[Harp-L] Re: review of JJ Milteau´s "Blue 3rd"

[martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

JJ Milteau´s ?Blue 3td?, as well as ?Memphis? seems to me to point to something interesting, akin to a ?problem?, for artists basically known for their instrumental prowess. Ben says in his review that JJM now plays without ?flash?, and there´s no denying that this is the road he has taken. Moreover, I think he has found himself in what for lack of better words could be called ?The Virtuoso´s Predicament?: i.e. your original claim to fame is that you are a ?harmonica virtuoso? (admittedly a label we´ve seen attached too many times to any schmuck who can play three notes in a row), and as time passes along you begin to see the emptiness of being some sort of instrumental ?freak? who play rapid scales standing on your head while the guys in the front row roars enthustiastically, and it´s only a matter of time ´til another, even faster one, comes along. (?There´s one in every crowd?, as Mr Clapton said many years ago.)

  The thing to do then is often to start downsizeing the flashy output and take the Miles Davis turn, sometimes to the extent where you almost plays nothing at all (a concert I saw a while ago with guitarist John Abercrombie could be an example: he was now discreet to the point of being almost inaudible; formerly a bona fide virtuoso, as I recall it). 

  JJM´s dilemma seems to be how to go ahead, still being a "harmonica player". (Not many people are that interested, remember.) JJM has become on his last two albums a very tasteful, but  somewhat anonymous, harmonica player fronting a group of ?stars?, and perhaps, at least on Memphis, a bit over-awed of these very competent musicians. 

  But I still think something´s missing. It was obvious that he couldn´t go on making albums like ?Bastille blues? anymore, been there, done that etc. However, it seems that when he has put himself in the backseat, the great versatility and playfulness of ?Routes? is not as clearly present as one could hope (?Routes? is my all-time ?harmonica album?, a slightly ridiculous concept, I admit - do we think of  Don Byas as a guy who made ?sax albums? - but say a non-vocal record where he plays various types of music showcasing the harmonica and makes it interesting all the time. Not many have done that.)

  It´ll be fun to see what comes next. I for one would hope for a slight return to ?Routes?, and perhaps more of a dip into the melodious French traditions, chansons, jazz manouche and what have you. Perhaps without any "stars" and their not necessarily all the time stellar material. And staying clear of the elevators.

 

Cheers

Martin

 

PS A pity that when he choose a ?standard? for ?Blue 3rd? it was ?What a wonderful world? ? Nice enough, but hasn´t it been worn down quite a bit over the years ? And wouldn´t it have gained from being played in 1 pos? Why is it that nobody plays in first these days?! (But now I´m bitching ?)




__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com