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

["Ken Ficara" <kenficara@xxxxxxxxx>]

That sort of thing is so far from the reasons that I play music ... I have
no desire to "break" anyone or "establish dominance." If I see a player
who's not as good as I am at a jam, I make a conscious effort to be
welcoming and encouraging. And that's because lots of folks have done the
same for me, and still do. I've run into the other attitude too, of course,
and I take the same approach to a headcutting harp player as I do to the
jerk in the Hummer who cuts the line at the toll booth. Yep, you're in front
of me now. Hope it's improved your self image.

I've seen great pro players get up on stage and try to outdo each other,
with intensity and amazing playing, but also with respect and mutual
admiration. Those are legendary moments at jams. But when it turns into
"headcutting," with the hostility and desire to play someone off the stage,
well, those moments are legendary too. Usually the legend is about what a
!@#$% the superstar player was, and how glad everyone is that he (and isn't
it almost always a he) doesn't come to the jam anymore.

I play music to connect with other people, not to step on them, and I would
hope that SPAH -- where players of every level get together to just have fun
-- will foster that spirit.

ken

On 7/26/07, George Brooks <gbrooksvt@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Phil Lloyd proposes a cutting contest for SPAH.  It's up to the
> organizers, of course, but it does not sound like a good idea to me.
> SPAH is all about collaboration and learning.  Cutting contests are all
> about establishing dominance.  They are a form of ritualized combat.
>
> In the bebop era, men were broken.  I don't know if it is true or not,
> but it is part of the lore that Sonny Rollins's wife would not let him
> go to the cutting contests of the day for fear that he would be
> humiliated and that the blow to his confidence would end his career.
> On his way up, Jimi Hendrix was said to have played so aggressively, so
> inventively, and so tirelessly that he literally played lesser
> guitarists off the stage.
>
> I think at SPAH you're going to see LD Miller and Jason Ricci showing
> each other what they know.  I don't think you're going to see them try
> to cut each other for the title of Fastest Player or Best Player.  At
> least I hope not.
>
> George
>
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-- 
Ken Ficara
kenficara@xxxxxxxxx