Re: [Harp-L] Rockford Files...

[Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Obviously I can't speak for Tommy (for whom, by the way, I have 
tremendous respect,) but:

For film or TV music, it's up to the producer (or composer) as to 
what kind or style of playing they want. Ultimately what stays on the 
track is what *they* want to stay on the track.

I think the playing on Rockford fits exactly right when one considers 
the Jim Rockford character as portrayed by James Garner: a sort-of 
carefree L.A. private eye bachelor who lives in a cluttered trailer 
on the beach, can't keep up with his taxes or payroll, gets involved 
in a scam now and then, enjoys his beer, his love life is a mess, etc 
etc.  It wouldn't surprise me one iota if Mike Post didn't *want* the 
harmonica to be too dead-on perfect...  Hell, Tommy Morgan can play 
anything -- he's a pro's pro.

Although I haven't done nearly as many sessions as Tommy, on more 
than one occasion doing TV music I have been asked to "play down" -- 
to actually play worse.  This can happen when a producer wants to 
make a certain musical point -- albeit, a point that sometimes I 
can't see, don't understand, or think is BS.  But then, hey, it's 
their money so I shut my trap and do it. <shrug>  I can't count the 
number of times I've heard in the studio, "More Dylanesque!" or "Make 
it more campfire!"  It's pretty rare that studio players get a real 
chance to stretch out and show what they can do.  Rather, we're 
simply expected to be musical extensions of a producer's (or 
composer's) artistic vision -- like it or not.  As Dr John puts it, 
"If I don't do it, somebody else will..."

Sure beats a career in Pizza Delivery, tho -- which is why I answer 
the phone each and every time it rings. :)

cheers,
Tom Ball
http://www.tomball.us
http://www.tomballkennysultan.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

> Can anyone tell me why whoever played on Rockford Files played it so sloppy?
>
> Was it that basic disdain for diatonic that some accomplished old school
> chromatic players seem to have for the diatonic, thus never having honed any
> bending or tonal chops on that instrument?
>
> Maybe (I doubt it) the producer demanded slop that sounded like someone who
> had been playing diatonic for 3 months.
>
> there, I said it, I feel better. I feel that the more that there is sloppy
> harmonica in the mainstream, the more that it sets us back as musicians.
>
>
> Michael Peloquin
> http://tinyurl.com/5tpjg
> http://www.harpsax.com
>
>
> > From: "Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
> > Eddie Gordon has also claimed that he was first to record the Sesame
> > Street theme for PBS, even though Toots Thielemans was used for the
>  >final version that played until a couple of years ago.
>  >
>  >Winslow