Re: clean harp

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 6/30/03 9:24:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
SloopyJoe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:


> Haha, I'm not upset. Just frustrated sometimes.
> 
> What about William Clarke, George Smith, Big Walter, Dennis Greunling, and
> Bruce Ewan, just to name a few? I keep reading about how amazed everyone is
> with the technical skill of some of these players. I don't know...but I 
> don't
> feel like I could ever imagine overblows sounding good in any musical 
> context,
> especially blues. I'd much rather listen to Howlin' Wolf play harp. Sure, he
> didn't know a lot technically but he knew how to play with taste and
> reservation.
> 
> And this Jason Ricci guy? I dunno. Maybe I'm crazy but I can't listen to 
> more
> than 30 seconds of that before having to turn it off. The musicality just
> isn't there, in my opinion.
> 
> But whatever. Different strokes, right?
> 
> Love,
> 
> ~Me
> 

The ability of Big Walter, William Clarke, George Smith and the many others 
listed is built not just on technique, but also on other musical abilities, 
such as taste, dynamics, and note choice. Most of them did not feel that 
overblows were an option in their playing arsenal, why? I have no idea, but I do know 
it is a valid musical approach period. Adam Gussow, Howard Levy, Joe Filisko 
as well as myself use overblows. I find that they are what they are and that 
there is a time and place for them. 
I can say one thing particularly about Jason Ricci concerning them, he 
doesn't use them that much. Most of his varied note choice comes from the 3 draw 
bends (Which most of those "missing" notes on the middle octave can be found). 
Hit the <A HREF="http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/460/heidi_and_the_el_cats.html";>MP3.com: Heidi and the El Cats</A>  page and see for yourself concerning 
Jason's lack of "musicality" , I can safely say that Jason's musical ability is 
all there (listen to "Louisiana") and that he is one of the best musicians on 
the scene today. If you don't like how he plays that's a matter of personal 
opinion, but to say he lacks any musicianship at all is completely absurd. Jason 
is one of the best out there today period, and the proof is in the site I 
linked. 

Andrew