Re: [Harp-L] On the Road Again,,and again

["Bob Laughlin" <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

smo-jo sez,,

listen to the jazz crusaders, jazz
> messengers, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, will exhibit a lot of
> what you're talking about. I basically do Silver & Hubbard material.

I agree, though I've always WISHED I'd done more listening to good jazz. My
first brother in law was into jazz, back around the late sixties, and
introduced me to jazz. I don't always know who I'm listening to, but I like
it. I've been listening to the local station in Long Beach, KJAZZ, 88.1FM,
for several years now.(http://www.jazzandblues.org/index.aspx).

Horace Silver, "For My Father" is one of my favs. I also like the upbeatness
of "the electrified Eddie Harris", "Listen Up". To me, THAT's a cup of joe.
Lot of good jazz to be heard.

Thanks for the references. I'll turn my attentions to these for some good
listening.


> Don't forget the Eagles

Sure.


> >
> > Anyone have any examples of some great harponizing? (This word, my
> > own invention, means two harmonicas harmonizing.) I don't mean just
> > jamming together, but really working out an effective harmony?
>
> Mitch Weiss & Bill Barrett (not David....Bill). Best example of 2
> synchronized chromos I have ever heard. It made my skin crawl.

I'm interested. I'm looking.


Bob sez:

> > How difficult it is to get two, or three people agreeing on
> > something. It's either got to be a kind of dictatorship to keep a
> > band together and successful, or a very effective democracy, with
> > everyone sharing, and everyone taking a turn at the wheel.

smo-joe sez:

> What you need to decide is WHOSE music IS it. Like who is doing the
> cd, show, act. If it's the entire group, then you have to work it
> out, but if it's YOUR project, everyone else bunts because you're the
> home run hitter.
>
> I had started on a project a few times and had to quit because I keep
> running into egos. I have a B3 player who won't tone it down and a
> guitar player who won't lower the volume. I can't deal with that, so
> I'm still looking.


Thanks for the insightful and enlightened responses.

I've usually just "collaborated" with other musicians on stage, but was a
member of a  "california beach-rock" band once for a short time. We played
around in the Long Beach, Ca area, but it got to be too much, as the lead
singer was having difficulty with alcoholism, and as a result couldn't
always remember the words, the chord changes, or the way to the men's room.
The bassist was very controlling, left-brained, and his wife HAD to sing, as
we did rehearsals at his place in their bedroom. She couldn't hit a note if
it hit her first. They called me the "frosting on the cake", but one day the
"frosting" decided to quit the band, and I've felt somewhat guilty ever
since, though I really didn't feel I could continue there. It wasn't up to
my standard, musically, and I had to face that, though I haven't done
anything since, with others, except "guest appearances" off and on at local
dives.

It's inspiring to hear about other musicians with "projects". Something I
should have gotten involved with personally a long time ago, if I'd have
gotten together the recording equipment. Ahh,,but making a living was always
the priority. Whatever paid the bills.

Seems to me, people are SO fortunate to make a living off of their music,
though I must imagine that in some cases, once it becomes "work", it loses
its lustre. Then again, if you don't learn to "work" on things musical,
nothing of permanence gets accomplished.

I was just talking with my sister last night, who recently retired from 36
years in the concert management business. She's heard and handled all the
classical and jazz greats, through her affiliation with USC performing arts,
and Spivey Hall in Georgia. I was telling her of how privileged I would feel
just to be a PART of something as wonderful as a classical symphony
orchestra, I would most probably feel like jumping up and down and shouting
after a successful performance. She, on the other hand, having handled
people professionally, said that she was so tired of orchestral performers
and their egos, their whining for more pay, their unions, etc. They only
seemed to care about it as a job, according to her. Many of them had
somewhat lost their love for good music.

I think the idea of small jazz/blues bands, and having fun, and musical
harmony, and syncopation,,togetherness,, is what attracts me. But like I
tell my son,,"As much as you can in life, surround yourself with beauty, and
music, to tip the balance against the constant noise and the advertising
we're exposed to."

To a great extent, I think music is a means to escaping the great
existential loneliness we tend towards without it.

Bob,,