I don't like my name in this line...makes me feel funny...

[Christian N Michalek <micha018@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> I have one question for Chris: When you get back to playing the blues in
> one key at a time, do you just grab any old harp? Or do you get into
> different moods like, well the bands playing a shuffle in E, I'm in the
> mood to do that on my C# tonight?
> 
I am never in the mood it play a Db harp in E, that crap is way too hard!

It all depends on what song it is.  If it is a Little or Big Walter thing 
then I try to stay within that vein as long as I can.  If it is a SRV 
or Albert Collins tune then I will try to play like them.  I guess one 
could say that I try to imitate the predominate instrument whether it's a 
sax, guitar, trumpet, keyboard or harmonica.

I like blues because you can do a lot with it, but it does get boring 
after awhile... Depending on the tempo and feel of the song I will 
usually play in 2nd or 3rd position.  For minor songs it's usually third 
or fourth(if the song is more melodic) sometimes I will use 5th but that 
usually throws the band a bit because I start to hear all these east 
indian and oriental lines and that stuff tends not to mix with blues too 
well.  
 
When I play jazz I usually will play in 1st, 12th, 4th, or 2nd.  Again it 
depends on the style and sound I want to add to the song.  for example:  
just this afternoon I was with a bunch of guys playing jazz standards and 
one of the guys called out Georgia,  with a blues band I would play in 
second position but because I wanted to sound more like a jazz horn I 
play it in 12th.

Although I suppose I could be classified a a "new wave" harp player, I 
feel I am just a musician who has chosen the harmonica to be his axe.
I can play the traditional stuff but it is more important for me to play 
the music in my heart and soul.  I don't consider myself a Levy clone. 
Howard is so far out there that nobody can be sound like him. I know 
Howard is a big influence on my playing and I used to "try" to copy 
his stuff, but I feel I am beyond trying to copy anybody. It's all in the 
soul man! All you have to do is listen to yourself.  Now I want to get 
back to playing a C# harp in E or whatever.  Howard does that stuff. Not 
me.  I believe that he does it just to show and see for himself that he 
still can. I would only try to do that type of thing for practice only. I 
just want to be able to do everythin I want to on top of my game.  I just 
want to be able to say "yeah, I can do that"  Just like Joe Filisko. 
 He plays the traditional pre war blues but he practices everything else 
just to be on top of things.  That's my philosophy too and I preach that 
to everyone I teach.  Be on top of your game,  try to play everything you 
hear and most of all listen to yourself.


-Chris Michalek