Re: [Harp-L] The best

["Suave Blues Man" <res6k2zt@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Bulldogge & Snuffy, et alia,

    I'd like to comment on this subject. I agree that there is no "best". 
The perception of best is is an internal rather than an external factor. 
(The quality of the perception is of concern here.) It is in the heart of 
the participant not [always or only] in the eye of the beholder. Each one of 
us can only achieve the completion of the task. A math equation is no more 
valid because a professor or a student gets the solution. The truth is 
finite.

    It's a very 'bell curve' effect, i.e. some will achieve the result 
faster, some will achieve the result and then there are those who will 
approach the result but to a lessened degree or not at all. Is a "C" chord a 
"better" than any other "C" chord? Is it played any better by a Segovia or a 
Clapton or a Musselwhite? It is what it is.

    The allegation as seen in "Amadeus" was that there were "...too many 
notes." To which the response was that 'There were neither too few, nor too 
many notes. Rather there were the number of notes required.'

    You can go through a philosophical approach, a "politically correct" 
approach or the approach that Jazz is better, or Classical is better or that 
sitar is THE instrument, or that this guitar exceeds that one and so forth.

    There's a story that is along the lines of - Itzhak Perlman was in 
attendance of a group of young musicians. Good musician's, fair musician's, 
the enthusiasm of youth abounded. When asked if one particular student's 
instrument was adequate Perlman asked for the instrument. With the student's 
bow Itzhak turned a brick and tile classroom into a concert hall. His attack 
and selection were flawless. No one knew that it was "just " a student's 
instrument...Instead the music flowed from the musician. The story continues 
that upon returning the instrument to the youngster Parlman's comment was 
"This one will do just fine."

    Therein lies the truth.

    Does a Clapton need to "cut heads" with B.B. King. No. Does one 
performer appreciate another? Is art exclusive to an architect? A surgeon? A 
fisherman? Does the wind sound only for those whom are listening? No. What 
"is" is.

    Can we explain a friendship by the height of our friend? Is it really 
because we see someone else as more or less attractive? Does one soldier 
outrageously oppose another or is the encounter not so much a mutual combat 
or rather a mutual experience? Yin-Yang? Fate? So when two musicians are 
doing their thing be it a riff or chord or arpeggio does it really matter if 
one is playing a samisen and the other a tuba? Some would say that like 
poles repel. Yet others would conclude that "birds of a feather flock 
together". Seems like neither nature nor physics agree yet both are 
none-the-less true.

    Best? Bring it on from the first note or with the last note...but bring 
it on. It will be what it will be. Que sera, sera. N'est pa? What is the 
sound of one hand clapping...A solo act!

Be Blues,

Suave Blues Man

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Ross" <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 9:03 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] The best


> So, who's the best classical composer ever?  Today?  Who's the best  blues 
> guitarist ever?  Today?  The best blues harp player ever?   Today?  Who's 
> the best dog ever?  The best dog alive today?  Etc...
>
> The answers to all of the above are: no-one.  The question is flawed,  and 
> actually rather idiotic.  A much, much better question is: who's  your 
> favorite...?  That can actually be answered.
>
> Frankly, I was disappointed but not surprised to see the word "best"  come 
> up in this way in a newspaper article.  If they had said  "amongst the 
> best" it might mean something (slightly--as in a general  consensus), but 
> "the best" in any artistic field (and most others,  for that matter) is 
> not even a concept worth considering.  I suppose  it follows from sports: 
> Jordan is the best basketball player ever  (though he never played against 
> Russell, Wilt, etc...), Tiger the  best golfer, etc...  Even in fairly 
> measurable fields like sports,  the thing is still idiotic, though it 
> sells and thus is used again  and again.  For arts, it's beyond idiotic 
> and rather insulting  really--art isn't a contest, and when reduced to 
> such usually ends up  lessened as a result.
>
> Aside from that it was an interesting article.  I do wonder about  some 
> things (are the fees for him, or the band as a whole), but a  nice read. 
> It's not easy following a dream job, and many of them  don't have monetary 
> rewards, that's for sure.  But, if you want  something, often you have to 
> make such choices.
>
>
>
>  ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
> ()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
> `----'
>
>
>
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