Re: [Harp-L] coltrane

[Mark Russillo <jruss433@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Without a specific reference to what Mr. Dick cites as inspiration, how would anyone be able to discern which inspiration it might have been.  After hearing Magic Dick play that memorable low solo on "Serves You Right to Suffer" from the J. Geils Band's 1971 album, I suspect he listened to a lot of sax players.

In those days of abundant recreational drugs in the biker bars of Virginia Beach where they cut their teeth, who's to say for sure without pressing the source directly who or what influenced his playing.  In short, without scholarly evidence, this would still be mere conjecture, evn if he says it was 'Trane.

Former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins posited in a recent Wall Street Journal article that artists often cite a name as an inspiration (or drop one) because it sounds good, so as not to disappoint the listener.  In his long illustrious career, it may just have slipped Dick's mind where it came from - but it sure was good.  And we can know that for a fact!

Mark Russillo a.k.a. The Rhode Island Kid



----- Original Message ----
From: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 4:31:52 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] coltrane

Winslow says that just because Magic Dick claims to have heard
Coltrane play high and powerful on the high notes and Dick correlates
this to his high note playing that this does
not constitute a significant influence from Coltrane on Dick.  Winslow
says there were many sax players that do this as well as many harp
players.

It may be that Coltrane learned this idea by imitating others or that
DIck would have eventually come across this idea elsewhere.  But that
is conjecture.  All we can go by is Dick's claim that he thought of it
after hearing Coltrane.  To me, that is a significant influence, even
if Dick did not transcribe and repeat Coltrane's lines note for note.
Anything that turns on the lightbulb is significant to me and
although the influencer might have been influenced by other people,
that does not change the importance of the messenger.

Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com
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