[Harp-L] Re: Live performance: Jazz

["Marc Spilka" <marc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For a great song on the topic of trying to play jazz for an audience that 
doesn't give a damn, check out The Changes by Bruce Hornsby.  Or even just 
look at the lyrics.  Very cool tune and insightful words from his early days 
in the biz.

Marc Spilka
Los Gatos, CA

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:59:19 -0500
From: "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Live performance: Jazz
To: Bill <bill.eborn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <5B7E46E1-2512-4B7C-B7A2-596E0EE69FD4@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Bill,

You say:
Sorry about posting again but i should have said as well, that the
guys i'm talking about are very busy full-time working musicians.
They've all studied formally, do sessions and teach etc. I think they
were also letting rip on the last tune of the night. I really like
strong black coffee, dark chocolate with 85% cocoa solids and gin - I
didn't like any of those things the first time I tried them though, i
had to work at acquiring the taste

The guys in the jazz bands I was talking about are full time working
pros as well, with extensive formal training.  Some have advanced
degrees in music, some are college level instructors, one has written
film scores, etc.  Why they are interested in having me sit in on
harmonica is a mystery to me, but I sure learn a lot. They insist I
use my pedalboard electronics when i do play  and they seem to like
that.  It's certainly fun and gives me quite a bit of artistic
freedom.  But jazz is something of an acquired taste anyway.  Maybe
not so much the stuff I play on, but the real jazz sure seems to be.
And it seems to me that most audiences don't necessarily have that
sort of sophistication. The audiences in a jazz club are different.
I'm talking about the audiences in a venue that just happens to have
a jazz band that particular night.

Best regards,

JP


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