Subject: [Harp-L] And, In this corner (Jason Ricci)

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Just read an absolutely terrific "review" by one of MY favorite  people here, 
Smo-Joe (Joe Leone).  And of course the review is of my  friend and favorite 
Blues/rock/indie/innovative/exciting harmonica player  par 
excellence.....Jason Ricci.  :)
 
What an outrageous experience you had, Smokey....and, ahem....perhaps  you'll 
listen next time Bobbie and I tell you to just "get in the  car!"   :)   
(Smo-Joe thought perhaps we should save  our space in Bobbie's rental to take 
another of Jason's younger or  more blues-oriented fans to Herman's Hideaway for 
the Harp Blow-Off in  Denver).  "I" knew he'd fit right in, have a great time 
and had never  really heard the people who were going to play that night in a 
club  setting....but as a chromatic jazz player, he wasn't at all sure he  
"belonged".  From this review...I'd say.."welcome to the Club"...and  if YOU don't 
now belong, then no one does.
 
But....I STILL wanted you to experience a true "JR&New Blood"  show as I've 
experienced them...raw, full of emotion, passion...close-up  and personal, 
rather than in the more sterile environment at SPAH or  Buckeye.  This has now 
been accomplished....FINALLY!
 
I knew you really liked Jason as a person and player ..had only  very good 
things to say about him ever since Denver..but your writing  shows you've now 
finally SEEN him ...the real JR...as those of us have who  love him and know 
he's the best there is.  What a thrill!  I  only have one quibble....as human as 
Jason is, I still think he might  be from another better Planet than ours   :)
 
Be honest...you hadn't "quite" understood what it is folks like me  felt when 
we show up at show after show of Jason's...and feel such  disappointment when 
circumstances force us to miss even one.   You thought of me as somewhat of a 
"groupie".  
 
Somehow I don't think you'll question "why" again.  Jason Ricci  is the REAL 
deal...there is no one else out there like him...and I'm just  so excited to 
hear someone I respect as much as I do you....hear it, see  it, feel it...and 
express it so beautifully on Harp-L.
 
Thanks, Joe.
 
Elizabeth
                                          * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
* * 
 
"Weight...... 154 lbs 3 oz
Height........6' 0  1/2"
Reach........Yes he does
Age............  32
Record.......Yes

Introducing, from Nashville Tenn., The heavy  weight champion of the  
world

I had only met him recently.  It was the Buckeye Harmonica Fest (circa  
2005?)
I hadn't  really heard him till then. I mean really REALLY heard him.  
What  I mean
is that I had heard OF him, and everything I had heard was  positive.

Well I got to hear him a second time at the blues blow  off at  
Herman's Hideaway
in Denver this past August.  We got there late and I was only able  
to catch a snippet. Then  his
set at the SPAH hotel locale, gave me a tantalyzing third all  too  
brief snipett in an all too sterile
environment. For, you  see, he is meant to be heard both live AND raw.  
One needs  to
FEEL the power, feel the angst, feel the pain, feel the passion,  feel  
the youth, feel the virility,
feel the strength. And it  must be live and in living color. And the  
color would have to be  blood red.

You see, this amazing human being from the planet earth  (yes he IS  
from earth) bleeds his music.
He literally  opens up his arteries and bleeds his life out for you.  
It  doesn't matter if there is only
one of you, ten of you, a  hundred, or a thousand. He gives his all,  
regardless.

Now  I have made it no secret that way back in 19 and 60, I was a mere   
lad of 18 a hobo for a time. During that
short period I had the  good fortune to develop a love for blues to  
add to my jazz  addiction. I got to hear
some of the best over these 46 years, and I  had never ever  
experienced anything like the champ.

Are  there harp players who can match his speed? Maybe, but I have   
never heard one. Can anyone
match his clean accuracy? Maybe, but I  am unable to recollect one.  
How about the ability to 'catch'  bent notes in any one of 4? steps  
and do it spot on? Hmmm, still  thinking. What about 13 straight  
minutes of flourishes at 262  beats per minute? Hey, you got ME by the  
halo. Now then, what  about the ability to change the flourishes and  
come up with a  mind boggling number of variations, so as to never  
bore the  listener. I'm stumped to answer.

Unlike most players who show you  everything they have in their  
'Tucker-Bag' in the first tune or  two, 'DA Man' can
keep up an unrelenting barrage of so many different  calibre guns,  
it's like the battle of Midway. So here we are in  a country that has  
this annoying penchant for making everything  into a contest. I get  
sick and tired of that. It's not that one  player is better or worse  
than another. It's as simple as  'Everyone is just different'. But if  
we MUST think from a  competitive level, then this man is definitely  
MY  choice.

I got to spend two nights with him at a tiny oyster bar  named Bert's  
in the scenic little swamp fishing village of  Matlache (phonetic..  
Matt La Shay), and I gotta tell ya. MY life  will never be the same. I  
even tried to adopt him.

So,  who IS this marvel (who wears no mask, no sun glasses, no funny   
hat(s), uses no gimmicks)?

Winner..FOR the title...By Knock  out... 2 min 55 sec of the second  
round...............Jason  Ricci

your humble scribe....smokey joe"