[Harp-L] Our first NAMM



Only had one day passes for Sunday at NAMM, and of course we were running late, didn't get in there until around 1:30 in the afternoon (guess I can blame it on the wife). Fiirst went to the booth for Old Jersey Music where our good buddy Chad Patrick was doing real well w/ his product, The Drum Wallet.  The Hohner booth was a general letdown, no biggie; did make a nice connection for a deal on Tremolo harps from a guy from San Diego at the Suzuki booth. 
 
We were looking for the stairs to go check out another friend playing at the JJ Guitar booth (guitarist Joe Berger; turns out we missed him by an hour or so, he'd already left for his flight back to NY) when I heard some great harmonica in the distance. We followed the sound to a little booth behind another booth, sort of hidden away, for Lee Oskar Harps. And the guy playing the harp turned out to be Lee Oskar. Stood there transfixed for awhile, he was demonstrating some techniques and riffs for a guy who worked for Hohner. Such a treat to watch a true master up close and I think I learned a couple of things in those few minutes. Eventually got up the nerve to ask a question or two, and was a little embarrassed when he asked me what harps I played (Golden Melodies). I sort of stammered that I had gotten used to the spacing on Hohners and that his were different (he agreed, noting that he designed them closer together on purpose). Then just listened to him play some more. Other folks were seeking his attention, so just shook hands, mentioned that I think his playing is the greatest and that I'd had seen him w/ War, and back in '78 saw him play a couple shows w/ the Grateful Dead. Gave him a copy of my wife's CD (the one w/ me playing harp on six or seven tunes): Salt of The Earth by Mobetta Loretta. Who knows? Maybe he'll listen to it in the car. Well, that's my NAMM story.
 
SLH


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