RE: [Harp-L] Cadillac Records - AMEN !



Maybe the subject is dead by now, but I still can´t really understand this kind of thinking (see below and elsewhere on the list these last days). Are we in some way obliged to like a film because it "features harmonica"? Regardless of all other qualities/lack thereof in it? Does this hold even if the harmonica playing is bad, or downright lousy? (Hopefully not the case in this particular film.) 
  
  Don´t think so. A film is primarily a work of art and should be appreciated and critiqued as such. It can of course also have secondary, or instrumental, qualities, such as bringing to the fore a (possibly underappreciated) musical style/genre/instrument. Can be a good thing, if that´s important to you, but if the film is bad it´s bad, harmonica or not and it must be perfectly allright to state that opinion.
  Personally I´m rather indifferent to if a film prompts even thousands of people to start playing the harmonica. I don´t sell them, I play them. Perhaps some wider "understanding" of the instrument can come from it, probably not, but I guess that wouldn´t hurt. Still, if the film is crap it´s crap, regardless of harmonica.
/Martin
 
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From: harmoniman@xxxxxxxxxxx
Amen to all of these E-mails ! I was beginning to have my doubts about HARP-EL and the harmonica community in general. All of the nit- picking and micro analysis was making me sick !  There is a saying in the entertainment industry that states that any publicity is good publicity. That  also goes for a relatively obscure musical art form (blues) and an even more obscure instrument (the Harp) . Yea.... every one knows about the harmonica but when it comes to the PLAYERS ?  Adler, Levy, Lightfoot,Walter,Wilson, etc. aren't exactly household names. Any exposure is good exposure. Now, if we want an historically accurate blues/ harmonica documentary , may I suggest that we start a fund  on harp-l and produce a HARP-EL documentary. My working title is ' HARMONICA HEAVEN ' .

P.S. May you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous holiday and new year.







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