[Harp-L] Re: Improv in Blues

[AV1901@xxxxxxx]

One2one2three said, in response to another poster (Ben, I think) who had  
advised not to just listen to Big Little Sonny Walter, that he found Shakin  
Smith (_www.ShakinSmith.com_ (http://www.ShakinSmith.com) ) to be  original and 
fresh sounding. I liked Shakin' Smith's MP3's on the site, but  respectfully 
submit that most of the MP3s on that site are clearly  SBWII influenced (which is 
not a bad thing, to me).
 
I went to the web site and listened to all the MP3's there. With perhaps  the 
exception of the last one, it sounded like a nice job of using Sonny Boy  
Williamson II (Rice Miller) licks and style. The website bio stressed Shakin  
Smith's SBII influences. I liked his playing, but other than the last cut (No  
Apostrophe - I think that's what it was called), not much new ground to my ears. 
 Rick Estrin of Little Charlie & the Nitecats and Kim Wilson do the best SBII 
 style playing of living harp players that I have seen/heard, IMHO.
 
On the whole improv in blues deal, my humble take is that musicians should  
learn their instrument, its history, and listen to as many great practitioners  
of that instrument as possible. I believe musicians should also listen (with 
big  ears) to as much music of as many different kinds as possible. I grew up  
listening to my father's 78's of many jazz, blues, swing and big band  
artists. One of his favorites was Benny Goodman (talk about musical ideas and  
technical skill), and I'll be damned if I don't feel that in my harp playing.  
Stand on the shoulders of giants.
 
Andy Vincent