[Harp-L] Chris Michalek's "Hey is for Horses"

[r_mcgraw@xxxxxxxxxxx]

I've been listening to Chris Michalek's new[and first] CD quite a bit-in fact to the exclusion of everything else-since it came in the mail on Monday...it's a hell of a debut, folks.
Remember the discussion of non-blues diatonic players on the list recently?While I know Chris was mentioned, this CD places him among the finest of that group.Simply put,there are only a handful of diatonic players in the world who could play the things Chris is playing...and he is a very interesting songwriter,too.All the tunes save two["My Funny Valentine" and "Minor Swing"...and by the way, for me "Minor Swing" is the weakest thing on the record] are by Chris....and they're pretty damn good songs,too,IMO.They mix elements of jazz [of course] and various types of ethnic music[or world music?what to call it?I don't know enough to say...sounds to me like maybe Eastern European stuff, Middle Eastern perhaps,or even Gypsy music?All of those at times... Maybe even a hint of Celtic?and Bossa Nova?] with some small bits of funk, rock and blues.
One thing I know for sure...some of these are lovely melodies.And Chris plays beautifully.I urge everyone who is interested in new stuff on the diatonic harmonica to buy this CD.It's very good,very good indeed...and  if I'm not mistaken Chris is still a young man. There will be, I hope, much more music to come.
WVa Bob