Subject: Re: Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Music and perception

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

In response to Smo-Joe's answer:
 
"My favorite musicians weren't 'initially' harmonica players.  Mostly  
cornet, trumpet, flute, guitar, B3. I'm not even that  fond of sax  
players. Most of them are too busy."
 
...your opinion.  To each his own.....  makes the world go  'round. Maybe 
that's why I like the "smoother" sax players...they seem to  keep it less busy....
>
> ...Oh I dig the Komodo Dragon  comparison!  Should use that on JR's  
> website  <G>

"Most people think 'monster' player. Well, you don't get  mush more  
monster than a dragon."
 
....true
>
> "Steevie is a 'spazz'

> ..I know  you've used that description before...and I do hear some  
> of  that occasionally in his playing...but I don't hear it all THAT   
> "choppy and jerky"....it's more that he's creating the "beat"  IMO   
> and to my ears he's drumming and strumming with  his hands, mouth  
> and button (in his mind) which would  result in that sound we hear.   
> Don't know if that  makes sense to anyone else.

"You hit it on the head. That's exactly  what he is doing. He is being  
more than a single facet of the  piece. He is being several."
 
...a veritable "one-man band" in other words....which leads back to  his 
"multi-instrumentalist" title.
>
> ....Isn't that  strange...while I respect Tony Bennett's longevity,  
> and can  appreciate him to a degree...I've never been a huge fan.

"Worked  with a girl down here. Karen Christopher. Pretty 60 year old   
blonde. Voice like a purple Martin. She was once his girl  friend.  
Worked with him for a while back in the late 50s, early  60s. I don't  
understand the attraction. I didn't have eyes for  it. I mean, I  
couldn't see it." 
 
...many men never have a clue as to what it is a woman finds  attractive in a 
man.
 
"Speaking of not seeing things, I think Mr. Judkins  
has  less to distract him and actually 'feels' the music." 
 
Good point...he "inhabits" the music because of no visual stimuli...I  much 
prefer playing harmonica AND piano with my eyes closed..it seems to  enable me 
to get further into the purity of the sound and to focus  better...
 
"OOpppps, I  
forgot, I'm not allowed to use those types of  expletives when  
describing harmonica."
 
...no, not when talking about people.  Only when you're  describing the 
differences you hear in your  harps, <G> 
>
> Now THAT I would like to  hear....if only for the interest factor.

"I gave it to my one of  the sax players 'Popcorn Bujew Goldberg' (Dr.  
Steve  Kaplan)"
.
>
>  "I  would have never let that cut out of  the studio. But then,  
> that's MY
>  opinion".
>
> .....that makes sense, and I wonder why anyone  did allow it into  
> production?

I haven't the  foggiest. Maybe they WANTED it to seem impromptu. Then  
Tony says  'There's only 1 Steevie Wonder'. Duuuuuh, yeah, I guess so.  
It's  a stage name, and I don't think very common either.
>
> ..goes  without saying.  I'm sure every single musician, every  
>  single singer has done exactly the same thing in AND out of the   
> studio. Flubs are universal.  Except those mistakes aren't  usually  
> saved for posterity...or allowed to be issued on  CD's.
>
> .....that's an impressive list.  I've seen none  of those  
> people...except on videos.  You've sure been  around. :)
>
Only a few out of several dozen. I'm not real  familiar with the west  
coast players (of whom there are a  plethora of good ones). I've heard  
maybe a  dozen.
>
> .....Actually that WAS my point.  I didn't  mean that Robert's  
> stature would "define" who can play or  not...simply that it IS his  
> incredibly honed teacher's  'ear' for the note and sound ....and  
> that HE was so  impressed by Stevie.....was certainly nice to find  
> out,  especially since I previously believed that Robert's taste was   
> mostly classical in nature.

'Le Robt' is quite  diversified. After all, he had to make a living  
BEFORE he was a  star. And that included playing what was required at  
the time.  

good point, and he sure can....he can get down and Bluesy like  everyone else 
here....very impressive.  His "country" sound on  Harmonica America is 
wonderful too.
 
"It's like that old show business jag. You go in and say   
you're a harmonica player. They tell you. we don't need one of  those,  
but we could use a comic MC. Oh, says you, I do jokes and  schtick.  
Then another time they need a vocalist. Oh, says you, I  sing. See,  
you had to be a SHOW man, not a musician. Musicians  don't make crabs  
except for the top 1% Whereas a showman/woman  has better odds."
>
smo-joe"


Elizabeth