Re: [Harp-L] Tuff Shows to Fill !

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Don Brooks did a great job of developing a harmonica book that was fun to play and completely idiomatic for second-position diatonic harmonica. 

Before I knew that the harmonica part had actually been developed by a harmonica player in workshop, I marveled that any non-harmonica playing arranger could have written stuff that took such great advantage of the strengths of the diatonic and laid out so nicely.

Big River is a fun show to play - all the crowd scenes that make it so good for youth productions, the comedy and chases and so forth. In at least one production they had me in costume and on stage during some of the action, integrating the harmonica into the scene.

The second half has a lot less harmonica, but I was encouraged to  read over the should of the bass clarinet player, double the fiddle, etc. (or you could just bring a good book).

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Thu, 1/28/10, Rob Paparozzi <Chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Rob Paparozzi <Chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Tuff Shows to Fill !
To: "Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010, 6:35 AM

I know Chris Bauer is gettin' ready to do BIG RIVER down in Philly, so as we say in harpland for good luck,-) "Break a Reed Chris!"

I actually broke a Jaw Harp Reed on stage one night, I plunked it on the E'ntracte and saw it whip into the audience....hope nobody got hurt,-)

Here's a snippit of the late Don Brooks....but if I were y'all, I'd buy the whole soundtrack...99cents tho will get u one HOT solo....
There will never be another Don Brooks! and Kenny Kosek on Fiddle is just as amazing a player!


http://www.amazon.com/Entracte-Big-River/dp/B000V8E75U

PS...I remember one night I was backstage at the O'Neill theatre getting ready to sub for Donny and I was chatting with John Goodman who played the role of "Pap Finn" he was getting into character and he said,

"you goin in for Donny Boy?...thems tuff shoes to fill"............he sure was right...I somehow got thru it.-)


best,
Rob 
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