Re: [Harp-L] playing music and communication

[BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 3/13/2007 8:08:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx writes:
 
        I can see both points here. All  I know how to do is share my 
experience strength and hope (AA slogan) or my  outright folly whatever the case may 
be so here goes. I can see where someone  might feel that you should fit in 
with any band when playing the blues  'cause unless you're doing originals we 
usually play something familiar. Cross  Cut Saw, Little Red Rooster, Stormy 
Mon.............you get my drift. Even when  doing originals breaks might be 
different, or maybe something like an accidental  but the rhythms are usually the 
same. Rumba, shuffle tune, 8 bar, 12  bar.......so on. That being said I have 
to completely agree with Winslow in that  communication is a must. I played 
with a guy from Erie PA that actually  told the crowd in Lexington KY (my 
hometown) that "We like to play stump  the harp player, we never tell him what we're 
gonna play we just tell him what  key it's in." I took it as a compliment. BUT 
what he would do would be get eye  contact with me and do an intro and I 
would listen for a whole progression,  start playin', he either grin at me or 
holler yea or something and off we'd go.  If it was something I hadn't heard 
before when he did the intro I'd shrug and  keep my eye on him in case there was 
chord change in the bridge or  something and he would always let me know. It was 
kind of a crowd hook really  cause none of us thought that it was a big deal. 
I found out he didn't tell the  bass player and drummer what was coming up 
either unless he was pushing his  originals at a fest or something. It was fun 
and it probably looked cool but we  had contact the whole time. Jake Banta is a 
fine individual and he's in harm's  way in Afghanistan right now, I pray to 
God he stays safe and gets back soon.  He's too old to be playin' Navy Seal, 
but he's beyond a driven guy and I'd  say that's why "THEY" asked him to come 
back.
        Randy 

> I  don't think it requires that much communication to play blues --
> you  
> should be able to fit in with any ensemble. 

You really want  to make a statement like that? The way you fit in is by
communicating, even  if it's the receptive kind of just listening before
you play. Not  communicating to me is the same thing as not listening.

Even in blues,  there are enough different substyles, and enough
individual approaches,  that you have to listen and figure out what's
going on. You can't just go  on blues autopilot and expect that much
good music will  happen.




<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free 
email to everyone.  Find out more about what's free from AOL at 
http://www.aol.com.