As you said, in almost all musical genres harmonica plays a minor
role. But in blues the harmonica is NOT an occasional instrument.
Guitar and vocals are almost always present but in post war blues,
harp is also very dominant. No need to mention names but since SBW
1 up to this day there have been countless harp players who have
contributed to the richness of the genre. Muddy Waters insisted
that a good blues band has to have an excellent harp player.
Very true, though I have a CD of Muddy touring Britain without a
harp player that is amongst my favorites of his stuff. In any
event, look at the last fifty years and the majority of artists in
that time--sure, a good amount of harmonica players, but more
guitarists and thus more bands without harmonica than with.
Drums or bass central to the genre? Ok, in the sense that they are
essential to the total concept.
Exactly--the players may not be influential or well known, but they
are always there and basically a pre-requisite for the overwhelming
majority of blues acts over the last fifty years.
In any genre, all instruments play their part and in blues the
harmonica is very often in the leading role.
But that's part of my point--the harmonica is a lead instrument,
and usually only a lead instrument. Thus it is either there as the
lead or not at all (for the most part). The bass is almost always
there, the drums are almost always there, the guitar is always
there (individual exceptions do prove these rules--Richard has a
long list, but it is a tiny fraction compared to the list of
equally well known or well selling blues acts which fit the sense
of what is commonly used and indeed thought of as needed).
Fernando actually covered this well, but I figured it bears repeating.
()() JR "Bulldogge" Ross
() () & Snuffy, too:)
`----'
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l