[Harp-L] two in one

[Jim Fitting <jfitting@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

First as far as the future of live blues, I think there is an incredible amount of pressure on the small to medium music venues, economic and otherwise. Here in the Boston area they have added new fire regulations in the last few months which make it much tougher on the clubs. For example Club Passim in Cambridge had to cut their capacity by 35 seats in June. This is all fallout from the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island 10 years ago where all those folks got killed when the band Great White set off their pyrotechnics in a tiny club. The insurance rates for clubowners shot up within months of the fire, and the fire codes have continued to tighten over the past decade. At least there is still a vibrant music scene, though there really aren't many blues clubs per se. I have always shied away from playing in a strictly blues format, I just like good music. So I am probably not the best judge of the blues scene here...
But that brings me to my second point about harmonica music that is not strictly blues. Have you heard the new Hazmat Modine cd "Cicada"? It is terrific. To me, it is the most creative harmonica album I have heard this year, and features two excellent harmonica players: Wade Schuman the band leader, and Bill Barret playing lots of great chromatic. They are a bit under the radar, on the tiny Barbes label, but check out their website for starters: hazmatmodine.com
Jim Fitting