RE: harp-l-digest V11 #116

["MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Froggy wrote:
> Dylan and Young are among the greatest harmonica players ever!
> They are not Howard Levy, but they made the harmonica popular.
> How many of Us have had our first contact with the harmonica
> hearring Dylan and Young? Hundered of folks picked up the
> harmonica with young and Dylan!...

For me it was John Lennon.  :)

As far as Dylan goes, many people don't realize that he started out as a
harmonica player and did a fair amount of studio work before he became the
famous folk performer.  He can actually play a harp very well, but he
~chooses~ to play it the way he has become known for--whiny chords on a
rack.  It's part of his very deliberate effort to "jar" the listener with
his music.  It's not supposed to be easy listening.  If you take the time to
listen closely to much of Dylan's harp work you can see what intricate
control he has over his tone and note/chord selection.  In some ways, he's
like Popper in that their style is just that; they've developed their unique
styles ~after~ paying homage to the masters.  Either of 'em could blow most
of us off the block.  Face it, it is very difficult to get that famous for
your harp playing by confining yourself to a style someone else developed.
Name a contemporary classic-style blues harper who's one tenth as well known
as Dylan or Popper.  In fact, name ~any~ harper who's one tenth as well
known... or as rich.

The best I can say for Neil Young's harp playing is that he was trying to be
a Dylan knock-off.

That's the way I see it.  :)

Michelle