[Harp-L] Last word on Spring Frenzy

["Fred & Sylvia" <fsstov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I promise I will never post on this subject again, but now that the hoopla
has subsided, the votes are cast, the yards sign taken down, and the phone
banks disconnected, I must say four more things regarding Mr. Hicks and his
success on the TV show that must not be named.

1) I do not particularly like to be told to vote, or how to vote.  It is my
decision whether to vote and for whom.  This includes the local school
board, presidential elections, or TV talent contests.  I am sentient enough
to make my own decisions, and if I want your opinion I will ask for it.
E-mails saying "Vote for X because he plays harmonica" are in my opinion,
SPAM.  Saying "Check out this dude on the TV show, his harp playing is
unique and you might learn something", is not SPAM. 

2) I am pleased that the winner of American I-dull plays harmonica.  I am
pleased that he is a real working musician who works hard to front his own
group, and apparently appreciates the role of the blues harp in music.  But
do not tell me that a harp player won AI. A vocalist who happens to play and
know the harp won AI.  I watched 3 or 4 of his performances and there was no
harp.  I agree completely with fjm that this was tangential to harp-l.  I
love Delbert McClinton... a fantastic songwriter and singer and successful
performer who happens to play the harp pretty well.  But I don't see more
than 2 or 3 posts about him every year, which seems about right.

3) Jazzaman, who I regard in very high esteem for his technical abilities,
musicianship, and advancement of the harp, proclaimed that Mr. Hicks solo
last night was the most viewed single harp solo in history.  Ok, at least it
was competent as opposed to those performed on Live Aid which were viewed by
nearly as many.  Am I supposed to be happy or sad about this?  Bill
Clinton's sax solo on Saturday Night Live might have been the most viewed
sax solo in history...so what?  Was there a rush on Charlie Parker albums
the next day?  I still maintain the most heard harmonica solo in history is
either Jimmy Fadden on Mr. Bojangles, John Lennon on Love Me Do, Tommy
Morgan on the Rockford Files, or Rob Paparozzi on the Guess commercials.
They are all iconic, and we have yet to see if this year's AI winner even
gets close to those, let alone Popper, Dylan, Young, Jacobs,
Butterfield.....15 minutes of fame.

4) SPAH.  It would be way cool to have Taylor stop in as a novelty act /
promo at SPAH.  Would this really invigorate SPAH in the mass markets as
when the trios were in their heyday?  Who knows? Maybe you all are right.
Maybe this will be the start of a glorious renaissance for the humble harp?
Personally, I think spending the dough to get an AI star in when we couldn't
even put up Jason Ricci's band is ludicrous.  Hey, if he wants to stop by,
we may get him a spot at the open mic, but there's guys like James Conway,
PT Gazell, J Ricci, D. Gruenling, Gary Primich, Tom Ball, R. Bonfiglio, and
Jimi Lee we'd rather hear first.  Back of the line, Taylor!

Fred S

....c'mon people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, 
try and love one another, right now.