Re: [Harp-L] Angie's deduction

[Bobbie Giordano <bogio@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 02:37 PM 3/2/2007, Winslow Yerxa wrote:
>I grew up in Vancouver and many of my early gigs were in strip
>clubs, either on the Granville Mall or East Hastings.
>
>And yeah, there were some strippers who really liked the harmonica.

First, I apologize to all for the limited value of my usual input, since 
I don't play out musically, neither harp-wise nor vocally, the latter of 
which I'm more at comfort with anyway.  Also, apologies for my repeated 
references to my former partnership with Doug Tate, but that is without 
doubt the most ingrained part of my harmonica experience.  And Winslow is 
a grand old friend of us both, but I never realized one connection he and 
Douglas had in common till now.

Doug also played in similar... um... 'venues'.  The "Windmill" was one I 
often heard tales about; except that these weren't strip joints, because 
the performers were stripped already! ;-)  I can't even imagine the scene 
as he described playing harmonica among the nude dancers, who would also 
sometimes tease upcoming performers by flinging out peas onto the floor 
as they, or he, came onstage, obviously in hopes of a great laugh seeing 
him stumble and fall!  I'm certain that's where he learned that 'slipper 
shuffle' which he seemed to carry through all his days from then on!!!

> I've heard similar stories of people coming up to Little Walter
> at gigs and trying to pry his hands open to see how he was making
> that amazing sound - they had no idea there was a harmonica in
> there.

And I was right there the time Douglas had an incredulous listener come 
up to him and demand to show where the microphone was that he had hidden 
as he played his Renaissance.  Even after Doug demonstrated his well 
known resonance technique for amplifying notes with hand position, the 
guy STILL went away scoffing... swearing that he MUST have had a hidden 
microphone to attain that enormous volume of sound!  Such it goes...

> I wouldn't be too hard on poor Angie - she she was curious and wasn't
> hesitant about sincerely expressing her appreciation for Wolf's
> playing. As I recall, the strippers were usually pretty nice. It was
> the singers you had to watch out for.

Hey, hey, hey!!!  Watch it, brother, from one who sings more than harps!

>  They would lose time, then get mad at the band when the music got out 
> of sync. A drummer I knew ran afoul of a singer in a situation like 
> that - she sliced his face with a smashed beer glass.

Well, anyway, thanks for the suggestion!  ;-)

Glass Armonically yours,
=[Bobbie]=