[Harp-L] creativity and harp-l

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric Garcia writes:


"as far as JT Ross's zydeco band.."

JR not JT--an easy typo, but just to be clear in case people get  
confused.

" I bet that there was one or more musicians in that
band that played badass solos and tweaked shit around that aroused  
your interest
and kept you occupied more that a typical,, "ham and egger " zydeco  
band would,,
weather u noticied it or not.."

No, there was absolutely nothing I haven't heard hundreds of times  
before by people like John Delafose or Willis Prudhomme--well, the  
guitarist took some bad 60's rock inspired solos, but the parts I  
liked were entirely within what I expected to hear (everything else,  
including his rhythm work).  It sounded good, was well played and  
there was a great energy to the show.  I can appreciate that for the  
good that it is.

I love when people try new things and succeed (not always a given),  
but I also love when someone does something well even if it isn't  
"creative" in terms of sounding new or the like.  Don't try and  
assume that my enjoyment must fit into your subjective preferences-- 
which is what I disliked about the whole tenor of the thread about  
Lynwood Slim.  "Creativity" is neither good nor bad--it is a criteria  
which may be important for you or not, but it has been used to  
denigrate people who have their own loves and own desires for what  
they do as if they do not measure up to other people's standards.   
That I take issue with.

Chris M. writes:

"If any of you guys seriously want to get into eastern mysticism and  
harmonica playing the Buddha's Garden is the only place on the  
internet where you will find it.  "

Harp-l remains the best and most open place to discuss any harmonica  
related topic, and general musical topics.  Moreover, it's open to  
the world through it's archives.  It's less moderated than most  
forums and has generally a better amount of worthwhile dialogue than  
most others.  Many people have tried to create lists which are more  
tailored to their own desires, and I've joined several of these.   
Some have stayed active, others died, but in the end none have been  
anywhere near as worthwhile as harp-l, nor do they have the quality  
of discussion (this includes "the garden").  Stay here, where people  
will actually engage you and disagree with you rather than just  
saying "me too" all the time.

High praise goes to fjm, Ben Nathanson and all those who came before  
them and have made this list what it is--far and away the best  
harmonica discussion group in the English speaking world.




 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'