenagers who played in those
bands later went on to careers as highly respected performers and
arrangers - Pete Pedersen, Leo Diamond, and Richard Hayman, to name three.

The rest of your post makes the point that blues is good and profound
music. No argument from me on any of that. But blues is not the mother
source of  American music - even for the African American community.
It's one thread of many in the musical fabric.

Winslow