Re: [Harp-L] What Harp-l does best

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Robert,
Thanks for the kind words.  I had no idea you actually knew who I was.
 I like it when you play chrome at the blues jams.  Who is Lee Konitz?
 Is there a CD you you recommend?
Michael Rubin

On 11/21/09, Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 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
>
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