[Harp-L] Horns Sounds Like Harp Sounds Like Horns

["Hurricane Ramón" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hurricane sez :


First off the cuff , horn sounds are only one of many effects one can use when desired O.K. ? 

It's a matter of personal taste ..

That said .....................  


I have read and re read this type thread on the many occasions it pops up about Little Walter's sound and other harp players with regards to the horn like musical emanations made by said musician in this forum . 

It is a NO Brainer - - 

When first I put a harp up to my lips in 1954 I was already listening to Jazz artists/vocalists ( yes I did at 4 years of age ! ) from Bing Crosby to Louis Armstrong &  The Paul Whiteman Orchestra with Bix Biederbeck .

Stephan Grappelli to Joe Venuti , Tony Bennet to Sammy Davis Jr. , Harry James's , Count Basie's & Duke Ellington's horn section 

- - - Why - - -

Thought you'd never ask .........

Because my grand father had their recordings and played them  all the time , 

along with 

Cuban , Mexican , Spanish , French , Italian , Country Western and classical music . 


Together we would either listen to the records or to an old Zenith Transoceanic shortwave radio that allowed me to listen to the BBC and other country's who played American Jazz . My granddad was a professional entertainer and had met some of these guys and I have also on my own too .

When I discovered Louie's music was playable ( along with Bix's  and others ) on my harmonica ( diatonic was first then later at 11 chromatic and other type harmonicas came into my life gradually ) I noticed how easy it was to make my harmonica sound like a trumpet . 

If a kid ( somewhere around 6 to 8 years of age I began in earnest to try and play these type of compositions  ) can figure it out and do it  , why not an adult with more experience and ambition , see ( or better written , " hear " ) it's apparent correlation and then come to this logical conclusion ?

I tried to copy not only Jazz trumpet lead lines but also the trumpet lines of 

Mexico's Ranchera " Mariachi " bands ( vocals , violins , guitars &  trumpets )

that normally play a 

I-V-IV chord change 

as opposed to the 

I-IV-bV chord changes

that most rock/blue/pop songs revolve around here in the USA , and I did it . It helped living with a bar across the rear of our property's back alley , this place had Mariachi trumpets 3 nights a week at least ! Their horn sections are fantastic , works of art their sound is . I blew my mum & dads mind when I played 

" Zacatecas " 

Which is a standard in the Mariachi song book . There is a song called " El Nin~o Perdido " which calls for a trumpet to go outside and answer the call of tghe band inside . This song translates "

" The Lost Child "

The effect of the outside trumpet that is heard {INSIDE} while the Mariachi band calls to the lost child trumpet's return solo is very similar to the effect of cupping a harmonica to melow and mute it . That is one big time correlation to the trumpet and harp I saw as a child . The other muted similarity is the toilet plunger or a professional trumpet mute compared to a cupped harmonica's vibe when done right . 

I don't know why it is this way , but since the late 50's I knew it to be a 

" truism " 

about the harmonica ( ESPECIALLY A DIATONIC ) and how it can accomplish these evident facts .  

I don't see how anyone can interpret this in any other way , and it seems hard pressed that some don't see it so , as to why , I don't really care .

I would venture to comment that almost 100% of the pro's  play(ed) ( and serious amateurs ) horn runs just to have a go at it and realize later just how effective the harmonica can achieve  this phenom in such a graceful and or quick and fast powerful and authentic horn  sounding way 

- - or - - 

Like me  just fell into it out of chance and having a great granddad and that bar that catered to the hispanic community's music scene in our town behind my house as a kid . 

Conclusion :

Harp / Horn Sounding Musicians :

I hear it in ....

Charlie Mussclewhite , Charlie McCoy , Paul Butterfield , Deford Bailey , The Harmonicats , the late Terry McMillin , Howard Levy , Clint Black ( oh yeah in a country sounding ala country/dixie trumpeter Clyde McCoy alias Sugar Lips ) and others on this forum's mailing list as well , it seems endless to me and I'm sure others too who know of all these harmonica and Jazz/Swing/Dixie/Blues/Country Western musicians I just mentioned . 

This is gonna hurt . . .

Brace yourselves !  


- - - Weak hearted - - -

- - - And - - -

Overly politically correct types stop reading and delete this now or risk serious injury to you egos .  

............. Even John Popper !

If you don't hear it , somethings wrong with your ears plane and simply put .

If you ignore it , you missed out big time and again it's your loss .

Sincerely : 

Hurricane Ramon

Aka :

Party_Man1@xxxxxxxxxx

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