[Harp-L] The birthday present (MY opinion)

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

Hmm, where to begin. I am sooo discombobulated, I can't speak. And so  
I'll write. It will be hard to convey my thoughts and I hope that my  
words, inadequate as they may be, aren't taken in the wrong context.

It has been a week since I got back late Sunday night from spah, and  
since I have been home, it's as if something has sapped all the  
energy out of me. I have been falling asleep in the middle of the  
day. It's like that British science fiction fear film where the alien  
girl comes back to earth on the space ship and proceeds to exude the  
essence out of people and leave them as crispy dead Triscuits.

I have made it no secret over the years that I don't like albums with  
less than 30% good tunes on them. In other words, if an album has 13  
tues, I want 3.9 (round that to 4) tunes that are worthy of my time.  
6 would be better, 9 better still. I have a Randy Singer album  
(Harmonica Dreams) that is 12 out of 12. It will soon be my 65th  
birthday and I received the most wonderful gift (except for my  
children).

An album named 'Topsy & Turvey'. Topsy is Penny Hanna (and is she  
ever), and Turvey is Slideman Slim (Heilpern).
I have listened to this album several times and it has taken my  
strength away. It is that good. Of the 12 cuts on the album, 18 are  
super. It is that good. To dilineate:

1. Penny Hanna on Bass...It's like listening to Ron Carter. Smooth as  
silk.
2. Penny Hanna on harmony...Flawless, impeccable timing.
3. Penny Hanna on voice...I immediately fell in love (sorry Slim).  
She has an etheral quality which is Ella Fitzgerald and a touch of  
Julie London, Dionne Warwick, Barbara Streisand. I noticed in her  
voice a longing, a hunger, an affection. It went through me like a  
red hot razor blade. It's a good thing I was sitting down at the time  
or I would have fallen when my legs melted away.

1. Slim on guit-fiddle...I picked up an aura of Kenny Burrell with a  
tad of Wes Montgomery in there. Never bodacious, the guitar was  
absolutely perfect for the music at hand.
2. Slim on harmony...Flawless, and very very subdued. Just enough to  
compliment and still stay subtly in the background.
3. Slim on harmonica...I have never heard as good a job with a  
chromo. I really mean it. I have heard them all. NO one can match his  
sound. It is so da*n sweet. No amateurish glissandoes, he can leap 7  
notes and hit spot on every time. The vibrato was just enough, never  
overwhelming. No funny BS runs, The choices of notes can only be  
described as delicious. I WISH I had the wherewithall to choose such  
combinations. Just enough crying in these cuts to make your skin crawl.

Fluidity. That's his forte. And he can run through keys like Sherman  
through Georgia in an effortless legato relaxed way that no one ('I'  
know) can compare. He has a way to feather out the ends of his  
phrases and his improv on rolling the chords is just plain stunning.  
In conclusion, Slim has risen to #1 place in my preference of chromo  
players. Sorry rest of the world, but I cannot tell a lie. I don't  
understand why they aren't top recording stars.

smokey-joe