Re: [Harp-L] The best Stevie - overated perhaps


I'm not sure you can say that snippet of yours is improvised as he has been playing that tune since he was in his twenty's. Now I don't have the full version of the tune so I don't know what else he did on the track.

You said:

Stevie's playing is distinctive, no doubt about it. So is Howard Levy's, Coltrane's, Art Tatum's, BB King's, etc. Would you seriously consider saying these guys are not serious improvisers ?

I think what he does is masterfull, he is extremely musical but his sandbox of tricks and sounds is small. Perhaps normal since since he does other things.

Anyways, I think that my perspective is warped because everyone always says Stevie is god so I expect to be wowed every time. To me his session work is quite a few notches below his rehearsed work and others could do better on those tunes.

I'm surprised the Runaway solo is not improvised. There was this story on the web that described the session and it said he had tried various run's which Bonnie did not like and finally he came up with the keeper just then and there.

Pierre.







----- Original Message ----- From: "Planet Harmonica" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] The best Stevie - overated perhaps


Keeping in mind that I am of the opinion that dubbing anyone "the bast harmonica player" is ludicrous...

Stevie's playing is distinctive, no doubt about it. So is Howard Levy's, Coltrane's, Art Tatum's, BB King's, etc. Would you seriously consider saying these guys are not serious improvisers ?

Listen to this, assuming you don't know it. This is a snippet of Stevie's playing I used for the latest quizz at Harmonica Ramblings : http://harmonica.typepad.com.nyud.net:8090/harmonica_ramblings/files/Q3EX3.mp3

Consider the chord sequence, consider the key he's playing in (in relation to a standard chromatic) and tell me that's no serious improvisation ?

Now I'll agree with you that not everything Stevie recorded on harmonica denotes serious improvisation, but that hardly makes him a second rate improviser. And not to knock Norton Buffalo, but that improv' you mention on Bonnie Raitt's track is not improvised at all. It's a written down sequence that sounds like an improv', as the story has been told many times. Still mightily impressive, and sounds amazing, but not improvised.

Ben FELTEN
http://harmonica.typepad.com


----- Original Message ----- From: Pierre
To: chris smith ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] The best Stevie - overated perhaps



I used to be a big fan of Stevie, but I'm starting to think he is overated.
His early successes were awesome, no doubt there. But over the last few
years I have heard him play on other people's CDs and no matter what they
play (latin, jazz) all he does on these sides sounds like blues. It's not
bad, he is talented, but it's really not that great. I think Stevie is great
compositionally and with learned pieces, but improvising is not his strong
suite. We've all seen great improvisers an he is not one of them. Think of
Norton Bufallo on that Bonnie Raitt tune, now that's a session.

With respect to him being instanly recognizable, dosen't that mean he always
sounds the same and thus has few tricks in his bag?

Chris said:

>Stevie is, he is ,alas, human and isn't better than everyone at everything.

Yep, to be fair so is everybody

 Anyways for me, not the best as there are so many fine harp players and
 musicians who deserve more credit, but I admit some of his compositions
 certainly were the best,

Pierre.

 PS: If there are any recent (last 20 years) tracks I should hear, let me
 know.




----- Original Message ----- From: "chris smith" <harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 11:39 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] The best Stevie


> Hey David,
> (Jaazman) Nice to hear you give Stevie kudos.Check out
> how brilliant he was at just 18 on Eivets Rednow, his unpromoted
> instrumental album. However, I think the concept (the best) is juvenile.
> I'm one of the most ardent, adoring fans of his but seriously do you think
> he could rip off a blazing Irish fiddle tune ? Do you think he can
> outblues any of the heavy blues players ala Big Walter, or whip out a
> classical piece ?
> He himself defers to Toots who seems undaunted by harmonic challenges. As
> amazing and trailblazing as Stevie is, he is ,alas, human and isn't better
> than everyone at everything.He is the primordial chromatic R&B man,though,
> and nobody can touch him at his own Wonderful style (there are a few of us
> nipping at his heels). And frankly the way Clapton is playing now
> (incredibly well) I don't think Hendrix would intimidate him though who
> knows how Jimi would be playing were he still alive. I'll unhesitatingly
> give you Bird though !
>
> Chris
>
>
> Chris "Hammer" Smith
> Hammer Smith Band
> Official Myspace Page http://myspace.com/chrishammersmith
> harpshredder@xxxxxxxxx
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

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