[Harp-L] Re: Hoochie Coochie Man

[Jp "Pagán" <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey all, 

   let me start of by saying that i'm not someone who
feels any harp part HAS to be played in a certain
position just because this Walter or that Walter
played it in such-n-such position. i respect that
opinion, i just don't share it ;)
   that said...

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, RUSSEGR9@xxxx
wrote:
> Hi All,
> Now Im all confused.
> I have always played Hootchie Cootchi man in 2nd
position, if the band was 
> playing in G I would play a C harp:  
> 
> G, C, Bb, G or D F D G

that sounds, to me, more like the "Mannish Boy" riff
(some add an extra G after the C = G C G Bb G). the
"(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man" riff is, more or
less, 2 3' 3' 4+, depending a bit on the version.
point is, it is ~traditionally~ played in first, with
the lick starting on the 2 draw and ending on the 4
blow (some people like to use the 1/4 octave). Jerry
Portnoy does a version really faithful to the original
when he plays with Clapton on 'From the Cradle'.
sure you CAN play it in second. and i've heard bands
mix up the riffs as if they were the same song. not
the end of the world, harmonically speaking ;)

> I had thought 2nd is the position Muddy and Walter
played it in. And it 
> especially sounds like 2nd position when they play
the turnaround, not first 
> position.  (at least on the recording I listened to
- the record best of Muddy on 
> Chess) 

grab an A harp and listen to the Muddy version with
Little Walter. play the intro lick as 2 3' 3' 4+ and
you'll see it really fits. for the solo (still in
first!), i can't help ya ;) but keep at it... 
the turnaround is more or less (it changes a bit
throughout the song, i think. i don't have it handy) 4
draw, 6+ 5+ 4+, 2 2 2" 2+ 1+ 4+... something like
that. like i said, can't recall it exactly. but again,
i'm pretty sure it ends on a 4 blow.

anyway... it's a great tune. and playing it well is
more important than playing it exactly like Little
Walter played it that one time. (by the way, Willie
Dixon, i think, wrote that tune. when he recorded it
with Big Walter, Big played it in... you guessed it...
2nd position. even the riff was different. i think it
may have even been the "Mannish Boy" riff ! ;)

    --Jp


		
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