Re: Sleazy Chromatic Bluesy Techniques

[hippo@xxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Messenger)]

At  6:02 9/19/94 -0500, yekkim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>Howdy.. I've been a Jazz Guitar/Bass/Piano player for approximately a
>million years and have recently (within a year) picked up the chromatic (a
>3 octave) harp and play it incessantly while driving.. I can pretty easily
>play jazz (stuff transferred via my knowlege from other instruments) and in
>general love playing the thing.. My question which seems like it would be
>pretty common, is : What are the possibiliies of getting those thick brass
>reeds to make all the beautiful bluesy sounds that good blues harp players
>do? Is it a waste of time? Anyone on record to listen to..

Little Walter cut some pretty definative chromatic blues tracks - your best
bet is the Chess double album, if it's still available, or the Big Boss
Blues CD.  You should easily be able to tell which tracks are on the
chromatic.  My personal favourite is "I'm Ready".

I use the chromatic some for blues, but don't do much bending.  I prefer to
use tongue blocking to get the octaves and discords (block off two or three
holes with the tongue and play the notes either side).

Mark Wenner (from the Nighthawks) plays a mean chromatic.  His tape,
"Nothing But", has some sublime chromatic work on it, although I've never
seen him play chromatic with the Nighthawks.

>blah blah..
>thanks.. Please respond before I rear-end a cop while playing harp while
>driving...

"Arrested for driving while blind"

>
>                                                        m.

   -- hugh