Re: [Harp-L] Bob Dylan's harmonica playing

Pierre <slavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx> · Sun, 12 Dec 2004 15:22:57 -0500

Sam said:

I listened to Dylan's music since I was a teenager and my opinion is 
this:

His harmonica work is perfectly and completely appropriate for what he is

doing musically and poetically.

I agree totally, I've listened to a lot of Dylan and never felt his 
harmonica detered from the tune he was playing. There is one exception which 
is the ending of Hurricane where he starts tooting and he obviously has the 
wrong harp - that is a terrible ending to a great tune. Too bad they 
couldn't edit that out.
If people want to pick on Dylan, then forget the harp and just pick on his 
voice. Then again, even though his voice is lyrical/nasally and his phrasing 
was sometimes boring he made his tunes work. The "Dylan style" is an 
oxymoron. Shows you there can be beauty in ugliness. (The may be an 
opportunity for original work here)
By the way the Dylan imitation posted last week was terrible - especially 
the voice part, the guys on "Whose line is it anyway" are way better at 
doing Dylan. There is probably no person that is easier to imitate then Bob 
Dylan so to me that comedian (or whatever) was really lame. Way worse than 
Dylan.
Pierre

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "samblancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>

To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 11:49 AM

Subject: [Harp-L] Bob Dylan's harmonica playing
Hi y'all,
I listened to Dylan's music since I was a teenager and my opinion is 
this:

His harmonica work is perfectly and completely appropriate for what he is

doing musically and poetically. For the statements he's making, a rich,

complex harp technique isn't wanted.  Would I want to employ such a style 
in

a Chicago/west coast blues groove? No. But that's not what he's doing- at

all.
Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh
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