[Harp-L] In a Jam....

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Last night I attended the little Fox Blues Jam in Redwood City...CA

I played through what I think  was an Avenger....Have to ask Greg..( are you there)
and a Greg Heumann microphone.

What was cool...was Greg had it set up for me.
Let me play through his kit... ( yeah ..Greg of Blows me away harmonica microphones)
( I've never been to SPAH or Namm shows to try one of these out)

I was hesitant to turn it up as I have no idea what the mix was like.
My set was forgettable ( the guitar player on my set  asked me what key the song was in after we got off stage...oops.)
It was fun to take one of these kits out for a drive with a band and a sound man.
Again, I was trying to be considerate of the sax guy that I shared the set with...he was a bit soft.

Being unfamiliar with the sound I did not turn up the mic to full volume.
I Got through my test drive and got off stage...nobody got hurt...
I had a taste of the power...and may never be the same.

The next guy up on Harmonica was Aki Kumar....
He turned it right up to the max setting greg had the amp set to and just played.
He had no horns on stage with him so did not have to be polite about balancing the volume.
The guy sounded nothing short of God-like in the mix.

I shrunk down a bit in my seat realizing I had just taken my test drive and never gotten out of 2nd gear.
Aki sounded great...To say he is an up and coming guy in our area is an understatement...he has arrived.
Old school...great licks...
I know Aki usually plays with a more understated band...very classy cat from what I have been told.
The Jam band was a bit over the top on his vocals but the harp was clear as a bell....
He is the real deal.
www.akikumar.com

Next up was Greg Heumann with a band that comprised some of his band mates.
He was understated, humble and right on the mark...( kinda how I wanted to be on my set).
complimenting the performance of a great guest band leader...

Greg and his guitarist Vinnie had perfect interaction with the guest performer.  
The sound and volume of his set up was nothing short of perfect...
Greg's licks were great too...The guy can play...
As a sax player (also)..he knows how to get behind the vocals with his harp....nice job.

There is so much conversation on this site about this subject... powerful amps...etc..
too much I fear...and I often ignore these kinds of posts.
But now ...I think I get it...to be able to be in balance with a amplified guitar,
maybe one needs this kind of setup...
It truly sounded in balance when those guys played with the guitarists, etc..

Next month, I go back to my more acoustic, Celtic based band.  ( our leader has returned)
My little vintage amps will be more than enough..

After a full year of leading a good amplified R&B band, with a vintage amp (mic'd)
I look forward  to not competing with volume...
It is exhausting to constantly keep adjusting toward a moving target...

But if I were to be continuing with this full band..drums...keyboards...horns....and loud guitar players,
I would call Greg up and find out what he was playing through...It would be worth investing 
in a rig like this in order to play expressively without having to push the limits of your gear...
Even when properly mic'd ..I have never had the presence that this equipment provides....

Hopefully,  I will find one of these amps and a new mic....under my christmas tree..


I get it.  He's got it...

Thanks for the education .

Grant Walters