Re: [Harp-L] Little Walter



SONNYTONE@xxxxxxx analyzes:
E harp, key of B... Take notice, Little Walter we know does his warble with
  is hands and not his head, said he got dizzy.. He Also plays and moves the
  harp to his mouth, or 50/50, I did not see him with stagnant hands and his
mouth  all over the harp...<clip>

Sonny, I'll join you in being unable to resist the temptation to dissect this delicious bit of harmonica history. It's the best video clip I've seen of Little Walter, period. It's the only one I know of where he is playing up front -- the American Folk Blues Festival footage that I've seen is of him backing up Koko Taylor and Hound Dog Taylor (whom the AFBF liner notes say he hated to play with). This one is a blues harmonica masterclass in a single song. I wish I knew the name of it.


His phrasing and timing are just impeccable. It's so cool how he plays one isolated note ahead or behind the beat to accentuate it against the rest. It's amazing watching him weave together a tapestry of color, tension and release in such a rhythmically tight piece.

When I study his playing I think I see Walter seamlessly switching back and forth from TB and pucker embouchures. Looking at the position of his mouth relative to his hands, I think I see him using pucker on the lower holes and TB'ing the rest. That lays to rest in my mind the notion that Little Walter used TB solely.

I'm gonna be watching this video a whole lot! I'm sure there has been a lot of analysis of this video going on amongst Harp-L'ers with better eyes and ears than mine. I'd be very interested in hearing ~all~ of it!

Thanks so much for posting this, Hash.

Michelle





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