[Harp-L] Re:CM straight shooter

["Sloppy Joe" <special20@xxxxxxxxx>]

CM wrote regarding Jason Ricci: "He's not a clone or copy cat"
No, but he is a protege of Pat Ramsey. And if you listen to Ramsey, are you
going to say... "damn, that guy sounds just like Jason Ricci!"

I wonder.

Then again, I also don't especially care when it comes to measuring
contributions and the like - as if to say that the rest of the world, hell
even Matthias Hohner himself, are not important at all to the harmonica
community. We're all equally important. Even those "crappy" harp players we
all mention now and then are worthy of inclusion in the overall community if
for nothing else than managing to make a sensible tune on the tin-sandwich.
Nobody should be self important, or even second best. That's casting a wide
net of disagreement since we're talking merely of opinions, and there are so
many. Why do I say that altruistic non-sense you ask? Well, it just so
happens that "back in the day" harp players were pretty stiffled about
sharing information, techniques and the like. Most harp players, myself
included, would only greet another harp player with the sneer of "I'm better
than you" regardless if it were true or not. Not these days. These days, the
spirit of the harmonica community is one that's all inclusive, or should
remain so. Michael Rubin got it when he fostered the newbies along, and
probably missed many a chance to cut off a head or two... or swing his
johnson like the rest of those folks who put inportance on the "best"
category. Rubin wasn't always like that you know. How about Jason Ricci
nowadays... his harp to harp talks are what I am talking about. These just
didn't exist back in the day. If you were lucky, you might chance upon a
nice harp player... but the rarity of such occurances was stunning in
itself. So, nowadays, when I meet men like Joe Filisko, Dennis Gruenling,
and a few others like David Barrett, Jon Gindick.. .and still others, like
Tim Moyer, and my local harp breathren it's VERY NICE to know that the
"old-school" head cutting antics of the past, are left in the past, and I
always remember that we all have a common interest: the harmonica. There is
also a spirit of giving that can only return to you. Greet each "crappy harp
player" with a smile.... don't offer any improvement tips unless
specifically asked.. and always let somebody else take a turn. It will do
you good, trust me. Anything else is uncivilized - in my opinion.