[Harp-L] What Harp-l does best

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

Robert, right on!  Hacks borrow, artists steal!  or somethin' like that.  And Harp-L gives, and gives and gives, what a huge resource that all of us have learned tons from.

Now, we all learn differently, which you've doubtless learned with your many students.  I've taught a bunch of years (not music!)  and the best teaching advice I ever got was, "You don't teach a subject, you teach a student."   Each student's different, you gotta figure how to help make the connection.

And as a student, you get your lessons where you find 'em.  I too was taken by Michael Rubin's out-of-left-field approach to jamming at SPAH, he'd just do something spontaneous -even spastic! - then work it musically, and beautifully, often humorously, a great lesson!  

Recently I sat in at a class taught by David Broida (with Rubin and me a Sonoma state alum) who visits 80 colleges each year, teaching beginning blues harmonica (and harp for health, etc.)   In one class he got 14 complete newbies playing together, tongue-blocking chords and single notes - roughly but, in one 90-minute class!  

So, anything's possible, who knows, even I could one day learn to read music!  Meanwhile I spend my time doing what I must so I can do what I want, including jamming and creating/catalyzing blues jams, and gigging once or twice a month. 

Now, I ain't much on harp, but I have fun and get to play regularly with really talented musicians.  For me, that's alot. Thanks again, harp-L'rs!  

-Dave "Grasshopper" Fertig

--- On Sat, 11/21/09, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Forwarded Message: [Harp-L] What Harp-l does best [Harp-L] What Harp-l does best
        	Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:00 AM
        	
            
            
            From: 
            "Robert Bonfiglio" <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>
            	
            	
            	
        	To: 
        	harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
. . .
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.
. . .
Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com