Re: [Harp-L] Funk and harmonica

["Robert Paparozzi" <chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Excellent post Mox.......what treasure of a list you've presented...

  I might add my 2 cents, the best thing that EVER happened to my 
improvisational chops on HARMONICA  since Littler Walter and Paul 
Butterfield....was when I discovered R&B.....another world opened up!

  18 years ago I was hosting a Blues Jam with my band in NYC at a club 
called "Under Acme"....word got out and many great players came down as they 
heard it was a good scene and they could sit in with the band and play some 
blues.

  ( Blues was pretty much my specialty back then and aside from studying 
some classical chrom with Bonfiglio.....and playing some top 40 at weddings 
and lounges...Blues is what I played & Loved...)

  Well getting back to my story, into the club one night in walked a 
drummer that everyone was excited about,
I had NEVER heard of him, his name:
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie......so I asked him up to play....and I became an 
R&B junkie from that night on ! -(and have also gone on to become his 
Musical Director)

   Go to your computer and do a GOOGLE search on his name and then check 
out ANY record he is on and you WILL know the meaning of FUNK-SOUL_GROOVE 
music....the man is immersed in it!

But the cool thing is he's brought his "funk" to many other styles and 
SHOWED them how to incorporate it in their own Bag: here's just a FEW 
examples:

-aretha live at the fillmore west
-king curtis  "  "       "      "
-Quincy Jones - Walking in Space
-Steely Dan- Aja, Home at Last, Golden Earrings, Deacon Blues.........and 
more
-Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Grover Washington, Stanley Turrentine, The 
Monkees, Doris Troy,........and way tooo many more to mention....

It's an honor and I feel blessed to work and study with this living legend 
of Soul Music....

On the Vocal spectrum I've learned VOLUMES from my partner in the Blues Bros 
Band Vocalist and songwriter extrodinaire (Knock on Wood, 634-5789, Raise 
your Hands) as well as our Guitarist, Steve Cropper (a walking R&B 
encyclopedia)

hope this adds some insight to the Funk-Harmonica connection....

Hey perhaps this could be a seminar at SPAH next year:

'puttin' a lil' FUNK in Harp' ,-)))))

BTW, looked like a badass convention in KC, sorry I missed y'all!

Well gotta run and shed these Ed Palermo Big Band charts for tonite.....have 
a great day.....

Love & Peace,
Rob




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mox Gowland" <mox1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 8:54 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Funk and harmonica


 Nick Frazier <fraziern@xxxxxxx> wrote;
<I'm an intermediate player, mostly playing blues harp, and I'm looking to 
expand into funk/r&b.  What are some good albums to listen to, to get the 
feel for the style?>

oo    JR "Bulldogge" Ross ()()   & Snuffy, too:)`--' gave one of the most 
precise "non-technician" answers that I've ever seen on this list - It's 
gone directly into my personal archives.
Amongst many other worthy names, "Michael Peloquin" 
<peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
mentions Dyke & The Blazers.   Their book 'The Art or Playing Rhythm & 
Blues" - Volume One - The 50's and 60's -A Doctor Licks Publication - is a 
treasure-trove of grooves written for rhythm guitars, bass & drums.
I copied a whole bunch of there examples, converted them to midi and now 
when I need to brush up my Funk/ Rhythm & Blues chops I can choose different 
styles such as:
The Dells, Doris Troy, The Chords, early James Brown, Jackie Wilson, 
Drifters, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Sam & Dave, Miracles,  Stevie, Otis, 
Aretha, brothers Johnson etc..
There are over sixty examples!
I don't know if it is still in print - maybe a google "doctor licks 
publication" search will bring something up?
Hope this helps.

Mox
http://jmredon.free.fr/monsitewebebcountryblues/entree.htm





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