Late Onset Harpist

Recently Hugo Chavez started a radio show that is introduced by some kind of harp flourish after which he launches into variations on a theme of beneficent cuckoodom.  Accompanying the article is this photograph showing Chavez with a harp that would be an unremarkable piece of self promotion except that the harp is backward.  Which got me to thinking about how not to undermine good intentions by looking like a nutcase unusual harp techniques.  For example Harpo Marx used his 5^th finger which no teacher would ever suggest and Michael Cuming from Visions of a Nomad plays his harp backward when he’s also playing harmonica.  Harp and harp, get it?   He wouldn’t be able to wear the harmonica neck brace if the soundbox were against his shoulder as well.  Josh Layne uses his foot across the pedals rocking heel to toe for quick changes which I’ve never seen before.  George Flores has completely remade his relationship to the harp after a motorcycle accident that almost killed him (but not his bad boy spirit).  Diana of Reigning Harps has created a gallery of backward harps in art which reminds me of when I was a kid and tried to draw them.  Somewhere there are lumpy crayoned mermaids holding lutelike harpish objects backwards, forward and sideways bearing my signature.  Immortalized on three-lined paper.  If you’ve seen any unusual harp techniques (self-taught, adaptive or otherwise) please leave a comment.  If you’re a harpist why don’t you post on Gliiss.com where I’ve left the same query.

Read Full Post »