Re: [Harp-L] harmo liège

[Ludo Beckers <ludobeckers@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Fernando & Ben & all,
 
Unfortunately I was there only the last day of the festival, so I missed the sets of Steven de Bruyn (sorry Ben...) & the Rhythm Junks, Keith Dunn duo, Barefoot Iano, Hermine Deurloo and Trio Vira Lata.
 
I did catch the Jean-Jaques Milteau Trio; a sober line-up of JJ on harmonica, Manu on acoustic guitar and a female afro-american vocalist called Demi Evans, who was ab-so-lutely phenomenal! She had the balls for singing gutsy blues stuff, could turn a gentle velvet whisper into an thundering outburst that made a microphone superfluous and had pitch correctness that any opera diva would envy. She deservedly got a standing ovation. 
JJ himself intervened sparser with harmonica solos than I had hoped, but what he did play was spot on, as usual. 
They sold a (sort of bootleg) cd of the trio, but since they had a very limited amount I couldn't buy one. 

It was to be the fourth time I'd catch a Howard Levy-concert; yes, I'm a fan :-)
I had the pleasure of seeing him previously with Rabih Abou-Khalil, solo and with Molinaro. 
This time I took my son Sander along, since he's really into jazz. 
After a first harp solo - starting off with Caravan in a modulating fashion, then improvising further with a medley of bits and pieces from many standards for about ten minutes - he played a long version of Round Midnight.
After these very impressive harp solo pieces he played some extensive, awesome piano solos that went from modern jazz over stride to boogie to way out stuff.
Sander's comment on Howard's piano playing was: "genius!"  
I'm sure it was over the top for many folks; from the first tune on you could hear people talk amongst themselves through the music (very annoying; just leave if it's not your thing). I remember Ben wrote something similar in his report of Howard's gig in St Aignan; lotsa locals don't know what to expect, and aren't prepared for sometimes "way out there" music.
At an earlier occasion I heard Howard talk about, and demonstrate (by means of Blue Monk), working on double stop bends.
He apparently has been practising this a lot, because he used it plentifull throughout the concert. 
Personally I don't find the sound very appealing, but it's an interesting effect that could be put to use in blues, where a certain roughness/rawness of sound is often in place. 
Howard called up JJ for a jam at the end, but he'd left, not feeling well said the MC. Too bad; could've been a nice encounter.

It was a pleasure seeing quite a few old friends there, and also to meet harpers from Harmonicaland (the french version of Harp-L so to speak). 
Jamsessions included Dam from Kwak (F), Olivier Goulet from Le Monde de Kota (F) (he won a Swan bass harmonica in a 1 euro raffle - lucky bstrd), the always barefoot Barefoot Iano AUS), Seydel-rep. Ben Bouman (NL), the Brasilian trio that gigged earlier in the week, yours truly and many more.
Too bad Tinus couldn't make it (even though I know he doesn't like that double stop bending either ;-))  
Harmo-Liège is no way near the size of the Trossingen or St Aignan meetings, but nevertheless a worthwhile harmonicafestival, so in two years I hope to see you guys, Ben & Fernando & all, there also.
BTW there was a Swan stand, a Seydel and a Suzuki.... tell your boss he's slacking, Fernando ;-)

Ludo

Fernando wrote: 
Hey Tinus, Ludo, Ben and everybody who has been there:
how was and what are the news from harmo-liège?
Cheers,
Fernando
 
and Ben wrote:
Assuming I'm not the Ben in your email, I second ! I'd have loved to be there, if only to see Steven and the Rhythm Junks again, so please, please, please, tell us how it was !
Ben FELTEN
.

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