[Harp-L] Staring a number "naked"--Leading the band

[Tomcat Colvin <bluesasia@xxxxxxxxx>]

This thread is so very important, not only to harp players, but to anyone
interested in playing the blues.

As it happens, I will be hosting a 2-hour workshop & concert on BLUES
HISTORY & PERFORMANCE at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music
this coming Monday.  The audience will mostly be classical oriented
students.

One of the main points I will be making is the ability of knowledgeable
blues musicians to put together interesting and spontaneous arrangements
instantaneously onstage, because of the many musical conventions shared
among blues players.

In preparing for this workshop, I asked the faculty member in charge if some
of his students might wish to join us on a song or two.  He asked, "Can you
give me the arrangements in advance?"  He was rather shocked when I
suggested that his students had ears and eyes and should be able to cope
without written charts.  We decided it best NOT to invite any of the
students on stage to jam with us.  Poor conservatory students -- hope our
concert can open some eyes.  By the way, the School of Music considers this
first-time blues presentation a ground-breaking event.  We'll see what
happens.

Thomas "Tomcat" Colvin

www.lampanoalley.com