[Harp-L] A Night In Tunisia

[George Brooks <gbrooks1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tom wrote:

>Good evening. Is there anybody out there who's playing this tune on 
diatonic?
>I've been trying to work it out in 2nd and 3rd and can't get a handle 
on it
>yet. Maybe another postition would be better. 5th? Special tunings? I 
dunno.
>Any pointers would be most welcome. George...Chris...Michael P.? 
Anybody?

I have been working on this tune with my acoustic trio for the past few 
weeks.  I think it's going to be tough no matter what position you do 
it in.  That has been my experience, anyway, but I'm going to keep at 
it.

The tune is usually played in Dm.  You could use an F harp in 4th 
position (I would suggest a low F if you are going to go this route) or 
a C harp in 3rd position.  Both 3rd and 4th positions are generally 
good for minor key tunes.  In 4th position, the first (pick-up) note is 
2 blow.  In 3rd position, it's hole 3 draw bent down a whole tone.  Of 
the two, I much prefer 4th.

I was working on these positions until Chris Michalek remembered 
(amazingly) that Howard Levy had told us back in 1999 that he uses an 
Ab harp to play this song.  This puts it into 7th position (F# on a C 
harp), but 7th position minor, which is much, much easier than major.  
Major is six sharps (ouch!).  But A Night In Tunisia is not only minor, 
but natural minor (flatted sixth degree as well as third and seventh).  
This cancels out three of the sharps, so it is like playing in 4th 
position major.  You need good control of your bends and overblows, but 
it's quite doable and the arpeggios lay out really nicely.  The lick in 
measure 7 lays out better in this position than any other.  In 4th 
position, the first (pick-up) note is the hole 1 draw bend.

I actually heard some guy play in 7th position minor at SPAH this year. 
 To Motown on a boombox, of all things.  It sounded pretty good to me, 
but I was in a generous and non-judgmental mood (SPAH!), and it might 
not have met the exacting standards of some on this List.

George