Re: [Harp-L] Your First Time

[Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bill Kumpe wrote:
> I would be interested in hearing about the experience that gave some of the
> folks on the list the music bug.
The music ran on my father's side. He could sit down at the piano and 
play by ear. His uncle, Gus Kahn was a big-time song writer. My mother 
was not musical, but wanted me to be.She bought me a piano when I was 5. 
Had lessons. Teacher noted that I had perfect absolute pitch and could 
play by ear. She immediately set out to stop that nonsense, and I 
stopped taking lessons shortly thereafter.

At age 9 I took up the trombone, a good choice as I went to a military 
prep school. Sitting in a band room was a whole lot better than marching 
around with a rifle in the hot So. Cal. sun. I continued playing in 
marching and concert bands with the trombone through college.

After I finished school, I wanted to have a rock/blues experience. But I 
was pretty sure it wasn't going to be on the trombone. Then someone 
bought a new blues album and let me hear it. It was the self-titled Paul 
Butterfield album. That album set the hook. (I still consider Paul to be 
one of the best technicians of all time.) I worked hard with that album 
and a bunch of other blues albums I could find. A year later, I was with 
a band, gigging in LA and recording.

After a few years, however, with the start of my family in sight, I 
decided that I did not want to tour and chose to pursue a career I had 
already started in information technology instead. I continued to 
practice and play with people from time-to-time. I worked on my playing, 
both diatonic and chromatic, while taking some music courses at UC 
Berkeley and some correspondence courses with Berklee.

When I first heard Howard Levy, everything changed for me. I had always 
loved the sound and intimacy of a diatonic harp and played the chromatic 
only because I was not aware of the techniques that allow me to treat my 
diatonics as chromatic.

Since I have retired, I now have the time to pursue music seriously 
again. I have a band, practice all day long if I want and teach diatonic 
harmonica using a methodology I have developed.

I certainly don't regret my choice to do IT instead of music. I love 
computers and electronics, and I am proud to have been part of the 
technological revolution for the last 55 years. But I sure am glad I 
have time again to play and teach music to my hearts content.

-LM