RE: [Harp-L] RE: Buckeye Cancelled

["Bill Kumpe" <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>]

My first point is you cannot base your art primarily upon venues where it is
illegal for children to be in attendance and then expect to grow a new
generation of players and expand your base.   My second point is that there
is a huge untapped audience that the harp and blues community ignores.  I
know lawyers, presidents of companies and even ministers who are closet
blues fans but cannot (for social reasons) attend the local venues.  They
have no conflict between the music and their values but a lot of conflict
with most of the venues and especially the perception that would attach to
them from being seen there.  Take my comments at face value.  If you make it
a prerequisite that you be an adult before you can hear a live performance
you will have a hard time replacing your population.  If you make it a
prerequisite that you attend a certain type of establishment to hear your
art you will have a hard time expanding your base beyond those who already
attend those establishments. 

 

My wife and I were in the academic community for a long time.  You could
hear good jazz on campus all of the time, cheap.  Student players, prof's
who played for fun and sponsored performances by big names. All very
respectable.  Good quality music and great fun.  Some of those same jazz
players regularly cross over into church orchestras, play solos occasionally
and may even put together a jazz mass or cantata from time to time.  Why
can't the harp/blues community do the same thing?

 

About gospel players.  They don't need your venues.  You need their
audiences.  

 

Bill Kumpe

Tulsa, OK

 

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From: bostonmoejo@xxxxxxx [mailto:bostonmoejo@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 9:16 AM
To: bkumpe@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] RE: Buckeye Cancelled

 

OK, then why don't YOU present Charlie at a more appropriate (squeaky
clean, local, family friendly) venue and then invite all of your
conservative and or/religious ADULT friends to attend?

I wonder if those dirty bikers (they've certainly been supporting
Charlie throughout his career) will attend?

'Just a thought.

Oh yeah..a gospel harmonica group as opening act sounds like a
winner!!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Kumpe <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, Apr 19, 2011 10:04 am
Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Buckeye Cancelled

I have long suggested that the harp community needs to encourage family
friendly playing opportunities and performance venues if they want to
attract a new generation of players.  Let me explain my logic.  In
order to
want to play, you have to hear the instrument played and played well.  I
can't speak for other cities, but here in Tulsa the best harp playing is
usually heard in venues that are inappropriate for children.  (I
frequently
have a hard time getting my conservative and or/religious ADULT friends
to
attend performances at clubs, bars, etc. No matter who is playing,
there is
just no way are going to amble on down the local biker bar even if
Charlie
Musselwhite is playing.   So, I would suggest the harp community divert
some
effort into developing squeaky clean, local, family friendly venues.
Further, there are not a lot of harp playing opportunities for young
harp
players.  You may have a promising twelve year old kid who could use
performance experience who would also encourage other young players. 
But,
you certainly aren't going to invite him out to play the weekly jam at
Bluto's Blue Note Bar and Grill.  You'd be breaking the law by sneaking
him
in and no kids would hear him.  We need places where kids this age can
mingle, learn and  be mentored by older players.   A lot of kids start
their
music career/hobby in church.  But, when was the last time you heard
harp
played in church?  I have heard it once in the past twenty years and
then it
was not a particularly good performance.  So, perhaps we need to
encourage
gospel harmonica as well so that venue can open up to young harp
players.




Just some thoughts.



Bill Kumpe

Tulsa, OK



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