Re: bopalula

[MundHarp@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 30/03/04 23:07:23 GMT Daylight Time, 
awimhurst@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> One of the things that Little Walter was known for was applying a jazz 
> saxophone sensibility to the harp - particularly swing but also some 
> bop influences. 

I started to play chrom harp when I was 8 years old, back in 1956.... In the 
early 1960's a guitarist friend by the name of Rick Atwell, played me a Chess 
LP called "The Best of Little Walter", It had been imported from America to 
England... Now I'd been playing harmonica  for about 5 years then, and I thought 
I was pretty good.... But I said to Rick "Hey man, what instrument is Little 
Walter playing... is it a sax?" " NO" he replied.... It is a diatonic 
harmonica".... I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!  I honestly thought that Little Walter MUST 
have been playing a tenor sax... BUT HE WAS PLAYING a 10 hole DIATONIC 
HARMONICA.... OK, these days there are quite a few great diatonic harp players... But at 
the beginning of the 1960's I had quite simply NEVER  heard anything like 
it... It was just fantastic. And it still is... "Sad Hours"... Little Walter...
So from that day on, I have devoted myself to attempting to make wonderful 
music on the harmonica, just like Little Walter had done before me.... And Sonny 
Boy Williamson, and Howling Wolfe..... I don't copy them, but I am happy to 
admit that those 3 guys really inspired me... as well as Max Geldray & Larry 
Adler on the chromatic!
I did get to see Little Walter live on stage at the Hammersmith Odeon in 
London England, (now the Hammersmith Apollo) back in 1967...
I am so glad I am a harmonica player.

John "Whiteboy" Walden
London
England