Apologies for not posting before now, but I made the mistake(?) of requesting the complete archives, not realizing what that would involve! My mailbox is loaded and I've been trying to make my way through all the great reading, but find it totally overwhelming in trying to save it all to disk, then transferring to floppy. Extremely timeconsuming, and I'm wondering if there isn't a quicker, less costly way of getting it all. I'm assuming not. Of course my modem is only 2400 baud, which doesn't help the time consumption. But being a collector of harmonica recordings, memorabilia and related interests, I can't pass up the chance to collect the postings from day one! I've really enjoyed reading the tips, suggestions, and general information discussions and dialogue. What a cross section of interests - a unique forum for harmonica players of all stages, from all corners of the earth!
I joined the HarpList purely out of personal interest as a harmonica player, rather than as an official representative of Lee Oskar Harmonicas. My position with Lee is in the Artist Relations department, and working with product information, as well as the service department. We are still a small company but growing fast, thanks to all the players out there who have discovered our unique company, founded and headed by a harmonica professional who takes a personal interest in the players' needs. Having said that, I do not wish to be the "Lee Oskar spokesperson" on the HarpList, but just one of the guys. I have read with interest the references to the Ultimo and other Tombo lines I will comment on them in good time, but any comments made regarding Lee Oskar and/or Tombo must be done in an official context, with corporate approval.
I will be happy to offer my points of view on music theory as it applies to the harmonica, and other tidbits that I may have to offer, but, not being a diatonic or chromatic player on the level of 99.9% of the rest of you, I will leave the technique tips to everyone else. As a bass harmonica player, I will be happy to assist anyone who asks. I will also try to update you on L.A. activities as I become aware of them For starters: The young BRODY BUSTER (now 10 years of age) will appear at Jack's Sugar Shack (8751 W Pico, Los Angeles) with the Bernie Pearl Blues Band on Friday, Sept 23. CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE will be at Dan Aykroyd's House of Blues on the Sunset Strip, Hollywood, together with KIM WILSON, on Sept 30. LEE OSKAR will be at the Baked Potato, Old Town Pasadena, on Oct 1. I will be fortunate to sit in on bass harp on a couple of numbers. Speaking of CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, he told me a couple of days ago that when he appeared on the recent Letterman show, he took advantage of the time allotment and actually played longer than he was supposed to, and Letterman kept trying to cut him off! Charlie enjoyed getting one in there on Dave. That appearance was a last minute arrangement when someone else had to cancel, but Charlie was flown in from California and back for that apppearance!
Sorry to make this so long, but good to finally jump in. A special thanks to both Winslow and Chris for getting me straightened out and getting me on line.