Re: [Harp-L] Re: Horn influences in blues harp playing

Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> · Thu, 31 May 2007 14:20:18 -0400

On May 31, 2007, at 11:36 AM, Splash wrote:
After playing in a horn section, doing mostly R&B and jazzy fusion  
stuff, I

have a sense of the horn in my harmonica improvisational licks.

Having played cornet prior to having my face smashed in a helicopter  
accident and then again in a prison riot, I also have some horn  
influence in my playing. I copied the fire brand trumpeter Lee Morgan  
and have played 'Sidewinder' many times.

The trumpet solo transferred to chromo sounds NOTHING like harmonica  
phrasing. The tuk-tuka-tuka is strictly valve instrument.
  It's not

something that I have consciously worked on or tried to develop.   
It's just

a natural by-product of having a sense of the horn.

Yes, it IS a natural by product as well as ANY other instrument a  
person will pick up and play with for a while. People will bring in  
flute, sax, even accordion. In MY case, I use a lot of clarinet frills.

I played blues harp for several years before I picked up the  
saxophone, and

later the flute.  Took lessons on the flute for a number of years  
learning

scales and modes and certain classical pieces, transferring that

lesson-learning into the sax, all the while in my band sessions  
playing R&B,

jazz and some rock-based stuff.
It all rubbed off on my playing of other instruments.

Absolutely. You would be EXACTLY the man I would love to hear (like a  
Peloquin) as I'm only too sure that there is a ton of osmosis from  
those other varied instruments screaming to come out. Each has it's  
own unique voice, and a person versed in them will HAVE to let out  
the stimulii that they have received. They can't help it, and I think  
a lot of it is unconcious. It doesn't take too many bars for me to be  
able to tell that a player has input(s) other than harp.
Even though I might not be playing exact riffs done on the  
saxophone, the knowledge of the place

of my horn in the mix of the group-horn-section has to have colored  
my harp

playing.

Yes, especially on harmony parts. Point/counter point, tonic/dominant/ 
sub-dominant.
  The harp is kinda like a horn, no?

Yes, wind instrument. Most will disagree and I am 'technically'  
wrong, BUT wind goes in, wind goes out.
smokey-Joe
  And the hot bullet mic into a

class A amplifier gives it a horn-like tone too.  Which leads to  
the ear,

which leads to the brain, which tends to lead the mind into musical  
phrasing

which is like the horn.
Had I focused entirely on Bach during those years instead, my  
playing now

would certainly be different, no doubt.
Hard to escape when improvising, no?

PEACE
Scott
Believe in Magic!
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