[Harp-L] Mystery Harp Player

[George Brooks <gbrooks1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jason Rosenblatt writes:

>Sure there are many that can
>play the heads, and perhaps
>get around the changes, but
>as far as I've heard only Howard
>really stands out as a jazz musician
>who happens to play the diatonic
>harmonica. (Don't hurt me!)

I won't, but Galison might (listening to Galison is like listening to 
Howard: phenomenally exciting and profoundly discouraging at the same 
time).

A couple of years ago, at a SPAH or a Buckeye, William was up on stage, 
absolutely tearing it up on some jazz tune on a 12 hole chromatic (his 
usual instrument).  He was standing center stage and had a music stand 
in front of him, the solid metal kind.  Well, everybody who has heard 
Galison knows that he can play take-no-prisoners jazz on a chromatic 
so, while the music was great, this was nothing unusual.  Then, in the 
middle of a solo, he reached down to his music stand with one hand, 
came up with a diatonic, put the chromatic down with his other hand, 
and continued to blast away with undiminished energy, chops and 
conviction and, if memory serves, without dropping a beat.  He used the 
entire range of the harp, he played fast, he played clean, and he hit 
lots of overblows, overdraws, and other bends as parts of runs at high 
speed.  All with consummate musicality.  It's a cliche, I know, but it 
actually happened: my jaw dropped.

William has some records of his chromatic playing but, as far as I 
know, nothing recorded playing jazz on the diatonic.

George