Let us consider jazz quartets. They usually include a sax or
trumpet. Of course, piano trios exist and need no sax or
trumpet. Sax and trumpet are lead instruments as per your
categorization of the harmonica. But I don't think that it means
that sax, trumpet or harmonica are less essential. They are
essential to achieving a particular sound that has its own
particular merits.
One difference is, that there are at least as many sax and trumpet
bands as piano trios. In the blues, harmonica fronted bends are
the minority, with bands without harmonica being the majority; in
Jazz, bands without a saxophone are probably in the minority.
I'm not saying that the harmonica is not important in the blues,
but I really do feel that the importance is overstated and
exaggerated--my point was that most blues bands don't have a
harmonica, but most do have guitar, bass and drums. So to call the
harmonica "essential" to the blues seems like a significant
overstatement. There are many harmonica players who have been
essential to the history of the music, and most bassists and
drummers have been ignored (sidemen always are, and as the
harmonica is primarily a frontman instrument, that's natural). But
that doesn't mean that the instrument is more essential than the
others, or even as essential.
My stove has a fan above it. This is nice as it circulates the air
and keeps things from getting too hot, smokey or setting off the
fire alarm (actually, not well enough--stupid thing is either in
the wrong place or way too sensitive). Many stoves have these
fans, perhaps even most. But not all. Would you call the fan
"essential" to the stove the way the boilers are? The gas
exhausts? It's not a perfect analogy, but I think it might help to
give a better idea of the point I'm trying to make.
()() JR "Bulldogge" Ross
() () & Snuffy, too:)
`----'
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