Re: [Harp-L] Showmanship - long

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris said:
> During my eons of travel throughout outer-stellar space and within, I have 
> observed that most of the best dressed bands are amougst the worst I have 
> ever heard and seen. I have also observed that many of the best bands I 
> have seen wear only t-shirts.

Not disageeing with you, but I would have to say Rick Estrin is a big 
exception to your observation. When your really really good and well know 
like Bobby, you can wear anything. Others may benefit from any creativity to 
get noticed or remembered. It can add to the showmanship or to the 
experience.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones had lots of gimmiks in their shows to ham it 
up. It provided a "total" experience. I think they were probably the best 
show's I've ever seen both musically and entertainment wise.

Perhaps tied with Bela, there was a late night Jim Zeller jam at a bar at 
the Mont Tremblant Blues festival. He was stoned out of his mind, at the end 
of his first set he was signing CDs and I am sure he had no idea where the 
hell he was or what he was doing. Great great playing though, he is just 
full of nutty ideas for jamming.

Another great show I saw was Big Daddy at the Jazz Festival. Big daddy was a 
poor guitar player by Montreal standards (MO), but his organ player Tortoise 
Blue was excellent. After playing 40 minutes of organ (to my surprise) he 
got up and wipped out a harp and started playing. Excellent player, after a 
few tunes Dawn Tyler Watson (Arguably Montreals best female blues singer) 
came up and sang a few songs and they traded licks in a duel. She would do 
fake trumpet (without the trumpet) and it sounded absolutely great. So they 
traded licks that way and at one point Tortoise stopped returning the licks 
and forced Dawn to keep going, he did this 3 or 4 times, anyways she was 
great, but you could tell she was begging for Tortoise to jump back in. 
Anyways it was a great great entertaintment and so impromptue. Then Tortoise 
finished the set, playing harp and jumping up and down as he continued to 
play harp. What intensity, what fun, everyone loved it.

BTW, here's a tip for musical festival goers who just leave when the evening 
shows end. Many festivals have midnight bar shows, these shows are way 
better than the evening shows. Sometimes in jam format or simply just more 
improvised. Its like the're doing this for fun, not for big money so they 
can let loose and play whatever they feel like. My advice, skip main shows 
and go to late shows. Wish I had know that years earlier.

Pierre.