[Harp-L] Hummel in paradise

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mr. Hummel: greetings from Half Moon Bay


Harmonica ambassador Mark Hummel was at the club across the highway  
from my home yesterday so checked him out.

I've known Mark for about 25 years and I played in the dives next door  
to the nicer dives he was playing in at the time.
He was not running across the bar like he did back then...North Beach  
San Francisco (that was cool).

Mark is one of those guys that has progressed.

The whole set that I watched he played chromatic and actually used the  
valve..
Of course, there is the kind of  blues player's Chromatic playing  
where you just play your 3rd position chords and touch the valve once  
in a while..
This is what I do on anything that I am trying to keep a good rhythm.

These days, Mark is playing the thing for real with great timing.
The Dance floor was full of suggestive dancing.
Usually, when I see a guy go for his chromatic I think he might loose  
the dance groove.
Not Mark, His material was intelligent and yet kept a good primal beat.

Laced in between the tunes I heard some Dave Brubeck tune licks  
(someone else Mark says), and cool jazz  and the crowd really enjoyed  
the show.
This was not a Sax approach (which I love) but unmistakable Sound  
through a Sonny Jr. amp and chrom Bullet mike.  (skinny cord..does it  
matter).  It was a harmonica sound.
A bit Different than I have heard.  With a Standup bass and cool  
drummer he was able to keep the volume correct for this room.  No  
feedback whatsoever.

This room is not a good sound.  it has concrete floors and glass all  
around.  He achieved a very bright  (not muted) sound but did not hurt  
the ears.
The time spent being with all these other harp players has really  
taken him to a good place.
He has always been a nice guy and had good bands.
Having Rusty Zinn on Guitar was just perfect.

Rusty plays along with the riffs note for note and does not try to get  
into Volume wars....just plays straight through his Pre CBS Super  
Reverb...perfect tone.

I came home and dusted off my box of Chromatic harps and thought maybe  
one can keep the grove and amplify these things evenly.
Maybe his mouth is wider than mine...I did not check.  Reading on Harp- 
L has really got me wanting to try this again.

I saw Greg Heumann down the street and talked mics...he really knows  
his stuff..lightweight model he was using looked nice.

Sounds like the orders are starting to come in for this convention.

Stood there watching the Boats in the harbor and got to hear some nice  
harp....Nice day to be on the West Coast.


peace
Grant