I have had a rough couple of months in all aspects of my life, and in the last couple of weeks things have really started to weigh down on me. Most of what has been happening is out of my hands and I have learned to live with these things, but it has taken a lot out of me lately.
Recently, there has been a theme of sorts with co-workers around, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I have found this to be stunningly true, and in some ways, during these not so fun times, it has made a profound impact on my life that has given me quite the balcony view on where I sit in the grand scheme of things. Here is a sort of play on that theme from this past weekend.
I moved to southern, MN, at the age of 23. At that time I started playing harmonica and by 24 was commuting 1.5 hours nearly every Tuesday for a year to take lessons with Clint Hoover.
Clint showed me pretty much everything. I went in knowing about the basics and could even noodle around the blues scale...and play some unmusical flashy stuff. We had a great friendship as I had no interest in having him show me how to play Butterfield and Little Walter stuff like everyone else, but was more interested in being taught technique and theory (I learned to tab out the Butter/LW stuff on my own!).
Anyways, I run into him from time to time now five years later having literally gone through all of his music to leech ideas, learning his tricks of the trade, and following his advice from his lessons.
So he pops into the last half hour of my gig the other night. The crowd is wanning and I am totally shot from two gigs on 4 hours of sleep. I don't realize he is in there and just go on doing my thing as best I can. We play Little Wing, a couple of originals, and then end with Whippin' Post. My eyes are mostly closed throughout playing and I am pushing myself to really just go for things and not worry about falling on my face. For the second night I am to the point where I've gotten out what I needed to go on through this week. I have exhausted myself for the evening and have tried to play my heart out for the 15 or so people left in the bar, all of which are very engaged with the band.
He walks up at the end of the set and he looked like a proud father (which is interesting since my family has almost no interest in my music). We had a great conversation and he made some comments that truly mean a lot to me. Clint is extremely humble and an amazing chromatic player who is able to do many things on diatonic that will take me years to figure out. His sense of melody and his expression on the short harp is truly top tier.
Here I am, on stage, my one place to get away from the world, and the teacher, MY teacher appears. And this time, it isn't to necessarily teach me how to get through a life lesson or learn from experience or any of the other crap going on, but rather to help me understand that I am on the right track and have come a long way. The student was ready, the teacher appeared, and all was well for a little while!
Good for you Mike. I do not use the word "empathy" casually but trust me I'm empathic. In the last year or so my girlfriend (who since broke up with me) and I had twins, then I got fired, then I was diagnosed with cirrhosis (and its co-morbidities) from hepatitis C (after being sober decades too). So getting up there and blowing the blues means the world to me......Once again: Congrats on experiencing "teacher pride" (does it get more personally rewarding than that?). d ---------- Myspace: dennis moriarty
"Your powers are weak old man. You should not have come back. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner. Now, I am the master."
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 7:05 PM
cool story,Buddha cracked me up on that,yea and pull out flashin harmonicas like light sabers,I am your father luke
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 8:15 PM
Well HarpNinja, You experienced the ultimate high for musicians. The moment when you relaize that the master is now an equal. Oh, he'll still wow you with his technique and you will still learn from him but you are no longer tied to him and he will learn equally from you. You are your own musician with your own muse. Fantastic story. Thanks for sharing.
On another note, Not sure I can envision Little Wing with any harp in it. Not even sure I'd accept that the harp is a fit. Not to say that there aren't those that can play it on the harmonica just not sure that the harp would add anything to it. Got a clip of you playing that?
It is funny that as I was writing the op, I kept thinking of Vader striking down Obi! Lol!!!
As far as LW with harp...Buddha does it in 11th, I waffle from 11th or 12th based on mood, Yonnet does it in more of a blues harp fashion (which isn't technically correct).
I think most who can't envision it with harp maybe assume that it has to sound like blues harp, but it doesn't. You should hear our version of Hey Joe...with all harp leads...screaming 3rd position classic rock! The solo section also has an Em vamp for a bit that's pretty trippy. Sorry, but I don't have a clip of that.
There is a version of my Whippin' Post solo on YouTube too, but to be honest, it is a couple of years old and one of the first times we've played it. I do a much better job now.
Isn't the drummer awesome? He's related to the Jackson family and has toured with both Michael and Janet.
All of those VHS tapes you see on the top shelf are all porno that has soundtracks written by the bassist. Since 1977 the bassist made up all of those porno groove for the largest porn producer in the industry. Yes, he's a little twisted but he's a millionaire and made it playing bass.
The guitar that is being used was Robben Ford's 335 about 15 years ago. Victor was invited to play one night and didn't have his guitar. After Vic scorched the room, Robben gave it to him and said he wasn't worthy to play it again after Vic made it sing the way he does.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
You have an mp3 of LW where you have an awesome solo. I think Vic is playing on that too...Malan was the bassist? ---------- Mike Fugazzi vocals/harmonica MySpace YouTube Twitter Facebook Album Ordering
