Ah, Shakin' Smith. I remember him well.
I reviewed Smith's CD "Wizard of the Harmonica" in a post to Harp-L dated 22 Mar 2001. The review read as follows:
********************************** On the basis of a tip posted to Harp-L, and a quick listen to the MP3 clips at Shakin Smith's website (www.shakinsmith.com), I purchased Smith's CD "Wizard of the Harmonica" recently.
Is Smith a wizard? Yes, though not a harp god. His tone is simply wonderful, one of the best blues harmonica sounds I've ever heard, and it's recorded beautifully and placed right up front in the mix. He uses a wide range of hand, throat, and tongue effects to vary his sound, which is recorded mostly without amplification, and it's a pleasure to listen to him work the instrument with his big, terrifically detailed tone.
Where Smith falls short is in his harmonic conception, a failing that's most apparent on the jazzier numbers. He does not seem to have a feel for jazz changes, and sometimes falls into lines that are obviously based on breathing patterns rather than the chord changes.
The band backing Smith is able, if not dazzling. The focus of the record is on Smith's playing and singing, and the band plays its supporting role well.
If Smith lived in a major music industry center like Los Angeles, Nashville, or New York City instead of Buffalo, NY, I'm sure he'd already be well-known to harmonica players everywhere. I recommend this CD to the attention of blues harp fans; you will not be disappointed. **************************************************
Now, that's a pretty nice review. It's certainly a lot nicer than Chris
Michalek's
comments on Smith's latest CD. The second and last paragraphs in
particular say, in
essence, "this is someone you should hear -- someone who deserves to be
well-known -- so go out and buy this CD." When I get reviews like that -- reviews
that tell the
reader to buy the CD -- I write the reviewer a thank-you note. And when
I disagree
with the reviewer, I make a point of doing so politely.
Mr. Smith apparently didn't think I had said enough nice things about him. On May 3, 2001, he sent the following message about me. I say "about me," not "to me," because the message was apparently posted to someone besides myself -- I was only cc'd -- and the message carried no return address. Certainly the message reads as if it was addressed to someone besides me.
The full text of Mr. Smith's message follows, edited only to lightly disguise a number of 4-letter words that might offend some members of this list.
************************************************************ re:Shakin Smith's "Wizard of the Harmonica" CD
Richard Hunter is a harmonica player who I have OBVIOUSLY scared S---LESS , because in his review he's got a number of facts WRONG :
Number one : I don't claim to be a harp GOD , that's something Hunter imagines himself to be.
Number two : The CD IS NOT MOSTLY Unamplified harp. The last time I checked there were 14 songs....6 of them acoustic. I'm not surprised by his lack of attention to detail considering he wrote his review the same day he received the CD in the mail.
Number three : for him to second guess my feel on the" jazzier "numbers (that's something Hunter said , I wouldn't use the term "Jazzier" ) is very pretentious to say the least.And those comments about my "harmonic conception" are just plain LAUGHABLE!!!.
You see ,"Wizard of the Harmonica" is a BLUES recording with "elements" of several different musical influences. That is immediately apparent to real musicians .This is what we call "Art".
As far as the comment that my solos are the result of being , in his words "obviously based on breathing patterns"....well I would have to say "Richard"...stop being such a f---ing anal white guy , loosen up and put on some Thelonius Monk ( and better still put on some Little Walter and realize you don't know f---ing s---!) and try not to take yourself so f---ing seriously.
I can't imagine how Hunter could "presume" my intent here. Actually, I MEANT every note that I played !!! ... What?... , is that a foreign concept?
There are no "jazz changes" here. (why does Hunter pretend to know something about jazz?) Nobody said this is a jazz CD . "Wizard of the Harmonica" is about feel above all , not pre-meditated and forced, --- but spontaneous.
