[Harp-L] Blown out lungs on stools with cool threads for Rick Estrin

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

In my long and tawdry experience of sucking at harp I have found walking briskly even just a couple miles while playing one's "little toy" (quoting Rick Estrin last Saturday) loudly  - not using force but standing erect and opening your throat, breathing fully through the harp - works really well to lose weight and increase lung capacity.  

This exercise becomes even more efficacious once the local pack of normally friendly dogs hears those silent overtones and runs at you like hyenas to a rotting hippo (damn, everyone's a critic!)   

If' I'm lucky and quick enough, I quickly find a tall barstool to climb on and from which I can clearly hear a jukebox, hopefully loudly playing some lil Walter who once said, "I only use a teaspoon of air" to play.  

Then I order a good local beer, maybe a shot of smokey bourbon, and dream of playing quietly into a loud, cool amp at a big blues festival - a borrowed amp so I could use my baggage weight allowance to bring all those overalls and flannel logger shirts, and shark-skin suits with narrow ties and wingtips, also bowling shirts and hair pomade, and whatever else bonafide bluesmen gotta wear to look authentic. 

Man, so much to learn, so few grey cells!

-Dave "Rick Estrin said it, not me" Fertig

ps: Rick & the Nightcats really blew the top off the Huntington Hotel Saturday in Pasadena, CA!  Chef Denis DePoitre did a star-turn & even Lynwood Slim showed up to give a preview of next Saturday's show there!  And they all dressed sharp!  Except me . . .