I play'd a small venue, asked by the bass payer to come and 'jam'.
The owner of the place HATES harmonica players.
He likes to play his saxophone sitting in with the band.
Long story short... he said to me, "You're the first harp player I ever
met
who gets it."
I was playing like a member of a horn section. Working WITH him and what
he
was doing.
Oh, here's a shock. I play saxophone too, and know what a horn section
does. And I treated the harp as just another horn.
He thinks harp players aren't musicians, just noise-makers.
I hope I did a little to change his opinion.
PEACE
Scott
Believe in Magic!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Laughlin" <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 6:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] On the Road Again,,and again
Bob asks:
> Anyone have any examples of some great harponizing? (This word, my own
> invention, means two harmonicas harmonizing.) I don't mean just jamming
together,
> but really working out an effective harmony?
BiscuitBoy replies:
> Maybe the Harmonicats? I know I've tried it with other players and it
always
> turns into a pissin' contest.
>
Bob ponders:
Ain't that the truth.
Well,,I guess SOMEONE's always gotta take the lower place to make it
work.
It works best when you get two or more that are WILLING to take the
lowest
place, to perform a menial task, musically speaking, as support, rather
than
the "headliner". I think good accompaniment always recognizes the need
for
support. On one extreme, when musicians get together, everyone wants to
be
"the big cheese". On the other extreme, you get a situation where no one
wants to make a decision, and the gig just drifts nowhere, into endless
"jamming" on a monotonous pattern. That's as unfulfilling as the first
example, where people are just "cutting heads". Hey,,even "cutting heads"
can work if everyone's willing to take turns.
But getting two musicians to support each other,,that's real.
Bob,,pondering the dynamics of a successful group
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l