[Harp-L] Re: Subject: Name That Tume.... Please/Harp in Western swing

EGS1217@xxxxxxx · Tue, 7 Aug 2007 02:23:42 EDT

With all these "new" guys coming to SPAH this year, it seems that some  
people either don't know about or are overlooking just how good are some of  the 
regulars...people like Cara Cooke...who can leave folks flabbergasted with  her 
blinding speed and skill on harmonica as well as guitar....(and she played  
onstage and participated in a Seminar with Charlie McCoy)...She's an incredible  
teacher too.

You tell 'em Cara. Hope you're coming to SPAH?  One of the many  highlights 
for me in Denver was the most enjoyable C&W Cara Cooke-led lobby  sing and 
play-along.  Especially the John Denver songs.  Most  appropriate and so 
good....then to hear Warren Bee sitting in with you as  well.  Too cool.

Elizabeth

"Message: 9
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 19:11:04 -0500
From: "Cara Cooke"  <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Name That Tume....  Please/Harp in Western swing
To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<c1406ac10708061711i17e9999cu9ceee0ac5f0857c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

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.

>From what I've seen, the same is  true of western swing.  The fellows I have
met and played with from the  orginal era of western swing tended to look at
things a little differently  than we do today.  If it worked, then they went
for it.  They  weren't concerned with whether or not it was traditional or
authentic.   It was their "bar" to set.

I do know this, though:  I know I can  bring a smile to Johnny Gimble's face
(and other swing fiddlers' faces) when  I play harmonica in swing (or
anything else), and I have similarly brought  smiles to many of the old
bluegrass fiddlers' faces -- so skill,  musicianship, and taste was what was
important to them.

Cara  Cooke
Austin,  Tx.
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com
www.cyberharp.isonfire.com

On  7/29/07, Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>  Hey Slim;
>              This makes me  feel the same way as hearing about
> 'bluegrass harmonica'.
>   Chances are that putting a harmonica  in an 'authentic
> western swing band'  means that no-one will think  it is 'authentic
> western swing' anymore.
>       Having said that (I play steel in an 'authentic'  western
> swing band - but very little harmonica!) see if you can get your  hands
> on some stuff by the 'Rice Brothers Gang'.
>     This hot little outfit consisted of guitar,  bass,
> chromatic harmonica, steel and sax, and was both very 'down home'  and
> hot at the same time.
>           Don't know who any of 'em were, but the steel player was
>  hot as hell (and kinda rough as well; always 'going for it' - check
>  their version of 'Alabama Jubilee') as was the chrom. player, who, by
>  the way, only ever plays in C (ie 1st position) They even make key
>  modulations to accomodate him (her?)
>           Of course there's 'Swift's Jewel Cowboys'  a  band  that
> were hardly a 'classic' hot Texas string band, but certainly had  some
> affilliation with the style, and did include some hot chrom. solos  by
> Jimmy Riddle (who later played piano & some harp with Roy  Acuff)
>             The only Rice  Bros. stuff I've heard was radio
> transcriptions on a Japanese vinyl  release in the late seventies, with
> Cliff Bruner on the A  side.
>             Doing a Google  yields this:
>  http://www.mp3.com/albums/162919/summary.html
>
>  http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/album.cgi?ALBUMID=1115274
>
>
>  .........and much more. Good luck!
> Rick Dempster
>  Melbourne,
> Australia
>
> >>> Slim Heilpern  <slim@xxxxxxxxxx> 30/07/2007 8:27:04 >>>
> "Over the  Waves", I think.
>
> If you like that fiddle style, you might check  out Johnny Gimble's
> recordings -- he is one of the masters of that  style.
>
> Harmonica content: I don't recall ever hearing a  harmonica played in
> authentic Western Swing music, but I would like to  give it a shot some
>
> time... ;-).
>
> -  Slim.
>
> http://www.slidemanslim.com
>
>
>  Special20 wrote:
> > Here is a short audio clip from the movie The Last  Picture Show.  At
> a
> > town Christmas party the band  plays the most beautiful waltz.
> >
> > The Last Picture  Show
> <http://www.davisbluesproject.com/music/lpswaltz.mp3>
>  >
> > Now, I know this is a very common, well-known waltz, but for  the life
> of me
> > I can't remember the name.  The second  you hear it you guys are all
> gonna
> > say, "Heck yeah, that's  The _ _ _ _ _ Waltz."
> >
> > I'm a blues guy who does not  usually get inspired by waltzes, but
> this has
> > me by the  throat.  The stuff the fiddler does the second time through
>  (while
> > Sonny has his brief conversation with his dad) is killer  stuff.  I
> need a
> > tab.  To find a tab, I need the  name of the song.
> >
> > Many thanks to whomever can  help.
> >
> > -Spec20"

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