Positions

[WYKS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Can I re-raise a couple questions I asked a few months ago, now that
some new talent is around?
1)  It is my impression that traditionally, the lable "4th position"
was used for playing, for example, in the key of E on a C harp (tonic
on 2 blow), and "5th position" for playing in the key of A on a C
harp (tonic on a double-bend on 3 draw).  Junior Wells seemed to use
the lables this way in a conversation I had him with him once; so did
others.  Moreover, it seems like on traditional stylings, the first 5
positions were the only ones considered really useful, so there was
no reference to the higher positions (6 through 12).   With
Musselwhite's book ("Harmonica according to Charlie Musselwhite"), of
course, we get the more logical and extensive labling, based on the
circle of fifths, which interchanges the lables "4th" and "5th" from
what I stated above.  My question is:  when did these lables "4th"
and "5th" first come to be used by harp players; and what are the
earliest examples we have of actual playing in these positions;
and did the nomenclature indeed shift, as my fragmentary evidence
seems to indicate?  (I guess it is three questions.)
   It is interesting to note that for Musselwhite himself, the back
of his album indicates that his "most interesting" song on the album,
namely "Azure par Ampero" or whatever it was in Spanish (my memory
is hazy) is in 4th position, while the accompanying book classifies
it as 5th position.  This suggests a kind of transitional confusion.

My other old question is: what are some good examples of 3rd position
on diatonics by traditional players, eg Little Walter, Big Walter,
etc.?  I want to put together a tape of 3rd position stuff, and your
input would help on this.

Steve Wykstra