Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica cutting contest at SPAH

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

Oh George, George, you are SUCH a treasure. So, in an effort to have  
everyone see where I'm coming from, I'll extrapolate a bit.......oh  
no, here he goes again........

On Jul 27, 2007, at 10:29 PM, Philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:

> * Me thinks everybody is overracting. The ragtime piano street fair  
> "cutting
> contest" I described was just a mild collection of mostly ragtime
> performances.

The way 'I' read it, Phil was suggesting a contest of sorts and just  
using the cutting contest phraseology
 as a 'reference' point, knowing that everyone would understand  
that. Phil, correct me if I'm wrong
>  * I was talking about a friendly little competition at SPAH.

That's what I thought. We HAD such a friendly contest at the Suncoast  
Dixieland Jazz Fest a few years ago. I don't think it was all that  
intimidating. I mean, not to the point of fear and dread. Although I  
must admit that when a certain Ed (the coogster) Coogan showed up, my  
heart sank.

Although a cutting contest would be like they used to hold in Kansas  
City back in the late 40s early 50s, and some of them got really  
crazy, (and even Charlie Parker & Miles Davis fell victim), I  
wouldn't want it to be THAT extreme.
> * Ranging somewhere above the open mikes where everybody gets up to  
> play
> (sorry) and the international competitions where everybody is  
> judged on the
> ability to perform a competition piece note-for-note.

Here's where I agree. There are some players who don't quite seem to  
be in the range of being asked/booked to play SPAH, and while one may  
occasionally get up there once in a great while for a short stint,  
they usually are at a disadvantage because they either don't have the  
back-up OR are put in a position of playing in a format that they are  
unfamiliar with.

Unfortunately, because of various factors, they wind up roaming the  
halls and becoming lobby players BECAUSE they shouldn't always be  
relegated to open mike, and feel out of place (and sometimes  
dejected). Not putting down open mike players at all, but some  
players shouldn't be 'welded' in open mike ALL the time.
> * Not a traumatic battle where the "losers" would slink of and  
> destroy their
> harps out of shame.

Right, I remember back in the late 40s early 50s theaters had  
contests of all sorts. When I was 9, I would accompany my 13 year old  
sister to the Roxy theater in N.Y.C. She was a champion Yo-Yo artist  
and sometimes she won, sometimes she lost. Other days there would be  
talent contests, juggling contests. America has always been a country  
where they pushed competition. You compete for jobs, compete in  
sports, compete for a mate.
> * Not a duel to the death like the original piano, jazz cutting  
> contests.

As long as it was done in a 'festival sojourn' atmosphere, I don't  
see the harm. We might be surprised. Maybe it wouldn't be popular. I  
know I (personally) don't like competition, so I probably wouldn't  
compete.
> * This would accomplish the "storied sharing" that always goes on  
> at SPAH
> conventions.
>
> * What better way to "share" than to demonstrate what works in a  
> performance?
>
> * Plus, it would allow people who are not a part of the "regularly  
> scheduled
> performers" (those top-notch players who just happened to attend  
> SPAH) a
> chance to get up and perform in front of an audience instead of  
> being relegated to
> the hallway next to the sandwich stand.

Here I agree again. Now if a 'known' named player shows up, space is  
usually worked into the schedule for them. But sometimes it isn't.  
Also, there are not too many cases where a 'known' player will share  
stage time. Sooo, if you wind up with a GOOD convention with a GOOD  
attendence of GOOD players, you are really squeezed. I can understand  
that, BUT I also don't like to see the same players constantly being  
re-cycled. Fresh talent is always welcomed.
> * We had the same thing several years ago when Thursday was Blues  
> Night at
> SPAH and several players got up and played.   It was not billed as  
> a cutting
> contest, but it was clear that some players were better than others  
> and some were
> making their first public performances.

I remember that well.
> * And whatever happened to Blues Night?

It appears to have moved to Tues night because the host hotel just  
isn't the right atmosphere. (too sterile)
> I'm getting too old to stay up all night -- when I'm not getting  
> paid -- just
> to listen to blues jam and then try to get up the next day.
>
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