Re: [Harp-L] Players don't participate

[joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

When I think RR, I always think of railroad, rock & roll, Ruby & the  
romantics, Roy Rogers, or rest & relaxation. But in this case ROGER  
and RICK have both raised some interesting items. Items that I didn't  
include because I thought you were looking for the more obscure reasons.

Roger A Gonzales wrote:
>  He or she might be looking for a particular player for a band they  
> are putting together and a jam is a good place to go for that.

This is a big item. But I feel that listening to a prospective player  
in a jam setup isn't the most ideal situation that one might expect  
to hear the player at their best. On the other hand, the several sax  
players that I have known play EXACTLY as if they were the only  
person there, so I guess this thought is valid. :)

>   Or, if they are a good player that REGULARLY attends a jam but  
> doesn't bring an
> instrument or participates they might be one of those unfortunate  
> musicians of the world
> that has an " I'm above all this"  attitude which would make them  
> unpleasant to be around
> and in that case you don't want them playing anyway.

BIG BIG item. I happened to have known a famous player who eschewed  
to several kleptos. Kleptos that I had heard before from other  
sources. One of his kleptos was to never play a tune that he wasn't  
willing to do at the dance, concert or album gig. This usually  
attributed to Guy Lombardo. Another was to never work cheap and  
definitely never for free. This usually attributed to Groucho Marx.

This famous player was a chart player and although he allowed as how  
his favorite player was a fellow named Jean Batiste Teilemans, and  
would give his right arm to be able to play like him, he NEVER  
jammed. Admitted that he couldn't improvise. His thing was to always  
sound exactly the same. No matter what nor when. He wanted to sound  
the same in 1995 as he did in 1985, 1975, 1965, 1945, and 1935. He  
felt that this continuity was the key to HIS success. He would be  
like McDonald's. You KNEW what you were getting. And there would be  
no mystery.

I knew another famous player who felt he was above the clouds. While  
he put on the nice guy exterior, and had everyone fooled. He didn't  
fool me. He was actually plastic. He had a laughing arrogance about  
him. You would ask a simple question like "How are you"? and get an  
answer like "Compared to what"? Wouldn't carry a conversation.

Rick Davis brushes on this aspect. There are some players who are so  
vain, that they think the song is about them. Well, listen I don't  
want to give the wrong idea, and I sure as he!! don't want to hurt  
anyone's feelings but we are all just people. Some more talented,  
some worked harder, some struggled, some gave up everything for harp.  
But No one is the all seeing all knowing eye of India. Some people  
need to look into the looking glass and ask themselves this  
question.....Where do I stand in the big enchilada of life?   And  
then come down a few jalapenos.

just my opinion      Smokey Joe
>