Re: [Harp-L] Re: Genius? LOL

["Splash!" <celtiac@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm surprised that you left out the GREAT Les Paul  </ Grin>

Splash!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Shriver" <steveshriver@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2010 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Genius? LOL


To me, the word genius has to have some element of groundbreaking vision.
Leonardo, Newton, Einstein, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix. Technical prowess
is a given at that level. It is the ability to see into the future, to
envision something that has never been before, that defines a genius.

I will never forget the time I randomly tuned into a Lonesome Pine special
on PBS while stuck in a motel in Tunica MS and caught the Flecktones with
Branford Marsalis guesting. An amazing concert in general, but I especially
remember listening to Howard Levy (who I was not familiar with at the time)
and thinking, ³wow, I have never heard anything like that on the harp
before.² I wouldn¹t say this alone would necessarily make him a genius,
considering that at least 2 other members of the band did things I¹d also
never heard before, but when you consider Levy¹s influence within the harp
community, I think he could fairly be called such.

I don¹t think genius has anything to do with popularity, it often takes
years for the general populace to be able to appreciate groundbreaking work.

Look at Vincent Van Gogh.