Re: [Harp-L] "Pre-War" Harmonica

[nonidesign@xxxxxxx]

Not strictly blues but Jaybird Coleman has always been way up on my pre-war list.

...and of course who reigns higher than Sonny Terry?

-------------- Original message from Bradford Trainham <btrainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>: -------------- 


> I should have probably designated this one "Pre-War Blues", but I'm 
> struck by a tangent from the workshop thread by an acknowledgment of 
> the differences between "Pre-War" and "Post-War?" harmonica Blues. 
> I'm only familiar with one pre-war harmonica player... that is, if we 
> consider John Lee (Sonny-Boy) Williamson as Pre-War. If that 
> designation stands, (Yes, I think he actually lived until 1948.) can 
> anyone recommend other pre-war Blues harp players? 
> Now I'll be the first to go on and on about Rice Miller (Sonny-Boy 
> II), but I've often wondered why nobody seemed as interested in John 
> Lee Williamson's lively Blues sound. 
> I know the sound quality isn't as good, but the energy is certainly 
> there and if he wasn't a "harp virtuoso", I sure learned a lot about 
> what I personally value in harmonica technique from him. 
> His harmonica voicings suggest to me an almost clarinet-like 
> sauciness, perhaps a hold-over from minstrel show type sounds. 
> (I guess an old Blues legend wouldn't much take to being called 
> "Saucy", would he?) 
> So 'fess up, who else was there from that era? 
> Brad Trainham 
> 
> 
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