[Harp-L] Butter/Hendrix

["jazmaan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>]

Someone wrote: "The only harp on a Hendrix track is . . . "My Friend".

Not true.  There are several other Hendrix recordings out there with harmonica.  "My Friend"
features harp by Paul Caruso, who also can be heard on "Room Full of Mirrors" (available on the
Box Set from "Experience Hendrix".  I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago and
he's a great guy.  Jimi was hanging out with the Fugs in those Greenwich Village days and Paul was
part of that same circle. Paul is/was a tasteful harp player and his playing was an asset to those
recordings.
  
Unfortunately the same can not be said of the notorious "Don" whos playing mars several other
Hendrix recordings including "Country Blues", "Once I Had a Woman" and numerous other songs from
that same session.   Don's last name has never been revealed and rumor has it although he did
"bring something" to the sessions, it wasn't his harmonica playing that made him so welcome.

And then of course there are the aforementioned jam sessions with the Butterfield Band.  What I
remember most about those recordings is that Elvin Bishop seems to be going way over the top in a
embarrassing attempt to outplay Jimi.  Butterfield's playing seems a little out-of-sorts and not
quite in the groove on tunes like "Little Wing".  There's not much direct musical interaction
between Butterfield and Jimi on these recordings.  It's more like Jimi took over the band when he
sat in and Paul got shunted off to the side.