RE: [Harp-L] Playin' blues in any color

["Bradford Trainham" <bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

But on the other side of that, might we not argue that Patton, Wheatstraw
and others used lots of what might have passed for theatrical conventions
among a rural, impoverished society?
I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said, but sometimes, good might
come out of bad as in...  A young person with no historical perspective
hears for instance, one of those seemingly less-than-authentic "Blues
men"/women... And from that said hearing, he/she goes on to investigate the
Blues.
For instance, the harp break in Johnny Rivers Mountain of Love, one of the
earliest instances I can remember of hearing a harmonica doesn't really do
justice to the notion of the harp being the most expressive instrument, but
it made an impression on me.
I think sometimes, in order to determine what's really authentic, we'd have
to freeze time in its tracks and I don't see that happening any time soon.
Brad Trainham
 

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Pic2318834@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:41 PM
To: drfertig@xxxxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Playin' blues in any color

Like some English blues guys who just seem to fall short.  Not all,  some.
 
 
In a message dated 7/2/2009 12:09:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
drfertig@xxxxxxxxx writes:

Here's a  subject close to my heart AND close to the edge.

Simply, as someone  (Rob?) said recently, harp is arguably the most
expressive musical instrument  (short of voice, perhaps).  it doesn't lie
easily.  

Yet,  some blues players (not only harp) seem to try to come across as other
than  who they are.  How many of us have encountered white blues players who
affect a fake accent and costumes, let alone life stories and personas?  
 Even if they play well, it can feel ilke a vaudeville act, or a
"re-enactment."

But those that play straight from the heart need no  bonafides, it's in the
music, whether you like it or not. 

-Dave "I  wish I was Sam Clemens, but I ain't him"  Fertig
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