RE: [Harp-L] Re: jazz

["Chris Michalek" <Chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That would be Howard Levy and Paul Messinger.

Both great guys and very good players.


>
>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: res0958z@xxxxxxxxxxx
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Re: jazz
>Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 16:13:03 -0500
>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Back about 1996 or so (can't remember) I went to Augusta to the
>Blues 
>>Week (which, if you haven't gone, you need to).
>>Besides being immersed in the blues for a solid week, I was taken by
>one 
>>fellow who impressed me with his jazz ability on
>>the diatonic. Shamefully, I can't recall who that was either because
>at 
>>that time, I'd have placed myself firmly in the intermediate
>>category, and was pitifully unaware of the more advanced players.
>But 
>>this guy hung out near the piano in the lobby of the dorm
>>up on the hill above the ice house, just a short walk from the old 
>>antebellum mansion where we spent countless evening hours.
>>During the day, I recall this same fellow would pen out his songs,
>not 
>>in the common 2b, 3d, tablature but in real staffed music.
>>I was impressed. And he could play well beyond most of us cloistered
>
>>there. I'm fairly certain he had already mastered overblows
>>too, because it inspired me to head home and work on a harp until I 
>>could master a full chromatic scale on the diatonic with the
>>overblows and draws. But this guy went well beyond the I, IV, V 
>>progressions. His stuff was laced with the jazz notes, and
>progressions
>>tossing in the II, and VI. As I read a few weeks back about breaking
>out 
>>of a rut, I recalled how venturing beyond the common
>>was just the way to do it. As my memory fades with my increasing 
>>'senior' moments, I vividly still recall this week. Several years
>>after this (1999, of this I'm certain because I was in Chapel Hill
>to 
>>record with Rock Bottom), I also had the pleasure of dropping
>>in on yet another from this Augusta class, and just as accomplished
>as 
>>the fellow above. He lived in either Cary or Chapel Hill, N.C.
>>and I had the chance to spend an evening there, again listening 
>>wide-eyed as more jazz improv came from a diatonic. Since then,
>>I've never doubted whether jazz fit on a diatonic. It does, and you
>can. 
>>One of my favorites is still an old Herbie Mann standard,
>>"Comin' Home Baby", which works out nicely on the diatonic and is a
>real 
>>change of pace for an audience. My apologies for my lack
>>of recall....I'm not getting any younger, but I wish I recalled
>names to 
>>give proper kudos to the inspirations above.
>>
>>Bill Otten
>>St. Petersburg, FL
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Chris Michalek

www.michalekstrone.com
CD Available
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michalekstrone