[Harp-L] Courage and self-criticism

[dennis moriarty <dmoriarty@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Funny or curious or coincidental or something like that. Some years  
back I was put in front of a critical panel. I think I competed with  
30 or 40 harp players but I might be way off in the quantity of  
competitors. It was also the only time I met Paul deLay. I took a  
solo vacation in California about 9 years ago. D. Baretts Masterclass  
was going on in San jose. Probably one of the first. I went almost by  
accident after a visit to Big Sur. After a day of classes and being  
surrounded by icons I went to a club where there was a competition.  
And maybe a concert with M. Hummel. I forget. Anyway I'm wall- 
flowering it towrds the back when Lee Oscar's roommate and friend  
starts talking to me. i remember him showing me some prototype of a  
circuit board they were experimenting with adding to a harmonica. So  
this freindly guy, lubricated with alcohol, insists I put my name  
down on the compitition list. He says "you came all the way out from  
NYC you gotta get up there". So feeling more intimidated by him than  
the competition I sign my name. He walks away satisfied after which I  
go back and remove my name. Finally I'm so embarrassed by my own  
cowardice (up in front of a big audience of harp players And  judges)  
and being caught by Lee's friend that I put my name down again.  
Eventually I get up on a Sonny Jr or something fancier than I was  
used to. I even remember the harp I played: a Meisterclasse in d. And  
I placed: 2nd or 3rd. I don't remember. Iceman won 1st place. Lee's  
friend was beaming and me: I felt like I went from the periphery into  
the circle. Lee signed a harp as a prize. He was on the panel. The  
next day Winslow came up to me. He was on the panel too. I believe he  
commended my phrasing while critiquing my psychology: "You need to  
take the audience, you had them, you were too held in", I'm  
paraphrasing but it was something like that. I have to tell you: And  
I think this has to do more with integration into a club you want to  
belong to than ego. That was one of the best evenings of my life.  
Like discovering you have a voice. Hope this doesn't sound too  
indulgent and I may be off a little in my memory but damn that  
galvanized me. I still got the natural minor I won. And later got  
kind of friendly with Lee. Of course one night here in NY I was  
soloing and a fixed bridge in my mouth cracked off and I continued to  
solo out of....Well that's a different story. d
http://www.myspace.com/blowintheblues