Re: [Harp-L] Tony Glover

[moandabluz@xxxxxxx]

I think the prevailing point in the Tony Glover thread is that, after 
so many of us did get our beginnings tied together with his book, 
perhaps we expected more from him as a player. And perhaps we have 
become a bit jaded after hearing the playing from some of the members 
on this list. Harmonica playing has advanced. I have nothing against 
Tony Glover. I 've seen him play in person and discovered he is mortal, 
that's all. I learned a lot from his book and, yes, it was highly 
entertaining. Who else would call the appendix part of the book, The 
Kidney, just because it was more cool. Glover was around when music 
changed. He sat in with The Doors and The Allman Brothers and people of 
that stature. Other than Dylan, there were not any well-known white 
harp players in this neck of the woods.
 He deserves any recognition anyone wants to give him.
Steve "Moandabluz" Webb
Still a fool for the harp (owns two copies of the Glover book)


-----Original Message-----
From: harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 00:38:20 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Harp-L] Tony Glover

     Hey harpers,
                        Glad this thread got started. Mr. Glover's book 
was the
first  I got on how to play blues harp. Though I wouldn't call it 
definitive and
exhaustively thorough , it was the Bible on the subject for a long time 
and the
writing style couldn't have been any cooler. Unfortunately, I don't 
think I
still have mine (I bought it about 38 yrs. ago) but I remember plenty. 
One quote
that I think is particularly apropos in this era of Poppers and Levys 
(as
contrasted w/ Butterfields, Musselwhites & Jacobs) I paraphrase:"if all 
you're
trying to do is see how many notes you squeeze out of the thing what's 
the
difference between you and an IBM (this was a long time ago) computer 
with an
air hose ?' "This book was written for those who long to make the sound 
of blues
on this humble instrument". (I'm sure someone will provide the exact 
quotes.)
       Also, as far as that old saw goes about teachers generally not 
being
performers:
  musicians should be the last to invoke that cliche. To name a few 
reasonably
good musicians who were also teachers: J.S. Bach, A. Mozart, A. 
Segovia, Tedd
Green,
  Joe Pass, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl . I'm sorry but you can't even come 
close to
making that case .Sometimes cliches are based in reality but this one 
clearly
holds no water. In Mr. Glover's case, however, I 've heard he's less 
than
spectacular on the instrument he loves but I still wouldn't hold that 
against
his book which stands on its own.
                                                                        

Chris


Chris "Hammer" Smith
Hammer Smith Band
Official Myspace Page http://myspace.com/chrishammersmith
harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx
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