LETTER FROM THE HARMONICA DISPATCH 1989
This is a copy of a copy of a note sent to Dick Smith, most likely the editor of Harmonica Dispatch, which is most likely a newsletter for a Harmonica Club, which is most likely, still playing the same tunes as they were when this was written, and most likely in the same way. (Before The Internet made us all use Blogs from WordPress, apparently, there were Harmonica Clubs in buildings.)
I thank Danny G., of NewHarmonica.Com, for sending me this article. I've heard that he's a Good Resource for Harmonica Stuff, and I believe it. Of course, I'd believe it more, if he'd send me a couple of free hohner deluxe 270's, in fact, I'll put an email link HERE so he can email them to me. Thanks in advance, Danny, your generosity is Legend.
This article speaks to several interesting subjects covered in this website, and on some outliers.
- Reading Music
- Moving Harmonica Playing into whatever century we're in now
- Raising the level of Harmonica playing
- Why are Players of almost every other instrument able to quickly form in groups and play together and make music that's not in the key of C?
- Why do accordion players get to have Consorts?
- Players vs Owners (no reference to the National Hockey League, if such a thing exists, this is about The Harmonica)
NOTE: I think that the basic "Let's Get The Chromatic Harmonica The Respect It Deserves", is, for the most part, a spurious venture. (Exception:see the sidebar on the left "A THOUGHT" over on the left).
Nobody would accuse, Tommy Morgan or Toots of playing a marginally acceptable instrument, at least not to their faces.
Respect goes with the player, and his/her music, not the instrument.
Worrying about Getting Respect for The Instrument has a bit of cop-out potential.
Simply taking YOUR playing to the highest level you can, and then topping that level, day after day, will be a Job Well Done.
The writer of The Letter, didn't mince words, for sure, but I do get it. From his Professional Viewpoint, he's totally correct. It's not always easy for Professionals to appreciate that others might just aim for being amateurs.
It took me some time to realize that fact, but I finally got it.
And I've apologized for my short-sighted-ness more than once (4 times yesterday alone.)
Enough people had viewpoints on this article that I made a Comments Page in the Articles Tab, so go there if you want to read what a few people have to say. This is NOT going to be blog, we all have better things to do.
And NOW, The Letter: (No connection to Nathaniel Hawthorne, this one's in black and white, and the sexual connotations, while to the wise observer, are there, they're not as obvious.)
