[Harp-L] Doing the Thailand Harp Shuffle

["Billy James" <billyjames@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just a note to thank those HarpL members who gave me decent 'advice' and a few tips on travel and blues in Thailand recently. 
I'm back home and happily so, after playing spots in Bangkok and Chiang Mai and basically orientating myself all about the country north and south.

 For this trip I simply took 'an eight harp attachment' to the lefty belt made by Jeffrey Spoor at Cumberland Custom Cases plus the nifty Lone Wolf Tone Pedal, plus simply a cheap lapel mic and cords. The darn setup worked very well indeed direct to P.A. 
It certainly helped create an 'truly awesome harp sound' on my material supported by an eight piece [three saxophone] big band at the Jazz bar in Chaing Mai. 
At first a bit daunting to jump in after the dwiddle of the jazz, I hit them with two menacing Howlin' Wolf style numbers and around three hundred partying expats and Thais went wild. 
I found the Saxophone Club and the Blues Bar in Bangkok great fun too, mind you several local players practically fought to get on and jam later one night.
Fortunately, I was relaxed and prepared early, plugged in for action. The Blues gigs obviously often begin later in the evening and it's always a gas to chat with bar staff and other players. 
Most of the Thai musicians I met [in several genres] were excellent players with a fine knowledge and feel for blues. Lots of expats from Chicago to 'hell knows' are over there and they can swing it too. 
I played harp and Jaw harp [which was a big hit] in many situations and in common place communications. I found the result was always very warm and open to fun. They truly are the Land of Smiles over there, but also the Land of Struggle as is most of the third world . 
I found the country is physically hard yards [unless you are a fat tourist with it all sussed and booked into resorts], but it was rewarding and it has many opportunities musically, I think.
I found the music stores were well stocked in Hohners however the common Chinese harmonicas majorly affordably available to the Thai's  are absolutely useless.  
So now I've come home and immediately ordered the Lone Wolf Harp Attack Pedal. I'm impressed with the fact a reasonably cheap effects unit can be risked and packed for travel to give me that extra oomph when jumping into uncontrolled jamming opportunities to perform. I'm sure it will earn it's keep as has the Tone Pedal.