Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica Player vs Harp Player



The fiddle-violin thing makes sense to me. A fiddler plays by feel, in
easy positions that don't require a high level of technique. But he
doesn't need a huge amount of technique to bring across the feel and
soul of roots-based music. A violinist on the other hand has a big
investment in technique and has more control over tone, phrasing, and
technique in general, can play in "difficult" keys and higher (up the
neck) positions that don't rely on open strings. He can take it in any
direction he wants while a fiddler is welded to the limitations imposed
by his technique (well, we all are, but the more technique you have the
less welded you are).

Now if you correlate fiddle with harp and violin with harmonica, I'm
not sure that the distinction between Popper and Ricci is so clear cut.

Both rock out on roots-based music, though Popper is more into rock and
a bit further from blues, while Jason stays closer to blues but mixes
in jazz, rock and other modern idioms. But both play essentially in a
jamming, feel-based environment. In that sense they're both harp
players.

As to technique, both have far more technique than the average harp
player in a bar band, and it's technique that is not intended to be at
the exclusive service of a tradition as with the level of technique you
might hear from, say, Kim Wilson or Jerry Portnoy . In this sense they
are both harmonica players. If I had to say which one is *more* of a
"harmonica" player I'd have to choose Jason. His technique is more
refined. Every note he plays is highly polished and absolutely
intentional while Popper tends to run off in an almost involuntary
stream (at least he used to. The little I've heard of his more recent
playing shows some slowing down and directing the flow a bit more).
Jason plays the diatonic in a fully chromatic way and plays in more
positions that Popper.

If, anywhere in that definition, there's room for a harp player/fiddler
being more down to earth than the "I'm an artist and you're not"
violinist/harmonicist attitude, then Jason is definitely a harp player.
Popper for years has avoided the harmonica community, while Jason
enthusiastically participates.

Winslow

--- Bobby BlackHat <Bobby@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> While listening to Bluesville on XM Radio, they had an interview with
> Watermelon Slim.  Slim stated that he thinks Jason Ricci is about the
> best
> harp player around these days and made a comparison between Jason and
> Popper.  He stated that while John Popper plays a lot of notes in his
> music
> he is a harmonica player NOT a harp player.  He said it's the
> distinction
> between being a violin player and a fiddle player.  It may be the
> same
> instrument but there is a totally different style and feel of
> playing.  It
> made sense to me.
> 
>  
> 
> Bobby
> 
> http://bobbyblackhat.com <http://bobbyblackhat.com/> 
> 
>  
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 



 
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