Total Shots taken	59
Number Acceptable for Future activity	10
Number of 5 star ratings (5* yield %)	6 (10.2 %)

 

 

I applaud those who pursue music as their vocation, especially if they opt to pursue a musical career on the wave of a less obvious instrument.  So, I applaud Harp, a local musician and harmonica player (yes, that’s right – harmonica), whom I met on a recent Sunday afternoon.   I enjoyed the opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with a professional musician, and the challenges he faced.  In doing so, I asked him about his music, how he chose this particular instrument, etc. I felt like a photo journalist interviewing the musician for the liner notes commentary!

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Harp, getting to know him, learning his story, and more about his chosen instrument. He has played music on the local scene for many years as part of a band, but is now pursuing his passion as a solo harmonica player as well. When he is performing at a venue, he wears a belt with as many as 12 harmonicas – that is so he can play any song in his repertoire. He is not defined by a specific music genre, and plays pop, funk, gospel, and as he reluctantly stated, a tiny, tiny, amount of blues.

Bright, sunny day. Good music. Good conversation. How could I NOT have some 5* images? Here are the ones I selected:

• Harm – The Man: Enjoying the day in Hyde Park. I like the reflection in the glasses and the backdrop of neighborhood buildings.
• Chromatic Harmonicas – Harp had two harmonicas with him, one with 12 holes, and the other with 16, both chromatic.  Chromatic harmonicas are distinguished from diatonic harmonicas by the movable slider and button on the end.
• Minor Adjustments – Before playing, Harp wanted to turn the slider over on the smaller of the two harmonicas. In this image, I loved the play of light on his jewelry, and the shapes made by the shadows.
• Play Man, Play – Harp would not let us leave without playing, and I am glad he didn’t. I had the multiple joys of listening to the music, reflecting on the conversation, and taking photos. Talk about sensory overload! Not only that, Harm made a point of playing songs we might recognize like “The Lady In My Life” (Michael Jackson) – a wonderful rendition on the harmonica!

This certainly was a fun way to spend the afternoon. Hope you enjoy these 5* images from my Sunday outing.