Re: Jazz Vs Overblows?

["Mike Curtis" <ironman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>  ... if you care so much about
> playing chromatically, you could play a chromatic.

Well, maybe *you* could ;-)

But I play in a rack.  My two hands play guitar (or sometimes electric
bass).  I stand on one foot.  The other plays organ bass pedals.  I'm out of
"legal-on-stage" appendages to activate the slide, n'est-ce pas?

That's one reason.  Another is that a diatonic sounds different.  While
chromatic can be bent, most chrom players don't use bends.  Replacing
chromatics with fatigued reeds (or reedplates or reeds) can get a little
expensive.  Another thing is the chords.  Diatonic has excellent chords for
first and second positions.  Chromatic is generally a bit better suited
chordwise for 3rd and 10th.

But if our goal is simply to play chromatically (regardless of the sound),
why bother with harmonica at all?  You could take up sax, trumpet, guitar,
keyboard, or any number of other instruments.

I make this suggestion with tongue firmly planted in cheek.  We have so many
different instruments because - well - because they're DIFFERENT!  A
harmonica is not a sax.  Each has unique capabilities and limitations.

Some folks don't like overblows, valved bends, and such.  Some folks don't
like harmonica.  Some folks don't like saxophone or guitar.  Some folks
don't like choc'lit.  And - some folks don't like women.  But I ain't givin'
up any of 'em just because someone else doesn't like 'em.

I've learned some valuable lessons over my 56 years.  When I was 20, I
worried about what everyone was thinking about me.  When I approached my
40's, I quit caring what people thought about.  Now that I'm getting near
60, I realize that no one has been thinking about me.

 -- IronMan Mike Curtis www.ironmancurtis.com www.southlandblues.com
Sundays, 2pm Stagger Inn, 9108 Alondra, Bellflower
exc. Last Sun, Tia Juanas, Irvine (LARHA harp jam)
Tue 8pm (jam) Starboard Attitude, Redondo Beach
Video of "All My Wine"
http://www.studiocam.org/rplayer/rplayermc56.htm