[Harp-L] What Harp-l does best

[Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Recently I was performing a concert with guitarist that had studied  
with Segova when the guitarist was a kid.  In order to fund his  
concert series, we did a school outreach concert where he asked the  
kids "How many of you play Guitar Hero?" and a hundred raised their  
hands and "How many actually play the guitar?" and two raised their  
hands.  I don't want to have the playing of the harmonica go down the  
Guitar Hero road.

I have followed the reaction to my sarcastic post and it had the  
"stirring things up" effect I had hoped.  My wife teaches flute and it  
would never be stated on a flute list or in a publication that a  
"newbie" should not learn their scales or study with a teacher.  And I  
happen to think, but don't tell my wife, that the harmonica is a more  
expressive instrument than the flute.

But that said, and this is for you "newbies" out there, I steal licks  
and I mean STEAL.  From Sonnyboy 1 and 2, James Cotton, Paparozzi,  
Toots, John Sebastian Jr. and Sr., Miles, Lee Konitz, Stevie - I took  
his whole Alfie for my Time Life recording, Madcat, etc.  If I hadn't  
been so under the influence I would have taken Michael Rubin's way of  
approaching a solo (at the SPAH) which is not in your face, but coming  
at you sideways kind of like Lee Konitz, but please don't tell him I  
steal.

What harp-l does best IMO is let you go out and steal those licks,  
have fun, and when you come up against something you can't do - there  
is the harp-l list and someone like Winslow or Richard Hunter or  
Madcat or Paparozzi or Howard or Hendrik or Musselwhite will tell you  
what they did or what gear they use or where to find a teacher or a  
seminar.

One must remember that a lot of us have taught 100's of students and  
might know the best, fastest, and most fun to get from point A to  
point B - which roads to take and which lead nowhere -because we took  
already those roads.

So steal the licks, have fun, but maybe sit at the piano and play a G  
7th chord and take out your C harp and play your lick over the chord  
and learn the notes in the chord and how your lick sounds over those  
notes.

Your favorite players, who "know nothing" will tell you I played piano  
as a kid, or I play a little guitar, or I can read music, etc  And all  
will say I wish I had more knowledge of music, not less.

Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com