[Harp-L] VS: Stevie Wonder/Tony Bennett

["Haka Harri" <harri.haka@xxxxxxxx>]

I had the privilige of seeing Jimi Hendrix live in Helsinki in 1968. As a teenager I classified him as the greatest guitar player ever (which still stands in my list). Hendrix best gtr, Little Walter best harp.
Harri

> -----Alkuperäinen viesti-----
> Lähettäjä: jazmaan [mailto:jazmaan@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Lähetetty: 22. marraskuuta 2006 23:47
> Vastaanottaja: Haka Harri
> Kopio: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Aihe: Re: Stevie Wonder/Tony Bennett
> 
> 
> Some people disagree with the very notion that one player can 
> be the "best".  They don't like
> comparing musicians period.    I am not one of those people.
> 
> When Charlie Parker was living, he was universally recognized 
> by his peers as being the best alto
> player on the planet.   In his prime, Bird was so highly 
> regarded that when he showed up for an
> unplanned unrehearsed guest appearance with the Woody Herman 
> Herd, every musician in that band
> ceded his solo space to Bird!
> 
> When Jimi Hendrix first arrived in England as an unknown, he 
> asked if he could sit in with Cream. 
> At the time people considered Cream's guitarist, Eric Clapton 
> to be "God".  When Hendrix began to
> play, Clapton was stunned.  He walked offstage mid-song and 
> asked Jimi's manager "Can he really be
> that good?"    Jeff Beck saw him play and bitterly asked Pete 
> Townsend  "Am I just supposed to
> give up playing guitar now?" 
> 
> I use Hendrix and Bird as proof of the concept that one 
> player can indeed be "The Best".  If you
> accept that concept then let me say that I have been 
> privileged to see Toots, Howard, Jason, Rick,
> Kim, and Rod play live in person.  The others on your list I 
> have heard through their recordings
> only.   And as far as I'm concerned they are all incredible 
> players.   But Stevie is a genius.  In
> my opinion, what Stevie played last night with Tony Bennett 
> was on a "whole -- 'nother -- level!"
> (to quote a current character on Mad TV.) 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> --- Haka Harri <harri.haka@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Stevie sure is a great harmonica player but I'm surprised 
> that everyone on this list agrees on
> > him being "best on earth" . Wonder  has an incredible 45 
> year career as a multi-instrumentalist,
> > but from a purely harmonica point of view it is hard to 
> justify him as THE best. No matter what
> > your musical preference, how would you compare him with the 
> likes of James Cotton, Rod Piazza,
> > Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, R.J. Mischo, Mitch Kashmar, Howard 
> Levy, Jason Ricci, Toots Thielemans
> > and others who are specialists in this instrument? This is 
> not to underestimate Stevie Wonder as
> > a harmonica player but a reminder that there are players 
> out there who, with any criteria, are
> > in the top .2%.
> > 
> > Harri 
> > 
> > > Just saw Stevie duet with Tony Bennett on "For Once In My 
> > > Life".   After that solo, is there
> > > really any doubt who the best harmonica player on earth is?
> > > 
> > 
> 
>