Re: [Harp-L] VS: Stevie Wonder

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Haka Harri" 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%.

I agree with just about everything in the statement above.  Playing music isn't in essence 
a competitive sport, where one player is provably the best of all.  (Although it's often so 
in a commercial sense.  Larry Adler liked to tell people that he was indisputably the best 
harmonica player in the world.  Whether or not it was true--and there are arguments
to be made either way--it was good for Adler's career.)

However, I do think it's true that Stevie Wonder is the most talented overall musician to have ever 
achieved prominence as a harmonica soloist.  He can do all of the important things--play 
multiple instruments (some brilliantly and all at a professional level), sing, compose, arrange 
and orchestrate, etc., etc.--at a world class level.  Granted that we could say the same of 
Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy II, and Little Walter.  But I would say that Stevie's output shows 
greater variety than any of these.  Little Walter redefined Chicago blues, especially the 
blues instrumental; Wonder has redefined certain genres more than once, and he
has played harmonica (as leader and session player) in an amazing variety of musical styles, 
always sounding perfectly in the groove regardless of the context.

Of course, all the above is meaningless, because like I said, playing music isn't a competitive sport.  It's 
by way of saying that I'm totally in awe of Stevie Wonder.
 
Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com