Re: [Harp-L] Blue Devils

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

The term "blue devils" is so pervasive that it is even discussed in the "blues" entry in wikipedia.


The value of the extensive entry may not be so much its content but its source material listed in the footnotes at the bottom of the article. Which means anyone who attempts to cypher the true origin of the blues will have to sort through many contradictory sources.












-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Dan Hazen <bluesmandan76@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Harp L Harp L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, Jun 7, 2014 12:18 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Blue Devils



On Jun 7, 2014, at 12:00 PM, Dan Hazen wrote:

> I've read some history about the blues, but don't recall ever hearing the
> term "blue devils" except in connection to college sports. So I did a
> little googling and found this:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K51s5KBDZ9Y
> 
> I think harp would do a pretty good job of playing the clarinet (?) part in
> that song.

I agree. I used to play trumpet, but when I play at the supper club on Sunday 
night I use a chromatic or valved diatonic for clarinet parts when doing 'trad 
jazz' (aka dixieland).
I don't know of too many people playing trad on harmonica, but it is possible. 
> 
> I also liked the blurb about the band... particular the line, "after a
> series of misadventures in 1933, The Blue Devils found themselves stranded
> in Virginia, without instruments or money."  Gotta wonder what that "series
> of misadventures in 1933" exactly was!

The life if an itinerant musician is fraught with misadventures. lolol. And I 
would venture a guess that the depression had something to do with it. 

smokey-joe