[Harp-L] Big Walter/ Ernie Morris

[tom ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Greetings fellow-L'ers,

Like everyone else, I've always been a huge fan of Big Walter -- tone 
personified.  One of my favorite of his tunes is "In The Mood," which 
has been talked about at length in previous posts going back a few 
years.  Even though Horton technically may not have played the 
correct melody on it, his improvisations are brilliant...

In addition to his harp skills, Horton is also remembered as, shall 
we say, a "teller of tall tales." <g>  One of his frequent claims was 
that he had been the only black member of the Harmonica Rascals in 
the 1930's.

Of course the black member of the Rascals was Ernie Morris, who IMHO 
is perhaps the most underappreciated harmonica player of the last 
century.  Talk about tone!  About Morris, Jerry Adler once said, 
"When he played the blues he put Sonny Terry and everyone to shame."

Trouble is, Ernie Morris never recorded as a soloist -- or so I had 
thought.  But I just accidentally stumbled onto a CD that includes 
one song he did for an Armed Forces broadcast during WW II.  The CD 
is called "Let's Have a Ball Tonight -Pioneers of Rhythm & Blues." 
(Natasha Records -UK.)  A strange compilation, it's all 
non-commercially-released radio broadcasts by black artists, from 
1943 to 1952.  The Morris tune comes from a show called AFRS Jubilee, 
recorded live in front of a L.A. audience and broadcast nationally in 
January of '43.

So what song did Morris play?  You guessed it -- "In The Mood."  And 
it's amazing, if much too short.  Morris plays it in Bb on a chrom, 
and works in quotes from "St. Louis Blues" before modulating up to B 
natural.  On the final note, he simultaneously 'sings' through the 
harp whilst playing the note, ala George 'Bullet' Williams.  My only 
complaint is that they only gave Ernie one song to do...

But it certainly makes one speculate about the possible influence of 
Morris in the evolution of Horton's playing.  On Horton's earliest 
recordings with Little Buddy Doyle, the bell-like tone is not yet 
fully formed.  Later, after Morris' only solo recording, Horton's 
tone blossoms, and he also covers "In The Mood."

Coincidence?  <shrug>  I suppose we'll never know?

In any event if you can find this CD, by all means pick it up.  I 
think it may be out-of-print, but well worth looking for.  The Morris 
recording alone is by far worth the price of admission.

later,

TBall
Santa Babs
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