[Harp-L] Harmonica in Bluegrass: "Huffa/Puffa Style" Anecdote (Long)

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxx>]

I play harmonica with an informal jam of traditional bluegrass pickers once
a month in central North Carolina. The jam is held for senior citizens, and
includes a covered dish supper. My cousin plays doghouse bass and fiddle,
and invited me to go along with him AND bring my harps. (We had played
together previously [along with my older brother on piano] at a high school
reunion, so he knew the style that I played on harmonica.)

On my first visit, I got some really strange looks when I opened my harp
case, but nobody said anything to stop me from playing. I sat in the back
and to the side, and did my best to stay inconspicuous. I chugged
rhythmically and played single-note melody passages, very softly. After
several songs, the banjo picker (who is a local luthier and the leader of
the group) called for "Amazing Grace", and gave me the nod to take the lead.
I played through it once traditionally, and then cut loose on the second
break. It must have been okay, because the minister who runs the jam came up
from the back of the hall and started singing along. I layed back for the
rest of the song, until after all verses had been sung, then did a very slow
solo rendition to finish it. I got a lot of smiles and nods from the other
players, as well as kudos from the audience. We then took a break to eat
supper. Things really picked up in the second set, with me getting several
more breaks on more traditional tunes. (They now do "Amazing Grace" as the
closing song of the first set at every jam, with me taking the lead.)

My cousin told me afterwards that the other players had told him at the
intermission between sets that they were afraid of how I would play when I
first opened my harp case. They said that they should have known that he
would NOT bring someone who couldn't play! I think that's probably one of
the nicest compliments I've ever gotten in my life!

On my second visit, there was another harmonica player there. He came up on
stage with us, and I could see that things went "cold and prickly" pretty
fast with the other players. As soon as we started playing, I understood
why. In addition to being tipsy, he played in the "huffa/puffa" style (and I
do NOT refer to playing chords and chugging). He sawed back and forth from
blow to draw "chords", could not keep time, could not keep up with the tempo
and could not find a real chord that matched the chord progression - but he
"soldiered on" (on "Soldier's Joy"), creating his own personal "train wreck"
(even though we were NOT playing "Wreck of the Old 97"). I was so
embarrassed that I stopped playing. He continued to blast away for a couple
more songs, then noticed that I didn't even pick up my harmonicas to play
along. After a couple of more, he got off the stage and sat down. The rest
of the band gave a collective sigh of relief, and nodded for me to go back
to playing. Afterwards, he tried to tell me he stopped because - the rest of
the band was playing TOO LOUD! (We were playing totally acoustically, with
vocals on a lot of the songs; you figure out the volume.)

I am NOT a professional harmonica player. I really struggle to play good
bluegrass tunes at tempo, and I work at trying to tastefully fit into the
mix at the jam. After that experience, I certainly understand why some
harmonica players can leave a sour taste in the mouth of a bluegrass band.
However, you CAN play with them, if you respect them and their music, check
your ego at the door, and play something tasteful in the bluegrass style.
It ain't the blues, so that style of playing just doesn't work, IMHO.

PLEASE keep in mind that because of the relative rarity of harmonica in
bluegrass bands, YOU may be creating (or destroying) the opportunity for
other harmonica players to sit in with those bluegrass bands in the future.
Bluegrass IS GREAT music, but if you don't know the tune or are not up to
speed on a tune in bluegrass style, DON'T PLAY!

Several of the jam players have personally told me that they had never heard
anyone local play "French harp" the way I do - and that I am always welcome
to play with them. That certainly makes my musical day!

Crazy ('bout harp!) Bob