[Harp-L] Sacking the Blind

["David Priestley ( for harp-L)" <dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Hi there
On the flip side of my blind leading the bind story, I have had occasion 
to sack a blind harmonica player for not reading the music. Here's how 
it came about.

I was putting together a harmonica quintet with Bass & Chord Harmonicas 
in the rhythm section, two blues-harp players and a slide chromatic 
player. The idea was that the 3 melody harps would make up a horn 
section style sound along with the lead player. Sometimes a 10 hole 
diatonic would carry the lead and at other times the slide chromatic 
would take the lead.

I wanted the expressive sounds that diatonic harps make when bending 
notes with spot on pitch control. They really do sound good when playing 
in section. I spent a season playing the inside harmony in a horn 
section but working on a harp, it did wonders for my pitch control and I 
can recommend it to anyone. It was that experience that gave me the idea 
for this non-standard harmonica ensemble. I don't know why but it seems 
the short harp doesn't get used much in harmonica groups.

About 90% of our set was original music that I wrote for the group. The  
chromatic player was blind. I gave him his parts as  solo parts on tape, 
as minus one tapes and even as  music in the Braille system. Yet he 
would persist in going his own merry way and improvising all the time 
once he had played the head.

I told him that by persisting in his approach he was disrespecting the 
work I put in as the composer and worse he was disrespecting all the 
hard work that the other players were putting in. All the players did 
have spaces where they could improvise.

Well time went on and he simply wouldn't be told, so  in the end I 
sacked him for not reading the music.

On other projects where I've had the job of Music Director on a project 
I've  heard the whispers " You want to watch your self with this guy, 
he's a real hard ass. Once he even sacked a blind guy for not reading 
the music".

There is almost nothing so strange as life - All the best - David

--
D Priestley AKA Dr Midnight.
England's first  harmonica Guru.

Do feel free get in touch.
Harmonica lessons POA,(10 = 20% discount,&  20 = 25% discount).

I teach from: 51 Barkston Gdns, the basement flat&  On-Line,
Email me or call me to book lessons or get more info.

E-mail= dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx
Website= http://www.cognitionarts.com/
Phone=(44) 0207 373 0295