[Harp-L] Great week for discovering harp players

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've had a lot of fun this week discovering harp players that are not 
new to to the scene, but new for me.

First there was Jason Rosenblatt and his madly original band playing 
mideastern-influenced music with great Howard Levy-influenced harmonica.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/sifencioglu

On Tuesday as I drove to work I heard a live interview on a local radio 
station with Canadian slide guitarist Harry Manx, who turned out to be 
playing a free concert that night in Ridgefield, CT with Canadian 
harmonica player Steve Marriner.  I dropped in to hear the show and was 
very happy that I did so.  Marriner plays a strongly blues-influenced 
style on diatonic with a lot of control and chording that goes beyond 
Little Walter's playbook, and a sweetly melodic style on chromatic that 
punches when it has to.    He used a POD very effectively for amped tone 
and for rotating (Leslie) speaker effects.  Well worth hearing if Manx 
and he pass through your neighborhood (see harrymanx.com for details).

On Wednesday I listened to a new CD by Ross Walters, who's based in 
Nashville.  He plays great chromatic and diatonic (not to mention saxes 
too) in a huge range of styles, from roots to classical, and has toured 
with some bigtime worship bands as well as Donna Summer. I can't figure 
out how I missed him up till now.  myspace.com/myharpdemo and 
rosswalters.com both have some great clips on them.

Finally, today I heard Son of Dave, a one man show that's got some very 
nice blues harp fronting a bunch of loops.  New, different, and puts the 
harp right up front.
http://sod.ward404.com/

It's thrilling to me to hear so many players in their 20s and 30s who 
are doing new, exciting work in so many different styles. If this keeps 
up, the future of this instrument and the people who play it is bright. 
 And I'm going to have lots of fun checking these guys out from now on.

Thanks and regards, Richard Hunter