Re: [Harp-L] Horns Sounds Like Harp Sounds Like Horns




On Jun 1, 2007, at 5:37 AM, James wrote:


Regarding this discussion two names come to mind: Cootie Williams and Jed Davenport
Cootie Williams, as many of you know, played with the Ellington Orchestra. He has these mutes and stuff like the "plumber's helper" and stuff and he could play the most incredible "rural sounds" in a most sophisticated way. I always believed he listened to harp players.

It's possible. I have heard that Clyde McCoy listened to harp players. A lot of his slurs are not what you would normally expect on trumpet.


Jed Davenport was both a jug band harp player and a pit musician (trumpet) He played in high keys (E) and he played some cool lines

High keys seem to be something that came along after 1952 (Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Chet Baker).


I always wondered what came first? The trumpet lines or the harp lines. Were the trumpet players listening to the harp players or the reverse or both at the same time.

I feel that everyone was listening to everyone. That would be the smart thing to do, and since I'm not that smart and 'I' came up with it, someone else HAD to beat me to it. The geographical reference the other day got me interested too. It was postulated that people from various areas might be influenced by musics and musicians from that area. Like was a particular harp player from Louisiana that much different from the majority of the players (who happened to be from Mississippi).


I (reverently) have to cast that aside. Because if I were to stand in Bossier City Louisiana, I don't really think I could tell I wasn't in Tyler Texas. Or, if I were standing on the west bank of the Mississippi in Talulah Louisiana, I don't think I could distinguish it from the east side in Vicksburg Mississippi.

I always thought it would be fun to take 10 trumpet players from Texas. Now everyone knows that Texas doesn't have a majority of native Texans any more. The population explosion ( witnessed by the steep hike in electoral votes), is primarily due to transplants. Now lets say that 3 of these Texans are Mexican and playing in the Mariachi style. Let's say we also have 3 Mexican/AMERICANS who are also playing in that same style. Then we have 3 Cubans playing in that same style. The last Texan is actually an Eskimo and is also playing in that style. The question IS: who influenced who? And, could you tell the difference?

What I'm saying is, that each and every person is going to have different stimuli regardless of :
1... where they live
2... where they ONCE lived
3... where their parents and grandparents are from
4... what musicians they happen to know
5... what musicians the have ever heard
and a couple dozen other reasons (religion or lack thereof, sexual orientation, political bent, socio-economic standing...and yada infinitum).


I think we are all a culmination of so many factors that trying to come to a consensus is going to be very tough. I have fooled around with (key word is FOOL) a number of instruments and I can honestly say that each one HAS influenced each other one. They all have their limitations, good points, bad points, and are (basically) only limited by the input of the person (trying) playing them.
I have also been to 11 grade schools, 3 high schools, a Jr. College, a trade school, and over the years have received instruction in a lot of other things. That HAS to have an effect. I have probably moved 17 times in my life. That HAS to have an affect. I also bore easily and move from interest to interest. That HAS to have an effect.


Now I'm not saying that a person who lives in the same town all their life has any less input. Input is input. I'm also not saying that an older person has any more input than a younger person. People live at different rates of acceleration/de-celleration. Input is input. I think we hear stuff, it gets filed, and may come up later. When and how (and IF) is the mystery. If a person can tap into this, THAT is their 'sound' or style or whatever it's called. It is THEM.

sorry for the rant.........smokey-joe



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