RE: [Harp-L] Old-Time Harmonica

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I know exactly what you're talking about Trip.Staying in the top two
octaves is the way to go, except where you need the major 7th in 2nd
position. I haven't heard of Arteleus Mistric, but I'm familiar with the
cajun approach to the harp. I do that sort of thing myself a fair bit. I
think you're talking about the 'segonduer' (I think that's what they
call it) in cajun. My favourite example of this is the recordings of
Denis McGhee & Sadie Courville.
I have a recording of Red Parham live (one track only) on a Folkways
album entitled something like '39th Old Time Fiddler's Convention at
Union Grove North Carolina' doing 'Lost John' with a buck dancer
stomping away in the background. Sometime I'll get round to posting my
own efforts on Myspace. I'm technologically out of the running at the
moment.
I saw Onie Wheeler on the Opry back in 1980 and had a chat with him
later as well.
I've heard of Mark Graham,  but not The Improbabillies. Thanks for the
tip.
I have a copy of the Boiled Buzzards  with David Rice which is a pretty
fair effort at using the harp in an OT setting.
Have you heard Sam Hinton? He's coming from somewhere else really, but
he can sure get around some of the old fiddle tunes.
All the best,
Rick Dempster

>>> "Henderson, Peter" <Henderson@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 27/09/2006 23:15:28
>>>
Hey Rick,

Crook, Bates, love them ~ and you are right, what they recorded was in
first.  Wayne, Lonnie, Onie (love his singing!) were cross players for
the most part - I think cause they were playing honky tonk which has a
large dollop of the blues in it. When playing old time, if I can play
in
first I usually will so as to blend with the personality of the tune.
But for songs like that "five miles of ellum wood" on my MY SPACE site
where I need that 5 draw (old joe clark is another example of that),
I'm
left with no other choice unless I overblow, which I'm not crazy about
in trad music.  Having said all that I have recently been playing
"straight harp" melodies in cross by staying in the middle and top of
the harp.  This works especially well with D tunes and it blends
better
with the fiddler who is often playing in the octave below a standard D
harp. I "borrowed" that idea from Arteleus Mistric a Cajun player from
the 20's who should check out. As for people I'd recommend you listen
to
pick up any of Mark Graham or David Rice's recordings. I'm
particularly
found of Marks banjo and harp record with Tom Sauber called "thought
I'd
Heard It blow" ~ that record was inspired by another must have
recording
called pickin and blowing by Red Parham - he plays both straight and
cross on the old time tunes (btw, he recorded on riverside in the 60's
but that record is out of print and rare as hens teeth!)  I'd also
recommend The Improbabillies with grant Dermody - less traditional but
mighty fine!

Trip

http://www.myspace.com/triphenderson  

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Dempster [mailto:rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:11 PM
To: Henderson, Peter; bluegrassharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Old-Time Harmonica


Trip;
        Had a good listen to your trax on Myspace. Very good. I've
played this sort of stuff on and off over the years too. When I think
of
all the old 'old time' players - Herman Crook, Humphrey Bate - I can't
think of much (if any)  2nd position playing, which seems to be more
the
preserve of 'Lost John' style players like Onie Wheeler, Wayne Raney,
Lonnie Glosson etc., which is not used in settings where a trad.
fiddle
tune is being played so much, but as a solo style accompanying
vocals/guitar.
       So I tend to think that the way you are playing here represents
a
'new-old time' harmonica style.
       Do you think this is so, or are there old 'old time' harp
players
that have influenced your playing that I might not have heard?
RD