[Harp-L] Harmonica in Bluegrass - Personal Experience

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxx>]

Cara Cooke wrote:

Just an FYI, hearing the term "bluegrass harmonica" should not be any more
odd than hearing the term "bluegrass dobro".  Flatt and Scruggs had both.
It may be more unusual to have a harmonica player on the ball enough to do a
good job in the music than on the other instruments, but that does not mean
that it cannot ever be considered an authentic bluegrass instrument.  Just
because we aren't accustomed to it, doesn't mean that it never happened
somewhere else or sometime else; and it does not mean that it cannot be
re-applied by those capable of holding their own with the other players.

Glenn Weiser responded:

I certainly agree the harmonica when in the right hands is capable of
playing bluegrass. But I just reviewed a major bluegrass festival (Grey
Fox) for an Albany, NY weekly, and while there were lots of dobros not one
harmonica was heard onstage all day. Other than Flatt and Scruggs, who used
I think Charlie McCoy, how many other classic bluegrass bands ever used
harp? The Stanely Brothers? Bill Monroe? I know it can be done (and Mike
Stevens has proved it) but how accepted is the harp in the bluegrass world
these days? Not as much as dobro, I'm guessing.

Crazy ('bout harp!) Bob sez:

I most certainly CANNOT play bluegrass at the level of either of these two
great artists, and would be terrified to even carry Mike Steven's harmonica
case for fear of dropping it. However, I can attest that the bluegrass
musicians that I play with regularly have accepted me gladly - after an
initial period of "testing" to see if I could play good enough to contribute
something to the overall sound. I don't think it is any different for other
(more traditional) bluegrass instruments, including dobro. Once they find
out that you can play bluegrass up to speed, they are generally accepting.

My cousin plays upright bass, fiddle, and guitar. He took me to a local
bluegrass jam. I played cautiously in the background at first, just getting
the flavor of the music and how it was played by that group. Eventually, I
guess they wanted to find out what I could do, because they asked me up to
the front of the stage. I must have passed the test, because everyone asked
me to come back regularly. One of them told my cousin that they were
"concerned" when they saw my harmonicas, but that they should have known
that he wouldn't bring someone who couldn't play. After several more visits,
the mandolin player told me that he had never heard anyone play "French
harp" like me. I mentioned Mike Stevens playing with Jim and Jesse
McReynolds at the Grand Old Opry, and said that there were others (like Cara
and Glenn, and Winslow Yerxa and Bob Meehan) who could play great bluegrass
and old-time music on harmonica.

Unfortunately, I do know why harmonica players can put a bad taste in the
mouth of bluegrass pickers. Another harmonica player tried to join the jam,
but didn't have any sense of melody or rhythm or chords. He just sucked in
and blew out real fast all over the harmonica. I stopped playing while he
butchered a couple of songs. He got the "cold shoulder" treatment very
quickly, and was never allowed back on stage.

Bottom line: I think the reason most bluegrass "purists" don't like
harmonica is because they have heard too many harmonica players do a poor
job when playing BLUEGRASS. It ain't rocket science, but it sure as heck
ain't the blues! If you can't run with the big dawgs, stay off the front
porch!
 
FWIW, I've been transitioning to playing the Seydel Blues Session with
Circular Tuning. Playing is considerably easier because all of the notes for
a given key are there for over two octaves, without having to bend, and the
chording capabilities are great. They are well-constructed tight harps,
right out of the box. So far, they hold up good to a lot of playing too.

BTW, I sure do hope someone will videotape the SPAH sessions this year. I
would love to BUY a DVD of any session(s) where bluegrass is played or
taught! I know Cara and Winslow are going to be there, along with a host of
other great players. It looks like this will be one of the best SPAHs ever.
I'd love to be there, but can't afford the time away from work nor the cost
of the trip.