Re: [Harp-L] Re: Re: Re: Re: Spect: Just a little bit (Was "Train Time")

[BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 2/4/2007 1:15:38 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

As you  can see,,I'll not soon be signing up for harp classes, though "I like
to  watch". Sooner, I'd invite a maintenance and repair class into my  busy
schedule. I'm simply not interested in someone showing me the "proper  way"
to hold, or play, the harp, which I consider to be my personal and  intimate
friend. My relationship with my harp is much too intimate for  that, my
friend


       Bob I wish I could have stated that so  eloquently. You have described 
pretty much dead on how I feel about playing the  harmonica and the reactions 
that I get when I do it. Thanx for expressing  so well what I have been 
thinking the whole time this thread has been going. I  don't try and sound like 
anybody either but I have learned all of my licks from  most of the greats. I 
flat rip off everybody I think sounds cool. Cool being  relative I think that's 
what makes us all unique. My cool 'aint cho  cool but we cool anyway kind of 
thing. Whatever, I love to play the  harmonica and most of the time I get paid 
to do it (not my intention when I  started by any means) when I play it in 
front of groups of people, but not  always. I play for free just 'cause I love to 
play too. I don't find it wrong to  get paid when I was asked to be there by 
the band and they were getting paid  too. I could go on for quite a while here 
but I won't. Playin' the harmonica  'aint rocket surgery or brain science, 
it's a feel thing for me and I refuse to  complicate something that has become 
such a natural way for me to express  myself.
          I'm not going to  knock somebody for being in a good mood and 
talking nostalgically about  something that brings back fond memories for them 
wether I think it's  bull+*&# or not. The first song that really made me take the 
harp serious  was Train Time. It made me wonder why some of those notes 
weren't on my harp and  I went to the music store and a guy who sold me valve oil 
told me about cross  harping. Two weeks later I traded my trumpet for 6 
harmonica's and a microphone  and I've never played the trumpet at a gig since. That 
was in 1973. I guess if I  was really good I could have done the whole thing in 
17th position on a C harp  while shooting heroin like the guys in Cream did. 
That's not for me. Can I play  Train Time note for note? No. Can I play all of 
the licks that Jack Bruce plays  in that song? Most assuredly. I wonder who 
he learned from? Harmonica Darwinism,  that's what it be. 
          Peace Love and  Howlin' Wolf
                   Randy