[Harp-L] John Popper Project



John Popper is currently taking  a break from Blues Traveler, touring the country with a very talented rhythm section and the turntable stylings of DJ Logic.  The band has no guitar, just bass, but the bass player is exceptional at imitating some rhythm guitar licks, and he even plays chords sometimes on his big six-string.  Popper sings from time to time but mainly plays his famous harp licks.  He plays mostly on the far right side of the harp, which I would associate with 4th position, but it certainly doesn't sound like how I play in 4th.  His trademark speed was on full display, but he also used some other interesting techniques, including exaggerated throat vibrato, soft palate vibration, overblows (I think, hard to tell sometimes), etc.  He even played his own feedback at one point, which is a fun little gimmick that I like to experiment with myself.

The band's music could best be described as avant-garde, sort of jazzy at times but generally just impossible to classify.  I was surprised that Popper didn't hit a single blues riff in the entire show.  I was more surprised at how the band played for over an hour before stopping for so much as a minute, when Popper finally addressed the audience briefly.  Then they started back up and played for another fifty minutes or so, right through to the end.  Recognizable covers included "Use Me Up" by Bill Withers (with some words changed, it seemed), and Steve Miller's "The Joker" with a bit of the Righteous Brothers' "We've Lost That Loving Feeling" spliced into the middle.  Most of the show was instrumental, though, with very good dancing beats.

After the show, I got the chance to meet Popper and talk with him a good bit.  I mentioned that I'm a harp player myself, and when I said I like the Golden Melody (he plays Special 20s), we briefly talked about Howard Levy, who I met last November in Nashville at a performance of his diatonic concerto.  Popper called him a "mad scientist" (meant as a compliment) and described how Levy can play two melodies at once, one out of each side of his mouth.  But when I asked if Howard was one of his inspirations, Popper said no, his idol is Jimi Hendrix.

It's probably not for everybody, but if you want to go hear something really different and experimental from a great harp player, I do recommend the John Popper Project.  They only have a few shows left before the members rejoin their usual groups for summer tours.

Jonathan Metts




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