Re: [Harp-L] Entertainment/ Muse (not exactly harp content...)



Expectations. If you can't control people's expectations, they control you. Jazz, smooth jazz, classical; people expect instrumentals. Country, blues, rock; people expect vocals. How would you know it's a country song if you couldn't play it backwards and have your woman come home, your truck start running and your dog come back to life? If you don't meet, or exceed peoples expectations, they will be disappointed unless you are good enough to make them think they are on the road to Damascus. That seems to be true in nearly everything in life, kind of like gravity or something. Think about when Dylan went electric; a crowd that expected acoustic bood him. Expectations.

If I'm not mistaken, the people who say that you don't need vocals are all thinking jazz or classical. How many people who play rock, country, or blues have no vocals in their performance?

I recently went to a performance where Jason Ricci played and Chris opened. I expect instrumentals from Chris, and go back to hear more. I could listen to Jason play instrumentals all night, but I also enjoyed Jason's vocals, right on down to what he was singing about. Jason may be on the road and not reading this thread, but when he pops in on the list I'd like to see if he would say that he considers going all instrumental, even though his harp playing is his draw.

Peace and music,
Dave







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