[Harp-L] Re:Blue Monk

[Tall Paul <tallpaul14@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tom, I like 'Blue Monk' in second just to work on getting overblows to their proper pitches, since it's a common enough melody that you know what it's supposed to sound like and will catch yourself when the overblows are a little flat.  Not that I need to be telling you this since you kick ass with your overblows and all the other tasty stuff I heard you doing at Fitzgerald's last weekend when I became a Tom Albanese groupee.  The only harmonica version I've heard recorded is as part of a medley on our Richard Hunter's cd "The Act Of Being Free In One Act" and it's a solo piece entitled 'Bright Lights, Big City/Let It Roll/Blue Monk.'  Great solo piece and great cd I might add.  I haven't really looked to see how it lays out in other positions.  As for other songs in that category I heard Steve Cohen do a killer version of 'Song For My Father' on diatonic at SPAH in Milwaukee a few years ago.  I think I was sitting next to you and Scooter as a matter of
fact and may have a bootleg.  I'll be in touch Friday at your gig.

Paul

> Anybody out there playing this tune or know of any recorded
> examples featuring harmonica? Blue Monk seems to lay out
> pretty nicely in
> 2nd pos. but the OBs on 5 and 6 are sustained and totally
> exposed (not that
> there's anything wrong with that). I wonder if it would
> sit well in another
> position. Hey Chris (11th?), Rosco, George, Michael P...
> Anybody?
> 
> Bluesy jazz tunes seem to be a really fun challenge for me
> lately. Art
> Blakey's "Moanin" is great in 3rd pos. and
> Horace Silver's "Senor Blues" is
> just perfect for 5th.
> 
> So is anyone else out there in harp-l land working on
> anything in that ilk?
> I think it's a cool area to explore for blues players
> who want to expand
> their scope.
> 
> Thanks and happy holidays. Be music.
> 
> tom albanese