Re: [Harp-L] Re: Phrasing and Spacing



At 07:10 AM 1/22/2008, you wrote:
Some one correct me if I'm wrong but the story goes something like
this . Someone asked Louis Armstrong about about how he played jazz or
how to play jazz or something along those lines . He responded and I
paraphrase, "Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know ."

I intend to join in the larger discussion, and I feel that the other paragraph Gary wrote is right on, but this quote would have to be among the most discouraging, and incorrect, pieces of information to tell most harmonica players.


In fact, most people "gotta ask", and Harp-l is a forum where people "gotta ask" or they will not learn. Armstrong, who may not have even spoken that quote, was not a teacher, he was a genius who didn't put much thought into explaining. On the other hand, he had many, many teachers and said as much when recourning his personal history.

Note to everyone who feels like they have not gotten to the musical place they want to get to: You Gotta Ask. Almost every good musician I have ever played with stunk at first. Then they got okay. Then they got good. Alot of it comes from working at it, but ALOT of it comes from asking people who already know.

There are big issues that are hard or impossible to teach, but the idea that was presented in that quote is pure, unnecessary discouragement. Ask ask ask.

Ken





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