RE: Bob Dylan etc...

["Allen Stratyner" <astratyner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric,
         I agree with what you had to say about Dylan's playing. He's been
satirized throughout his career, and I think some people, yes, even some
harmonica players equate the characterization to Dylan's actual playing.
He's got a lot going for him, and I'm talking just harmonica here, obviously
he's a major star, and has a great musical legacy sans harp.

          One of my cannons of great harmonica playing (and probably most
would agree I hope)is developing a style that is recognizable and associated
to you. Now one might fallaciously argue that every lousy harp player has
his own style, and therefore is unique. I've heard hundreds of harp players
at open stages who don't know how to operate the harp, and never have I
thought, "gee that guy is horrible he sounds just like, Bob Dylan."   All of
those "bad" players basically sound the same to me. They almost bend most of
the time, and they over-play, and they definitely distract from the song;
rather than add to it in some meaningful way. Dylan isn't any of those
things, and he's all that you said, and your words are worth repeating.

    "His harmonica playing is usually soulful, played from the heart, serves
the song and the band, and furthers his artistic vision.  He usually has
the audience hanging on his every note and he usually forms a solo in a
way that is oddly structured, totally idiosyncratic, and probably
baffling to most harmonica-heads.  IMHO - the solos are often brilliant
and beautiful and the equal in terms of artistry of any harmonica
virtuoso esteemed by this list."

    It's all about the song. People who think Bob Dylan is a bumbling,
tasteless amateur on harmonica need to put their ears on. He's no "Little
Walter,  but hey Little Walter was no Bob Dylan when he backed-up Shel
Silversteen either.    Best regards,
                                                                       Allen




- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf
Of Eric Wesoff
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 6:59 PM
To: harp-l-digest@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Bob Dylan etc...





Dear gentle listmembers,

I am a long-time-lurking intermediate diatonic player who enjoys this
list, favors the blues, but am open-eared to most music and harmonica
styles from the blues to jazz to psychedelia to electronica to folk to
anything else honest and good.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and have had the good fortune to
have taken a few lessons from Winslow Yerxa, Dave Barrett, and Will
Scarlett.  Wonderful players and teachers all.

That introduction being made - I feel compelled to weigh-in on the
oft-contentious Dylan thread.  I have seen him play live a number of
times in recent years with a crack touring band that has included
smoking guitarist - Charlie Sexton.  Dylan tends to play the harmonica
in a few songs per show.

His harmonica playing is usually soulful, played from the heart, serves
the song and the band, and furthers his artistic vision.  He usually has
the audience hanging on his every note and he usually forms a solo in a
way that is oddly structured, totally idiosyncratic, and probably
baffling to most harmonica-heads.  IMHO - the solos are often brilliant
and beautiful and the equal in terms of artistry of any harmonica
virtuoso esteemed by this list.

>From what I can tell, he doesn't care what the comb material is, doesn't
overblow, doesn't play in 6th position, and has no strong opinion on
Popper.

Dylan doesn't need my defense - but I guess my point is - good music and
good art doesn't always require technical wizardry or advanced
technique.  It does require honesty and integrity and the ability to
serve the music and the song.  And Dylan does that about 150 nights a
year.

Sincerely,

Eric Wesoff








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