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

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the kind words David and Robert!  David, when did you
graduate from SSU?  Respond offlist, I suppose.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On 11/21/09, David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 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
>
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