Is Hunter really suggesting that Grammy Award winner Robert Lockwood would endorse and appear on a CD (that HE solicited) with a Harmonica Virtuoso who didn't know what he was doing? Let's not forget that Blues Legend Robert Lockwood played with many Jazz greats and recorded some of the most ground breaking and influential sessions with Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter , both of whom LOVED Jazz ...... Yeah I know , Hunter imagines himself superior to THEM too and that is really at the heart of this matter
And just for the record,( this hasn't come up yet but I'm sure it will) I would like to point out that I agree that the "overbend" harmonica technique (which I have heard Hunter use soullessly) is a very interesting and unique way of playing. Although that style of playing is mostly popular in limited "harmonica player circles". Live Audiences tend to be less impressed as a whole. But I have heard some players do this 'well' from the technique standpoint. The ones that are truly honest with themselves however , have to admit that there are certain shortcomings in ANY STYLE of this diatonically predisposed instrument being discussed here.
But by all means let's bring on the progress. There is however NO Substitute for feel and spontaneity. And ACCURATE pitch ain't a bad idea either !
Does Richard Hunter regularly remind my fellow harmonica playing peers such as Kim Wilson , Mark Hummel, etc. ,That they dare not stray out of their "blues domain" because they might be dabbling? It is obvious Hunter totally misunderstands jazz and knows Nothing about blues. The fact of the matter is that Hunter appears to be an improperly educated HARMONICA SNOB !
The funniest part about all of this is that from the moment I heard that Hunter ordered this CD I saw his big stinking pile of denial coming before it was even written by that Charlatan . His reputation precedes him alright.
As Wardell Gray would say ... "You gotta Dig it to Dig it"
This ain't a p---ing contest Dick.
~Shakin Smith *********************************************** I wrote a reply to Mr. Smith's apparently public message, but since he included no return address, I have no idea whether my reply was received by anyone at all. Let me take this opportunity to reply publicly to what was evidently a public message.
It's a little wierd to accuse me of being scared s---less, as Smith did, when he's too frightened to put a return address on his email. Perhaps Smith was just afraid that I might have my say to whatever audience he addressed his message to. In any case, there's fear all over Smith's message, starting with the fear that someone with my "reputation" (whatever he thinks it is) might listen to and -- heaven forbid -- comment on his work. He was apparently so afraid of my response that he never read the part of my review where I told people to buy his CD. Smith's references to Lockwood, Wilson, and Hummel are fearful too -- doesn't he think his work stands on its own?
Smith's message is abusive and personal, and it goes way over the line for an artist's comments on a review. It's the kind of thing I expect to hear from a crack addict or a raging alcoholic, not an artist offering his work to the public. When an artist makes his work public, anyone at all has the right to comment -- you, me, the kid down the block, the New York Times, anyone. Period. That's the way the game works. An artist who can't handle that without losing control of his emotions shouldn't be in the game.
Mr. Smith's personal remarks are beneath comment. His comments on my playing are obviously ignorant. Where he got the idea that my style has ever been all about overblowing is beyond me. No one who's been a member of Harp-L for more than 15 minutes, or who's taken the trouble to read my comments on overblowing at my website, would make the same mistake.
I understand that artists, like everyone else, have their faults. God knows I have mine. I make a point of ignoring the personal faults of most artists, because if I didn't there'd be very little art that I could enjoy. (If I really cared about what kind of people many well-known actors are, for example, I'd probably never watch another movie.) I focus on the work, and I leave the personalities out of it. Most of the time, that is.
Mr. Smith has made his faults hard for me to ignore. I no longer recommend that anyone buy Smith's CDs, and I would never recommend that anyone take the trouble to see him play. And if you do, I recommend that you either sit in the back of the room, or smile when he's looking at you.
In closing, I advise Mr. Smith to let it ride from now on when a knowledgeable reviewer tells a large audience to buy one of his CDs. It's a lot harder to get a fan than it is to lose one, and most artists need all the help they can get. Mr. Smith's not getting any more help from me, and I stopped being a fan on May 3, 2001.
Sincerely, Richard Hunter hunterharp.com
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