Re: [Harp-L] RE: Larry Adler movie - was it "faked"?

[Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Ken,

Glad you enjoyed the clips -- as soon as I ran across 'em I figured a 
few folks on the L might get a kick out of 'em.

As to the Adler... hmmm... some good points you raise.  I just 
re-viewed it and I have to admit that I can't tell if it's "live" or 
not. Yes there are a couple of split-second discrepencies, but that's 
almost to be expected with these small MP4-type files -- most films 
I've seen in this format are "off" a wee bit in the synchronization 
between sound and action. Perhaps that's what we are seeing?

Then again, in the case of the "soundies" of the late '40s, *all* the 
performances were indeed "faked" -- ie lip-synched. I really don't 
know, and as a diatonic player I don't really feel qualified to guess 
-- I'd rather wait to hear what Robert Bonifiglio, Richard Hunter and 
the other chromaticists have to say.

Regarding his hand movements, I do think the majority of them are 
contributing to his sound. But Adler, like many other musicians (on 
every instrument,) did tend to exaggerate his movements somewhat in 
the interests of showmanship. Nothing wrong with that. For one thing, 
the widely spread fingers (away from the harp) wouldn't seem to 
contribute much, other than a dramatic and weird spidery look. <shrug>

Odd thing is, we all tend to forgive this tendency when it's a rock 
guitarist up on his toes, scowling, over-moving the left hand to get 
up and down the neck -- but it's almost as prevalent in classical 
music.  I've seen many, many violinists who swoop and bend at the 
waist, exaggerate their bowing, make pained expressions, etc...  I 
always thought it funny that I might see a violinist in concert at 
the Music Center with Zubin Mehta and there would be little of this 
over-showmanship; but the following week the same player might get a 
slot on Carson and wham! suddenly they become Jimi Hendrix. <g>

Show biz is show biz I guess, and Mr. Adler did come from a 
background of music halls and near-vaudeville. He knew what worked. 
And although some folks tend to dismiss him because of his reputation 
as "difficult," there's no disputing his stature as both a 
master-musician and as a missionary of sorts, who saw it as his duty 
to elevate the harmonica from it's perceived role as a 'toy' to that 
of a true musical instrument.  I agree with you, his playing IS 
gorgeous. My hat is off to him, whether it's 'faked' this time or 
not...

cheers to you, Ken, and hope we can cross paths again in Colorado one 
of these days,

all best,
Tom
http://www.tomball.com
http://www.tomballkennysultan.com


> Hey Tom,
>
> Thanks so much for the two very cool links! That
> Three Stooges bit is like my all time favorite!
> Swing it!! Larry, I read somewhere, really did play
> the fiddle, and Curly really was an expert "spoons"
> player, but his standup bass left something to be
> desired. LOL!!
>
> As for the Adler clip... God, his playing is just
> gorgeous. But I couldn't help but notice some
> little discrepencies between what I was ~seeing~
> and what I was ~hearing~...
>
> For example, toward the beginning he briefly takes
> his mouth off the harp to quickly licks his lips,
> but in the same instant I'm hearing a nice
> sustained note. Then, later Mr. Adler had got his
> hands wide open, but I'm hearing this nice hand
> vibrato.
>
> Was that movie "faked?" I mean, it was obviously
> Adler's playing, but do you think he went in later
> to put the movie over an existing recording? Sort
> of "dubbing over" the recording to make a movie?
>
> If this is the case, then all that exaggerated hand
> movement was mostly hooey... you know just to make
> it more interesting to look at.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Harpin' in Colorado,
> --Ken M.
>
>
>
> --- Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >  Well, since everybody seemed to like the Adler
> >  movie, here's a link
> >  to another film.  Moe swallows a Little Lady!
> http://www.archive.org/stream/disorder_in_the_court/disorder_in_the_court_256kb.mp4
> >  later,
> >  Tom
> >  http://www.tomball.us
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com