Re: [Harp-L] Re: scary fast harmonica

[Robert Paparozzi <chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Garry,

Amazing...! I don't get called much anymore for wedding work, I guess the DJ
took care of that. I can say that over the course of my career I must have
played 1500 plus weddings and YOURS was the only one that I was asked to
play 'the orange blossom special' back in those days I when I started
playing weddings in the 70's I was hired as a singing guitarist. My chops
were just OK so when they played STANDARDS like WAVE or WHAT ARE YOU DOING
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? I would pull the chromatic out of my back pocket when
it came time to SOLO....that is what you call 'on the job training',-)

In the 80's when I did YOUR wedding I switched to PIANO but all the synths
start coming out and I wasn't interested in learning the new technology. By
the end of the 80's I said to the bandleader (my brother) "I want to get off
the PIANO and just Sing and play Harmonica like I do with our Blues band".

So we fired the SAX player, I learned the polkas, cha-chas and whatever I
had to so I could be the HARMONICA PLAYER in the band. But I have to say, I
really think it was YOUR WEDDING that gave me the confidence that a wedding
band COULD succeed with a HARP player out front...so THANX for believin' in
me,-)...now I do about 2 weddings a year if I'm lucky and I don't think I
can play that fast anymore!

Call me when the kids are gonna get married..I'll recommend a good DJ!!!,-)

Rob Paparozzi (semi-retired wedding harmonicist)
www.myspace.com/hudsonriverrats





On 2/8/09 6:15 PM, "Garry Hodgson" <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Bill Otten wrote:
>> There was a player from a band called Blues Traveller who shall go unnamed
>> here in order to avoid resurrecting THAT old argument, but I think that
>> player was responsible for this speed nonsense.
> one of the first harp pieces that really floored me, way back
> in the 70's, was Charlie McCoy's take on "orange blossom special".
> i'd guess that'd rate as fast in most people's estimation, yet it was
> just right.  i agree with richard, you play what suits the music.
> 
> as it happened, a few years later (1982) we were auditioning bands
> for our wedding, and found one with a harp player that could play
> "orange blossom special" just like charlie.  fast, but not too fast.
> we hired them on the spot. they played that song at our wedding
> reception.  only discovered a year or so ago that
> the harp player was none other than rob paparozzi. go figure.
> 
> as for popper, he had a sound that fit his music, and it worked.
> no problem there.
> 
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All the best,
Rob Paparozzi

email: 
chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rob¹s My Space (check for upcoming Gigs!)
http://www.myspace.com/hudsonriverrats

Rob¹s Session Sites:
http://www.esession.com
http://www.sessionplayers.com
http://www.nysingerscollective.com

Rob¹s Web Page:
http://home.earthlink.net/~chromboy/