Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: 7-10/ Now - Harmonica players as sidemen

["Bob Laughlin" <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A lot of assumptions there, Liz, about me, about my statement, about "what's right" for everyone.

First of all, as a musician, and an artist, which I give, to everyone making attempts to be one, I have my personal preference, and my artistic taste. That's my right, right? Why should I be shamed, castigated, or otherwise dragged to the gallows for having stated my opinion, simply because it differs from your own?

Secondly, I find no difficulty in preferring to think of the harmonica, and here I need some clarification, the DIATONIC harmonica as primarily a supportive instrument. I'm not making laws here. I'm stating an opinion. Just as much as my 20 year old son is tired of hearing people "shredding" up and down the fingerboard of an electric guitar, and has turned to classical guitar as a result, I've grown tired of hearing people using the harmonica to "shred", basically. Once it's been shown that that's possible, I'm impressed, but I wouldn't want to live with it day after day. Would you? What's YOUR "desert island" music sound like? Harmonica shredding? Not mine. I like things I can relax a bit more with. I like Latin Jazz, ZZ Top, Hendrix, and yes, JR,,but if I were stranded on a desert island, I would want something a bit less vigorous, and more relaxed. Stevie, Toots, they're fine. Maybe even R.L. Burnside, doing "It's Bad, You Know" (wish I could post a sound file here,,it's one of my favorite harp pieces). Things that are less intrusive, more gentle on the nerves are easier to live with on a long-term basis. Guitar, or harp shredders are not. It's the high velocity personality, expressed in and through the instrument.

Maybe my statement was too general. I surely didn't mean Toots, or Robert Bonfiglio. I'm certain that either of them are fine musicians. But I'm primarily a cellist at heart. I grew up listening to orchestral music, beautiful, wonderful pieces that didn't assault the senses, but put me to sleep as I lay on the couch at home. Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings,,,gently brings me to tears. Grieg's piano concerto in A Minor. Things like that cause me to weep for the sheer beauty and gentleness expressed. It's not often, in the music world these days, that a gentle personality, and not merely a show-off, is represented.

Charlie McCoy? Sure, it's impressive. But after hearing "Orange Blossom Special" once, I know it can be done, and I'm through with it for a long period of time. It's not what I would play every day.

Everyone has their own style of taste. Everyone's entitled to have it, regardless of others bemoaning their lack of it.

BL
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx 
  To: rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 8:42 AM
  Subject: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: 7-10/ Now - Harmonica players as sidemen


  Bob writes (major snip):

  "I am of the opinion that harmonica has a great place as a supportive
  instrument. As far as I'm concerned, the jury's out on whether it belongs in
  "the lead". What DOES belong "in the lead", is the music, the groove, the
  mood, the feeling, not just the notes."

  .Of  course you're absolutely entitled to your opinion, but coming from a harmonica player, this statement just floors me.

  ....taking the risk that you're 'just kidding' again, surely you canNOT be serious?  Would you tell Toots Thielemans that all these years he's been mistakenly 'playing lead', and belongs only as a sideman?


  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JalSofa7KDQ


  is his playing here any different whatsoever than something a sax or trumpet player would do....as the 'lead'?

  ...and he seems quite able to play the guitar lines along with Jaco....which is what helps makes this clip so incredible...I could put a dozen clips of his playing here, all good, better, best of this man playing lead.

  ...or Robert Bonfiglio for that matter? - playing LEAD with orchestras worldwide?

  (there are no YouTube videos of Robert...but I have all of his CD's...and his playing lead not just on classical tunes, but on so many of the songs I grew up on and loved, is what turned me on to his music)....

  or Charlie McCoy?

  have you heard Orange Blossom Special played his way?  Is that a 'sideman' style?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeEhXc-z7D4

  and this isn't an 'old' clip...it's taken from one of his trips to Japan in 2004..where he shows he ain't lost a thing...still has that swing ;)  Charlie played this, his signature song just as incredibly well at SPAH in ...2005(?)...as well as Shenandoah..and so many other beautifully played and moving songs, as lead...with his back-up band.  

  sheesh...   ;)

  or were you only talking about harmonica players who focus on Blues?

  Perhaps part of the problem is that too many beginning blues harmonica players focus only on learning 'riffs' the way their heroes did...don't want to actually learn to play full songs..or instrumental pieces from beginning to end.  If one asks them to actually play a song..they're lost.  

  One can only be a lead if you can get up there and either sing or play an instrument (any instrument),  taking a song or instrumental from beginning to end. Most chromatic players do just that...as do most of the Country music players I've heard...and perhaps therein lies the disparity....and why the Blues (and Blues/Rock) players who DO do that stand out so much from the crowd.  



  Elizabeth


   





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