[Harp-L] Going beyond blues

[Mudharp@xxxxxxx]

Maybe we all judge other players by the standards we've imposed on  
ourselves. Judgment more or less equals opinion and we all have opinions but  sometimes 
stating those opinions in an on line forum can and does lead to  the wrong 
conclusions. Here's my conclusion right or wrong.
 
It's hard to have an original voice in blues harmonica yet for diatonic  
harp, blues is indisputably still the most popular genre and probably will be  for 
the foreseeable future. There are a handful of great  diatonic players that 
I've heard (many of whom grace this list) who  can effectively leave blues 
behind and play jazz, fusion, rock, klezmer, etc on  the 10 hole harp and make it 
the equal of any other well played instrument  in those genres. Done well it 
is quite unique. I consider the players who CAN do  that to be elite. But to 
hold forth denigrating opinions of other  players who don't prowl outside of 
blues on the diatonic can be  construed as being elitist. Being elite is cool. 
Being elitist isn't. IMO,  of course.
 
t. albanese
-the original mudharp-
 
 



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