[Harp-L] SPAH Reflections

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

1. I am way proud to be a harmonica player in the 21st century. What an
AWESOME group of people! Words cannot express how wonderful my experience
was with my fellow harp players...including all the "big" names.

2. Overblows were as common as tongue slaps and head shakes.

3. Bart was my favorite harp player there.

4. The "younglings" are legit. I am conflicted by the amount of praise and
discussion on their potential. I think this might actually serve to hinder
their development at times. I wish they'd be appreciated for what they are
now and not what they might become. As easy as it is to pass judgement on to
who is "best" or whatever, I am going to bite my tongue.

I will say that Brandon Bailey had a very unique and fresh sound to my ears.
He plays very musically, has great taste, and is devoid of ego. I applaud is
discipline and drive to be the best person he can be first and foremost. I
am truly honored to have spent so much time hanging out with him.

I had never communicated with Jay Gaunt before this trip, but loved his
personality and playing from the start. His playing sounds exactly like is
personality. It was like hanging out with a little brother or something.
Spending time with him will keep you young and inspire you to woodshed!!!

5. Todd Parrott is my hero. I probably drove him nuts with questions, but
his playing is just so different from what I heard other guys doing that I
couldn't resist. I was the same way around Jim Conway. Wow, wow, wow. Also,
FANTASTIC human beings. Todd is a bit notey (not a bad thing at all), which
is really a trend in guys around our age and younger, but his approach is
different from the Ricci school. The patterns he uses are just different.
His inflection on the instrument too. Much like Jim, it just floors me since
I can't figure it out easily. Brendan has that wow-factor for me too. He's
fast, percise, and aggressive, but again, you don't hear other guys who
sound like that.

6. Steve Baker is like the Miles Davis of harmonica.

7. Buckweed was the most popular musician at a harp convention...and he
should have been!

8. It is way hard to perform on stage in front of harp players. Even my
guitar player commented on how different I sounded compared to our other
shows. It was weird...I wasn't worried about being judged so much as I just
wanted to not screw up out of respect for the instrument. I rarely get
nervous - almost never to the point of it having a negative impact - but at
SPAH I totally did. I was really careful. However, at the jams, jam circles,
and teach-ins, it was much easier to let caution go and experiment. Whether
it was playing a Low D harp in an awkward position or trying to pull off
unfamiliar licks, I never felt like I was going to get slammed or laughed
at, lol.

9. Everyone...and I mean everyone, has holes in their playing. It was
interesting to see who could handle that and who couldn't. Some guys used it
as a learning experience and some just got angry and walked away.

10a. I wasn't going to buy any harps, but Suzuki and Seydel impressed me so
much by their people and contributions that I did. I got a Bb Manji. I had a
Low F before and it never felt right. However, I tried several keys
including two customized versions and I want more than anything to make it
work. I also got a gorgeous Soloist Pro in Low C...the 12 hole one. I have
no idea if it will ever get played live, but my son already loves my crappy
version of Another Man Done Gone. Daron at Suzuki and I hit it off and
chatted quite a bit. Andy Just and Ronnie Shellist were also very easy to
chat with! What a trip chatting with Winslow Yerxa, Rupert Oysler, and PT
Gazell too!

10b. Manji can make great harps for overbends. I have my gigging harps
pretty well set/set up and will spend my "customizing" time on try to get a
few Manji to match my demands. Suzuki should consider doing a "custom" shop
type thing like you see Fender guitars doing. But maybe they already do??? I
have a soft spot for Suzuki as they were my first full set of harps and I
had learned to play on them. It wasn't until I learned to OB that I started
playing Hohners and before I could set up a harp, I would buy any new model
they had to see if they would work for me.

________

I am going to stop there. I have lots more I want to write, but I am already
leaving people out. Joe Leone, Clint Hoover, Greg Heumann, Rob Paparozzi,
Randy Singer, Dave Payne, RJ Mischo, Alex Paclin, Rosco, Chris Michalek, Joe
Filisko, Paul Davies, Bob Cohen, Warren B, Michael Peloquin, Jimi Lee...all
just a total joy to have spent time with. That's just the "name" players
too. There were so many more like Rich, Dennis, Joe, Dave, etc. I had a
blast hanging out with (leaving last names off incase they don't want the
attention). I feel bad since I know I am forgetting names I want to mention.
I am usually really intimidated by being on my own at large social
gatherings...I do better with kids or behind a mike, but I got over that in
the first hour.

Finally, I had the chance to work a few times with Buzz Krantz. What an
asset to the community. Not only is he a total riot, he truly wants to see
every harp player flourish. I am very lucky, as is the harp world, to have
him as a friend!
----------
Mike Fugazzi
vocals/harmonica
http://www.mikefugazzi.com
http://www.facebook.com/MikeFugazziMusic