[Harp-L] Toots harmonica patterns



I had several chromatic students in the 70's - Clint Hoover, Randy Singer, Rob Paparozzi, Donny Brooks, etc. that were not interested in classical music and wished to take the chromatic into jazz or at least improvisation. I had a discussion with Toots at his apartment in New York City on the East Side about his approach and he said that he took Charlie Parker II-V-I progressions and played them through 12 keys figuring out which ones fit i the harmonica.

I then had Chris DePino buy a copy of Charlie Parker II-V-I progressions which he still has. It would be interesting to take Winslow's discoveries of how Toots approached his solos and apply them to the ii-V-I Parker progressions. I think the key is the legato around doubled C's and F's.

Harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio


Winslow wrote: Years ago I transcribed several of Toots' solos with an eye to seeing how he came up with melodic patterns that "lay well" on the instrument - my idea of what lay well being very similar to your:

"lines which are based on the layout of the harmonica . . .. lines
that need 'limited' control over all the variables at the same time."







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