I've been playing music a long time, though I did put it all away for a while....Played trombone in a homestyle jukejoint band... mostly playing delta blues, Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears plus a bit of Maynard Ferguson. I was the trombone player, played through my 3rd year in college, but the road, adventure and whitewater kayaking got control of my Pre-Frontal Cortex and I became an Adrenaline Junkie...
Spent many a year in Kalifornia as a River Guide, taking Turons down the whitewater rivers of the west, quit the trombone and picked up the Harmonica.
a bit in a band in Davis, CA, where we shared the stage once with Camper Van and 10,000 Maniacs.
Band was called Dog Style Blues Band.
But grad school called it's SIREN SONG and I returned home to Louisiana to finish Journalism School and start my career as a Photo-Journalist.
As my travels started taking me all around the world, I found myself with a Harmonica in my pocket all the time...
it's one of the few instruments you can carry in your pocket...
In the last 3 or 4 years, I have become fairly serious at playing the harmonica, and Smoky Greenwell, has been one of my harmonica Idols, along with Micky Raphael. Smokey's brother Chris and I used work together, so Smokey became my source for Lee Oskar harmonica's. http://www.smokeystore.com.
Still getting on the right side of my axe, but lot's of practice and Lee Oskar harmonicas have helped a lot.
Probably the biggest boost to my harmonica playing has been running Sick on the streets of Austin. Playing in the street, has that raw, real love music sort of sound... Sick took me into the musical brotherhood, and introduced me to Michael Rubin.
Rubin has helped me improve 1000% in the last 3 months. I've learned more about the harmonica, and music in general the last year than I have learned in the previous 35 years of playing. Michael Rubin is a masterful teacher and harmonica Sensei. I haven't been an expemplerary student, but I am learing a few things....
As a * NOTE *, Rubin says I have graduated from Harmonica Kindergarden... that means I am of skills sufficient to start 1st grade... Mr Rubin has created a monster...
At present, building a small photography and music studio at my house for a permanent practice space, and looking for a music tribe to settle into. I've been writing some music and poetry off and on for years, but just now getting comfortable in my own skin, and perfecting the sounds enough for public consumption.
I love to campout and whitewater kayak, have attended Burning Flipside and Burning Man...
Last year I finally MADE IT HOME to KFF or Kerrville Folk Festival for you non-kerrverted folk...
Everywhere I went I ran into people I KNOW, and people I have been waiting all my life to meet...
Welcome Home is for real....
