Re: [Harp-L] I don't want to be a harp player!

[Mark Russillo <jruss433@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike -
I believe you have the right idea.  I think it all begins when you play to improvise on the moment as just another instrument.  I live in a town of just over 100,000 people.  It has taken me most of the last 9 years to convince people that the harmonica has other dimensions.  Granted, I also do vocals, but I don't think that's made my approach any different.
When people come to hear our band (guitar, keyboards, drums and brass) they expect the harmonica to play a different role.  There are some who embrace it and there are others who don't.  I just keep sending the message.  I give them blues also, but only about 20 percent of the time.
Right now I'm switching between chromatic and diatonic, as you are.  I have learned several songs on the chromatic and I intersperse them with other tunes we play.  For me its an uphill climb, but I think I'm gaining ground on a personal level and with the public.
I must admit that I have lost what was once a clear musical identity for me, but I think a new one is evolving and though the process is slow combined with a 55 hour a week job (that has nothing to do with music), I'm moving forward.
At this last SPAH, I was really lost because I didn't feel I had anthing to "present" to anyone from last year.  I had simply opened a bunch of boxes and were still examining their contents when I became suddenly aware it was the following year!  So I came, jammed, lurked and absorbed - glad once again that I went, but the crusade you describe rings very true to me right now.
I have also surrounded myself with a group of local musicians who believe in what I'm doing and lend me support.  Keep the faith, brother, I know you're on the right track.
Mark Russillo
a.k.a. The Rhode Island Kid



----- Original Message ----
From: "diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx" <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 8:12:04 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] I don't want to be a harp player!

This started as an offshoot of "why I like playing blues" but as I wrote it  
I started digging deeper about my recent feelings about playing harp.

I started playing in my teens like most of you here. I'm 50 yrs. old now.
For years I defended old school players and 50's style blues and blues harp  on my local blues society
list group.  For me, if it didn't sound vintage it wasn't blues.  

Recently I started to change my mind about both.  I played in a vintage blues band for 3 years as a sideman until getting kicked out a year ago. They decided to change their sound and harp wasn't part of the new sound. Some guys wanted the organ/piano to be the dominate blues sound in the band so out I went.  I felt a big weight taken off my shoulders when the bandleader gave me the notice.  I no longer had to play the way they thought a harp player should play. 

In my  time in the band I had to emulate the harp styles of the harp players in Muddy's bands and 
Frank Frost or just sound like someone born in 1930's in MS.  When I was younger I jumped at the chance to play any Muddy Water's tunes but at my age I no longer want to sound like other harp players or even be influenced by them.  I was relieved when I got kicked out of the band even though I was on good terms with all the players and still jam with some of them.  I got tired of suppressing MY sound in order to play other's peoples styles.  I even stopped listening to bluesharp recordings and worked at playing jazz on the chromatic for several months.

I had a long discussion with Hendrik Meukens when he played our jazz fest this past June. I told him I'm starting to hate the sound of the harmonica lately whether it be diatonic or chromatic.  At one time I loved every style of music played on the harp as long as it was played at a high level of musicianship.  Most of it now sounds hokie to me with the exception of a few players regardless of technical ability. 

I recently started playing my diatonics again and going to the local blues jam.  The break from listening to other harp players turned out to be good the first couple of weeks.  Then I tried listening to some Butterfield Live before going to the last jam and it screwed me up. I didn't play any tunes he did but it still messed with my head on stage.  I was upset with my playing afterwards.  The audience liked it but I didn't have a clear head like previous weeks.  I wasn't trying to play Butterfield licks.  It's just hard to explain what went through my head that night.  I had done a lot better in previous weeks  listening to  jazz guitarists  all week then going out to play blues.  There was no harp influence but there was influence on playing pure improv. with no ego at  the outcome. 

I now have to agree with  Buddha Chris  in not wanting to listen to other harp players for influence. 
I have it more under control now and can play blues with a jazz improv. mentality because I stopped trying to emulate other harp players.  I just want to play music. not harp. I don't want people to think harp player, I want them to think musician first, harp player second.  

Bill Hines knows what I'm talking about because he has heard the change in how I approach soloing on the harp in recent months.  

Now comes the big question?

HOW DO WE CONVINCE OTHER MUSICIANS THAT WE "DON'T WANT TO" BE THOUGHT OF AS HARP PLAYER?

Some guys I play with respect that I'm trying to play with the same level of authority as  guitarists on stage, others have a mentality that the harp is suppose to be a background fill instrument with minimalist soloing or played with a style of bygone era's. It has it's place but I'm no longer in that place. I've happily moved onto the next level. 

mike
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