Re: [Harp-L] Casual Harmonica players...

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

 oh, I dunno. "Room to Move" was one of those one of a kind inspirational harmonica tunes that affected me as much as Whammer Jammer.


Mr. Mayall cannot or does not want to play harmonica. In any event, he shouldn't. 

 

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, Jan 18, 2010 11:37 am
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Casual Harmonica players...


I still have a big problem with musicians who think of the harmonica as a toy noisemaker that doesn't need practice. I am constantly amazed at the high regard in which perfectly miserable players (who should know better) are held. 
 
For example, a bluesman whom I otherwise respect greatly is John Mayall. Mr. Mayall cannot or does not want to play harmonica. In any event, he shouldn't. 
 
That having been said, I agree that many harmonica players, with their inferiority complex switched on full, play far too much. Inferiority complex? Sure. I suffer from it as well. I know that our instrument is regarded as a toy by many and I feel the constant need to prove that it is a real instrument. I have to work hard to keep myself from playing too much. 
 
  -LM 
 
BenoÃt FELTEN wrote: 
> I asked myself why these guys' playing appealed to me. And I think the 
> reason is intent. Too often maybe, a harmonica player feels obliged to play 
> something because, after all, he's the harp player. And while that something 
> may sound good and be played with great chops, it doesn't always add to the 
> song. When these guys whip the harp out, it's because it's the right thing 
> to play for this particular song at this particular moment. I dunno, it's 
> just a theory, but that's how I feel it. 
>    _______________________________________________ 
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org 
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx 
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l