Re: [Harp-L] RE: Buckeye Cancelled

[steve warner <10reedsbent@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Woh...looks like it hit a few nerves.

This very thing I've been watching and thinking about  for many years.  When
I was blessed with a son, who's first Long Beach Blues Fest was still in the
womb, I had to go to more family oriented locations if I wanted to see
nearly any blues...blues is my thing... so I passed on alot of nights to see
big names and I know many adults who did the same thing.
However, all is not lost.
We have to get in tune with the youngsters if we're going to influence
them.  I once bought a 12 pack of cheapy Johnson Harps for 25 bucks and gave
them to an 8 yr old  neighbor kid.  I'd hear him across the way walking to
his buddies blowing harmonica.  He moved far away, but the seed was planted
anyway.  That same kid I took to the LB Blues Fest with Gold Passes when my
son was  2 because his mom didn't want to go..fine with me.  He got a
picture with the great Floyd Dixon.  He was psyched!   To see his face was
priceless.
There's many things we can do.  I've made custom mics and given them to
newbies.  They are hooked when you do something like that.

In general  teen bands  to  roughly the mid-upper  20's  make some serious
money.  You wonder why the record companies target them and not music where
it's mostly adults?   They're  influenced fairly easy,  they have little or
no responsiblities,  they stay out on weeknights with limited or no work the
next day, no bills or children, so they can blow all their money on CD's and
tee shirts = huge record co. profits.  If the youngsters would be turned
onto harmonica early we can hopefully sway some of them away from the crap
they're fed and they'd tend to spend their money on harp related stuff
because they're into it.  Maybe more "stupid" record companies would turn
their focus a tad because $ talks.  Their friends will notice  if their
teenage buddy plays harp.....I've seen it.

Gary Allegretto is a prime example...Harmonikids founder.   After the
indonesian tsunami he took 1000 Bluesbands over there and had a ball.   You
should hear that story. Then he went to New Orleans' bungalo cities after
the flood.
Not everyone has that kind of time, but it doesn't take much to grab the
attention of a youngster and he/she just may end up being the next David
Barrett or Annie Raines and if they don't that's fine too.  I guarantee
their friends will be influenced by them.
A friend of my girlfriend's son, both 19, had bought some harps and had no
idea what to do with them.   My girlfirend heard this and said, "Talk to
Steve."  I loaded him up with more stuff he ever could imagine.  10 months
later, now, I heard he started  a band where he sings and plays harp.   He
was almost ready to give it up and stick with guitar until I stepped in.
Turns out his dad is a sound guy for real high dollar  bands in
Hollywood/LA.  That seed was planted.  He's a good kid too.  His friends are
noticing that amplified harmonica is a real cool sound.  They had no idea.

Off to the annual Tues night HB street fair where there's musicians and
kids.


On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 7:03 AM, Bill Kumpe <bkumpe@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> 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
>
>


-- 
steve
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