[Harp-L] Harmonica Listening(s): PT Gazell

[<alliance@xxxxxxxxx>]

As long as Rob Paparrozi brings up PT Gazell, I may as move on to the last
CD that I have been listening to lately:  PT Gazell's Swingin' Easy, Hittin'
Hard.

 

It seems like I've told the story a lot lately about meeting PT Gazell at
SPAH in Dallas 3 years ago.  When I told it recently to Joe Filisco, he told
me that he'd had basically the same experience as I had.  When Joe was
introduced to PT by Jelly Roll, he just kind of started gushing
(paraphrasing his words) about how he had been such a big fan, and how it
was such a pleasure to meet him.  Both Joe and I felt kind of embarrassed
that we had jumped all over the guy, but I guess that both of us had just
been deeply affected by PT's great tone and gorgeous sense of melody. 

 

In 'Swingin' Easy, Hittin' Hard, PT takes on the challenge of playing
so-called 'standards' . . . As I had been listening to Howard Levy tackling
somewhat the same territory, I can tell you that it's been an interesting
few weeks.  Although PT's approach comes from a whole other place than
Howard, both of them have moved me in very unique ways, and both of them
succeed on their own unique terms.  Simply put, PT Gazell's playing just
plain makes me feel good; no matter what style of music he's playing . . .
Like Jelly Roll Johnson's The Ol' Harpoon, I have a feeling that this is a
CD that I'm going to be listening to for a very long time . . .  

 

Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC