[Harp-L] Perfroming - Don't forget your audience

["James" <wasabileo@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I am writing this as we just came back from a winery show and saw an incredible blues/traditional act that got no where.I am not going to give their names as I know these people and respect their talent but they made several grave mistakes. They just took to the stage area and started playing. They did a number of traditional numbers and never acknowledged who the persormers were (Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson)
They never spoke to the audience, acknowledged the place, the support staff nothing.
Needless to say, I doubt if they will be invited back.Shame, the leader was a technically proficient guitarist/harmonica player. He played some Jimmy Reed tunes in a rack and played great slide and regualr guitar.
For me, I use Murali Coryell as a model. 
www.muralicoryell.com
Murali acknowledges the place. He expresses his gratitude. He always acknowledges the performers. from Marvin Gaye to Robert Johnson. When he plays at a restaurant, he reminds the crowd that the wait and bar staff are working as hard as he is and please don't forget. He interacts with the audience, He is playing for them. Look you coud be as proficient as Howard Levy or Toots Thielemans or anybody but if you do not interact with the staff and the place you are playing at, you will go nowhere.
Miles Davis use to turn his back on the audience and he payed for it later in his musical career. 
I try to interact with them. If its a college crowd I do the Blues Traveler, John Poper stuff. Thats what they know and they associate with the harp.Once I grbb them, I can do Walter Horton, and even do "Good bye Pork Pie Hat" and "all Blues" but you cant take the audience anywhere unless you have them first. 
My words for the day

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