[Harp-L] beyond Big River

[Winslow Yerxa]

I've done three productions of Big River. I also played Floyd Collins, a musical about a guy trapped in a cave in 1925 (true story). That one is a far more difficult book. It isn't produced very often.

About two years ago I got a call from the company that had hired me for Floyd Collins. They were looking for someone who could play the guitar and harmonica parts simultaneously to cut costs. This happens to be physically impossible, as you need two hands for the jaw harp and bass harmonica parts (also tambourine). Even without that, the harmonica book and guitar book are booth too demanding to play both at once. And most guitarists who play rack harmonica (of course there are exceptions) are not very good at harmonica.

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
Producer, the Harmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition: ISBN 978-1-118-88076-0
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool Community Music School
President emeritus, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica



________________________________
From: Robert Hale <robert at xxxxx>
To: "harp-l at xxxxx" <harp-l at xxxxx> 
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2017 4:26 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] beyond Big River



A few of us in the US are fortunate to have worked harp in productions of

Big River.

I hoped it would be a step to additional opportunities. Appears to have

been a one-off. Two in my case.


Veterans of Big River: Did you get called for harp in any other musicals?


Robert Hale

Serious Honkage in Arizona

youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL

DUKEofWAIL.com