Re: [Harp-L] Can one make a living playing harp? (Long)



Rob Paparozzi has said it all here. If you wish to make a living, diversify as much as possible in order to eat, but keep your ship going toward your own goals. When I had coffee with Charlie Musselwhite last month, he said it best - "any time anyone gets a gig playing the harmonica and gets paid for it, it's good!!!"

Toots could play enough diatonic to get by if they wanted a sound effect in a movie and I taught Donny Brooks, RIP, enough chromatic to get by on some easy reading. If I can't cut some diatonic gig, I am more than happy to call Rob P. The work goes back and forth between good players.

But I got my Masters in composition studying with Aaron Copland among others at Manhattan School of Music - so on my way up, I arranged, wrote music for dance, orchestrated. wrote movie scores, etc. to get by. It all added to my musical knowledge and the opinion that Charlie expressed = if you are getting paid, it's good.

Harmonically yours,

Robert
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com



You can make a livin playin harp but as you can see from the responses it sure can be quite challenging.

In this day n' age only three players I know of and have tremendous respect for: Robert Bonfiglio and Tommy Morgan and Mickey Raphael play ONLY harmonica for a living. Their income is from PLAYING harmonica! I'd like to add Mike Turk but I'm not sure what he's up to Lately or if he is teaching etc.....who am I forgetting in the USA??

Internationally I'm sure there must be more and hopefully some more in the US that I'm unaware of.....

Though I love players like Toots, Galison, Peloquin, Levy, Madcat, Brendan, Randy S, Baker, Meurkens etc, they either double on others axes, write or have harp related buisness' to generate a portion of their income such as myself. However, we should point out these players do quite well when paid for their expert Harmonica playing services be it live or studio.

Dave Barrett, Gindick, Gruenling, Filisko, Yerxa, also seem to be making a living or supplementing their incomes playing, performing and teaching etc. I have tremendous respect for them and the great work they do fo our instrument......

Then my list gets larger, if we think of diatonic players who JUST play harp you can include Magic Dick and Lee Oskar and Jerry Portnoy. WHEN they were with Full Time bands. Like War, J Geils,and Muddy n' Clapton. Since then they have gotten into other endeavors aside from just playin harp to supplement their income.

Two great players still with us that are retired but made a darn good living with just Harmonica are Stan Harper and Blackie Shackner.

So I guess my point is, if HARP is your first love, don't be discouraged do it!
You may have to add other music related skills ie: reading,doubling, singing, teaching, recordIng, songwriting, contracting....but don't sweat it as it will make you a better Musician and Harp Player in the long run.


My situation as M.Fugazzi points out is rare indeed, but so Is everyone's and you have to do what works YOU and your situation. There IS no magic formula.

I'm 58 have a BA in Sociology and have played Music part time, full time, had day gigs, did construction work, was a Juvenile Probation Officer, played on Broadway, did Studio work with Bo Diddley to Cy Coleman....played in bars and at some of the worlds largest festivals, TV with DOLLY to Boy George....fronted BS&T and The Original Blues Brothers Band on Vocals & Harp.

....It's all good and I was able to raise a family too thru all this craziness! Now that my kids are grown I can travel more w/ my music.

Just like I NEVER think of myself as a either a diatonic player OR chromatic player, a blues player OR a jazz player TB or PUCKERER ..I carry THAT philosophy on with me in my life and music. No neat boxes or genre labels are allowed in MY world of music.

It's just that I love the musical diversity and also LOVE that I can make more money via that ecclectic approach to music. Some can 'specialize' and for them THAT is what works best..I applaud as well.

In the music Biz I play Harmonica, Sing, play Guitar, Piano. My expertise is in Fronting and Leading bands of all styles. I keep 'entertainment' and the art of it HIGH on my list of priorties.

I hope thIs helps shed some lIght on this topic.......do what you do WELL and the Money WILL follow. It matters not whether u play FT or PT, Music will always be THERE for you to give you Joy!

Whether you are performing in a bar a wedding or carnegie hall...give it your all and play like you mean it!!

Kudos to Mitch Kashmar for his diversity in gigs and also Charlie Musselwhite and Toots for crossing over their Blues and Jazz with mainstream artists exposing MANY more to the Harmonica....

My hat is off to the late Norton Buffalo for his amazing diverse approach to music.....he was as huge inspiration for many of us.

My 8 cents,-)

Best,
Rob Paparozzi
www.robpaparozzi.com
Sent from my Verizon crackberry phone!

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