Subject: [Harp-L] Damien Masterson - Chromatic Harmonica Blues

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Damien writes (snipped):
 
" A final note on the chromatic blues - and I hope that everyone can  
agree on this: The most important factor in playing the blues on ANY  
instrument is SOUL. If you can't "play it like you mean it" then  forget 
it!"
 
......Absolutely!  I'll take emotion over technique any  day.
 
and...
 
" I'll repeat my recommendations for those who want to hear very  
soulful chromatic - All of Stevie Wonders' playing."
 
YES, YES, YES, and YES!  I'm SO freaking tired of people  arguing with me 
about Stevie....some guy who's parroting something he read  somewhere claiming 
that SW's "only" a pop player rather  than a Blues or Jazz or Soul (enough) 
player...that he's purely  "Motown"....(whatever that's supposed to mean), "lame 
and schmaltzy" were  two of the descriptions used.  I don't know what part of 
their  anatomy those folks were listening with...but they didn't seem  to be 
with the same kind of ears as mine....so Thank you! for  that.  I don't care if 
people don't like his music -  that's  fine... they shouldn't buy his 
CD's...change the channel if his music  comes on their radio stations...but the 
constant dissing of his  inventiveness and talent just annoys the heck out of me.
 
 "Tollak Ollestad (_http://www.tollak.com_ (http://www.tollak.com/) ) is a 
phenomenal  player, and like me he has 
prioritized expression and feeling over  technical chops, also he plays 
keys, composes and has backed up really  famous people like Don Henley. 
Bill Barrett has some really nice  stuff, and albeit a deconstructionist 
or "iconoclast", plays some  really cool, original chrom."
 
..I have heard a lot about these guys...but am still behind in my  chromatic 
and diatonic Blues education...I'm only in the harmonica  world for two years 
and need time to catch-up...3 years ago I  had no idea who Sonny Terry, Walter 
Horton, Walter Jacobs, or even  Toots were.  So it'll take me a while to get 
to everyone on  my list. There are only so many hours in the day.
 
I've had input from other people too...reminding me of other  chromatic 
players I've had on my list for a while and haven't yet caught  up with...William 
Gallison, for instance. Besides Toots' Gymnopedie  No1 which I found so 
appealing, I did hear another track on a  compilation album from someone I know 
nothing about :  Michael  Herblin..."Voice"...and that's as close as I've heard so 
far to the sound  I'm looking for...and would love to be able to play someday.
 
 
 "There are other players who have risen above the norm and  really said 
something 
for a minute, but as far as that "one note" that  moves you inside and 
puts your eyes all watery, there aren't many  chromatic players doing 
that on a regular basis. That's my goal. Tell  me when I get there."
 
...Oh...I'm pretty sure you've gotten there for a lot  of other people, 
Damien....and since I just haven't yet heard  you in person...you may very well 
play exactly the music I want to  hear...be the one playing "that" chromatic 
note.  I admit to having  heard "it" in a new instrumental on diatonic by Jason 
Ricci with his  guitarist Shawn Starsky (who wrote the song) "Sonja".  It'll be 
on  their new album.  When he nails it...."that note"..it floods me with  
tears, it's just so beautiful.   Jason affects me that way  with his singing on 
Blue & Lonesome too.  
 
I should make something clear, with  my apologies...I thought I had specified 
in my original post  that I meant in person when I talked about hearing "that 
 sound".  It makes a tremendous difference to me when I can hear  a musician 
delivering it Live.  Technical wizardry can do a  lot to provide a lot of 
aural satisfaction on a CD from the  studio...but I really like hearing a 
musician/performer in a small club  set-up - the real deal.  While I might attend a 
big, crowded venue  just to support an artist I care about, I'd rather not.  Too 
 much noise and the people really don't go there to listen.   

""Intercambio". For the poster who made a comment about  "mostly 
brazilian" music, you obviously don't own the CD"
 
...LOL...Apologies again...that was me, and you're right.  I  don't own it  - 
yet, and could only hear snippets from the website I  visited...haven't had 
enough time to get a copy.  It did seem that  the two or three tracks available 
were all of a similar "type" of  music....if the rest of the disk isn't so, I 
stand corrected.  And I  do actually like Brazilian music...and other music 
as well with a  danceable beat...I have very eclectic tastes in music.  I also  
realize that it is one CD and you did say there is an incredible solo  on 
it....I may just buy it for that one solo.  I'm waiting to hear  more tracks of 
yours from other things you'd done ...you did say  you'd post more links, and 
am quite looking forward  to them.  
 
Since I'm packing a lifetime of harmonica information into a very  short 
space of time...I've had to slow down somewhat  on acquiring more harmonica 
related CD's and harps,  lately.  Went a little overboard at the beginning so have 
to now pace  myself, but strongly believe in supporting the musicians and 
friends I've  made in this community...so I will catch up, I promise.  
 
Hope I do get to hear you play in person one of these times..and  thanks for 
adding me to your mailing list...much appreciated.
 
Elizabeth