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From: GEORGE_STACHN~P-SantaClara-om13.om.hp.com
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 16:43:14 -0700
Subject: ASSIGNMENT ONE

**************
ASSIGNMENT ONE
**************

SECTION ONE: who are you?
Name's george -

o what's your musical experience?
Harp was the first instrument I learned. My mother bought me a
"Herb Shriner Harmonica Kit" when I was about 8. I got an official
Herb Shriner Harmonica, and a book. Was playing "Home Sweet Home"
in a day or two. In the years since then, I've dabbled with the
guitar, tenor banjo, bass, piano and violin. But the harp's still
my musical base.

o how long have you been practicing?
On and off, ever since I was 8 - (that would make it about 39
years). In high school I got a part time job working as an usher
at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. I used to go to the theater
straight from school - about 2-3 hours before I was supposed to
show up for work. I'd bring my harp (by then I'd graduated to
chro) and play in the theater before the doors opened. Kind of
spooky, but a great sound. I would go for months even years
without playing at all - but I'd always come back.

o what have you been doing to practice?
These days I direct a church choir in San Jose, and I play harp
occaisonally in that context. Mostly I play at home, or with
friends.

o how good are you? (hard to answer, i know.)
"Well shucks ma'am..." he said in his shy midwestern drawl,
dragging the toe of his boot in the dust. "I guess I'm about as
good as any other harpsucker in these parts..." (Actually, I've
come to prefer the term 'harpitologist'... :^)

o what harps do you have?
I had an old Hohner Chrom (forget the model number - the 3-octave
model with the round holes) that went belly up last year. My wife
bought me a Leghorn to replace it. It's OK - but I liked my old
Hohner better. I've also got about 12 diatonics (not a matched
set), including a couple of Lee Oscars, some Hohners, some Huangs,
a Hot Metal - in various keys.

o what's your taste in harp music?
In Chicago, (my home town) there's a municipal ordinance that says
you *must* play the blues before reaching the maturity age. So I
tend to lean toward the southside. (Chicago Blues) ;)

o what harpful [new adjective, i just made it up] cds do you have?
I have both of Sugar Blue's CDs (the two currently in release - and
I'd like to hear some of his older stuff if anybody knows where to
find it). J Geil's "Full House" (with Magic Dick) still holds up
after all these years. Same with "Wooden Nickel" (Siegel-Schwall
Band). Then of course there are the classics: "Best of Muddy
Waters" (w/Little Walter). I've got a couple of compilations that
include stuff from Charlie Musselwhite, Bluestime (Magic Dick's
band), Sugar Blue, etc etc.

o include any personal stuff you care to share.
Eh? Shouldn't we get to know each other first? Go out to dinner?
Maybe a movie?

SECTION TWO: what's your geek factor?

o can you browse the web?
Yep

o do you have a sound card?
Yep

o can you play a WAV file from a web page?
Yep

o can you play a WAV file if it's attached to an e-mail?
Yep

o do you have a microphone attached to your sound card?
Yep. But don't stop now! (What is this? Geekus Interruptus?). I
also have the software to do MP3 compression, and create realtime
audio files.


SECTION THREE: how do you want to proceed?

o would you rather have this group in a separate discussion
group, not part of harp-l? (yes, no, don't care)
No matter

o i suggest we start by chosing a song, breaking it down
into small sections and discussing the sections. does that
sound good to you?
It's the reason I turned in this assignment. Yes.

o if that sounds good, what song would you like to dissect?
I'll gladly go along with anything the group wants to do. I
realize that the beginners will want easy tab (I can still play a
mean version of "Home Sweet Home"). But personally, I'd learn more
from more advanced seletions. Here are a few suggestions:
* "Hush-Hush" (the old Jimmy Reed tune) as recorded
by the Siegel-Schwall Band - specifically Corky
Siegel's solo at the beginning of the version that
appears on the Wooden Nickel album.
* "Whammer Jammer" is one of the best harp solos from the
J. Geils Band (on the "Full House" album). There were
plenty of others.
* "Gucci Gucci Man" or just about anything else by Sugar Blue
* I guess some of John Popper's work with Blues Traveler
would be interesting.
* "Juke" (of course - although it's been done a lot).
* "Christo Redemptor" by Charlie Musselwhite



**********************
END OF ASSIGNEMENT ONE
**********************