[Harp-L] What Makes Popper Popper // WAs : Re: John Popper

["Hurricane Ramón" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric Sez :

Quote :

" it's one thing to appreciate how accomplished Popper is... and i personally really like a lot of what he does,, both with some of his songs, effects, and as an amassador for the diatonic
harmonica. but, he plays many "wrong" notes on the harp and gets away with it simply because he's "john popper, i play superfast harp and no one will know." thereby he discredits the instrument as well. so both sides must be addressed.

eric in miami "

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Hurricane sez :

Eric , dunno but - - your flip floppin on this and why I don't really know . You say ya like him and ya say he's good and then  ya say he's an embarrassment , quite a lot of ground to cover here my friend  ,

... pero , amigo  , espera un momento por favor :
    ( but , friend ,  wait a moment please )

This guys chops are his own signature , something distinct about his particular " touch " in playing .

That said , how many out there including yourself can say they have a distinct and individual sound and style . Ah knows fo certun ah can .

After that it is a question of do you like his style or not and that's a personal thing .

I have ( as well as other seasoned players ) taken time to realize just what he's throwing down , after I had done this alone I did it with fellow musicians and asked if they thought I was in the " neighborhood " on covering some of his songs . For the sake of objectivity I did not ask fellow harmonica players , I asked the guitar , piano , horn players and vocalists I work(ed) with and got there take on the sound . 

What I personally found about his playing is his remarkably simple approach to his style , not a heavy super structure in the notes on OB's or OD's , only the timing and speed factors mostly  an issue here and not the notes themselves plainly stated . He's got it  down sweet and simple , study his chops note for note and see for yourself .

What most will encounter is that his blazing speed is out of there league , but , speed is not the only thing greatness is judged by . He's also got great timing , something I believe your born with and many are not . It's not my fault or anyone  else's , it's the luck of the draw as to who gets a good singing voice and who just happens to take to a harmonica like a duck to water . In my case I began at 4 years of age and that spells out in time really big mountainous chunks of time spent on " noodling " notes and phrasings over these past 50 going 51 years of playing my harmonica this next September . Speed is not a un approachable or un attainable goal either , you just have to put in the time and pay yer dues like Popper , Levy, and many many other really great harmonmica players did and still do today .


It is apparent that Mr. John Popper has put in the long hard and determined effort to excel to the level he has reached . In Poppers case someone or something hit his ears and soul in a way that motivated him to noodle the heck out of speedy quick phrasings , like a flamenco guitar player would attack a songs  composition  , so be it , it was his call and many are dancing and jumping to his tune  , heck a fire man , they all can't be wrong !

What I surmise personally is that his " Hip Hop " type vocal phrasings are not music to many who are not from that generation of musical instrumnent players and aficionados . It's more than obvious that his harmonica phrasings parallel his vocalizations too on the same vein ( or to put it in a Hip Hop tense " Flavor " ) of sound , this is to many way outside the Blues " loop " and that offends many who see the word and world of " Blues " as a sacrament . Too many are way to serious here in that area  of sensitivity . I am as deep into the Blues as you can get and I find some of the so called R&B acts of present so far from that style I wonder why it's called that when it's sound is definitely not R&B at all . That's life I live with it . What is most important to myself is my music because of how I have lived my life and Mr. John Popper I am sure looks at it pretty much the same as any other musician do as well .  

As to your assessment of him being a " ambassador " of diatonic harmonica players , you forgot to mention we are all " ambassadors " of the harmonica . Proof is how we all as a whole suffer the embarrassments and then the obstacles left behind by wanna bees who showed up at the club before we did ( a collective we as in all accomplished harmonica men & women ) and just drove the whole house nuts with an annoying display of trashy sounding harmonica honking and boring and badly played predicable hooks . John Popper for what it's worth has never done that kind of damage to the international world of harmonica players at all ever , even when and if he popped out a few clams from time to time live on stage . There isn't a harmonica player worth his salt that has not thrown out a clam or two while on stage live in front of a crowd  , myself included .

Eric --  On the other hand I may be waaaay off here . I remember hearing Tony Bennet tell how " The Bird " blew him away so bad the fist night he hear him blasting lightning fast super machine gun intense bebop stuff on his sax - - Tony said it made him run outside and barf - - later Tony's assesment of the Bird and BeBop changed after Tony learned more about it . 

¡ Oh , and listen to Tony you harmonica maniacs , cause he's da bees knees !  

Sinceramente

- Pax sit semper vobiscum - 

Hurricane Ramón   

Aka :

Party_Man1@xxxxxxxxxx

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