[Harp-L] Harmonica Listening(s): Annie Raines

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'Little' Annie Raines blew into town a few weeks ago . . . With husband and
partner Paul, they played to a full house here in Chapel Hill.

I've known Annie for about 15 years, ever since she dragged me to about 4 or
5 clubs and jams (until the wee hours) in and around Boston back in the
early 90's.  Annie is a player known to have built her chops upon the very
solid foundation of the 'masters' . . . In this go-round, it was very
apparent to me that, while she has continued to absorb those lessons, she
had very definitely continued to expand upon them with her own 'sound' and
style . . . To me, it was like listening to a clinic on how to construct
tongue-blocked blues parts and solos, playing 'clean' through the PA . . .
When, in the second set, she 'plugged in' for some amplified blues, she
really go the joint jumpin' . . . I attended the show with a friend on mine
who is not a 'blues-guy' at all; he is an internationally known guitar
teacher (finger-style jazz primarily, Paul Simon has been his students since
1980), author, and columnist, and even he 'got it' . . . He remarked, (in
his terms), how the two of them really understood how to 'perform' and
'engage' an audience, irregardless of the style of music . . .  If you ever
get a chance to see them, I'd highly recommend it . . .      

 

Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC