Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] playing sitting down (practicing)

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I too have a weekly residency that suits me pretty well. Three & a half years now....long may your's continue too, Joe.

>>> Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> 2/09/2008 17:04 >>>

On Sep 2, 2008, at 2:26 AM, Rick Dempster wrote:

> Sound's like heaven to me Joe.
> RD

It IS heaven Rick. I have finally found a niche that works. Don't get  
me wrong. Jams are ok and we did that for years, but the problem you  
run into is they were always open jams, and anyone who thought they  
had something to add, would be able to play. This lead to situations  
whereas we would get as many as:
1....trumpet
1....sop sax
2....ten sax
2....alt sax
2....guit
1....bone
sometimes a violin, sometimes a flute, and yada yada ALL trying to  
play on the same tune. Sometimes as many as 11-12 musicians playing.  
Then, the tune gets kinda long. If you play a tune too long, it gets  
boring. Then you have to cut everyone to 1 head OR 1 bridge. Then you  
always have the hot dogs who have to spray the place with  
testosterone as they endeavor to be 'Star for a Day'.

Right now, all I have to do is show up, plug in my Peavey black  
diamond and start a 'restrained, low tones' tune like Take 5, Around  
Midnight, Nightlife, Haarlem Nocturne, Killer Joe, and watch the  
people eating, drinking, talking, and in general having the good time  
they originally set out to do.

smo-joe (aka Barley Miller)