[Harp-L] Re: Bluegrass Harp and the Dixie Flyers

[PETER OCHALSKI <pochalski@xxxxxxxxxx>]

--- On Sat, 12/6/08, PETER OCHALSKI <pochalski@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: PETER OCHALSKI <pochalski@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Bluegrass Harp and the Dixie Flyers
To: "David & Jackie Naiditch" <french10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Received: Saturday, December 6, 2008, 5:30 PM







Thanks David,
 
I did read a series of post on Bluegrass jam etiquette and some fascinating accounts by harp-l members and their challenges in various Bluegrass subcultures. The jam etiquette points were all gold, and if they were yours, David, thanks for that resource.
 
I think basic jam etiquette is similar in all styles of music and I have been particularly dismayed by harp players (particulalry blues harp players) over the years in different jam settings, though I have found that lead guitarist jerks have the advantage in numbers.
 
At the moment, I could probably make a reasonable accountintg of myself at a blues jam, just playing on auto-pilot, although I think I can aim a little higher than that... As a former "jam slut', I have played in many different muscial contexts and  I have picked up a few things. Blues licks can work in many contexts, but not all. Even on recordings I often hear technically masterful professional players wedge blues licks into musical contexts that to my ear, don't quite work, so it's not just novices. Frequently this occurs on resolving or just-before changes portions of long and otherwise musical phrases in jazzy or pop contexts.  Soca jams taught me that you can't think like a blues harpist, if you're not playing blues.
 
Most of the players I'm thinking of have reached a higher level of technical proficiency than I probably ever will. My harp pride lies in only one area: I may not add to the sound of a given jam due to limitations of technique, but I won't actively detract from it by playing notes, when rests are what I should be playing. 
 
Anyway, that's why I set my likely Blugrass debut for 2010. I have a lot of work to do before then. 
 
David, I also noticed what you mentioned in your observations about the more eclectic --rather than straight bluegrass-- which is why i'm looking for the Dixie Flyers records. I'm no ecpert, but they sound like bluegrass (rather than OT) to me. I'm hoping also, that because bothe Mike Stevens and the Flyers are form Ontario, where I live, thet local bluegrass communities might be more accepting of harmonica players. We will see. Anyway, Iceman and others, rest assured that I'm making a note of each recommnedation and will check it out. Thanks all.
 
Andrew

--- On Sat, 12/6/08, David & Jackie Naiditch <french10@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: David & Jackie Naiditch <french10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Bluegrass Harp and the Dixie Flyers
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: pochalski@xxxxxxxxxx, "James Sterett" <jsterett@xxxxxxxxx>
Received: Saturday, December 6, 2008, 7:32 AM

Peter,

Mike Stevens has many fine CDs such as "The World is Only Air."  Go  
to his website:
	http://www.mikestevensmusic.com/

Jim,

Mark Graham and Grant Dermody mostly play old-timey music rather than  
bluegrass.

I'd also check out Bob Littell who plays with the Mossy Creek Band  
and with musicians such as Tommy Emmanuel:
	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=758j0IWuhY0
	

I've played chromatic harmonica at numerous bluegrass jams and at  
festivals such as Summergrass, Wintergrass, SuperGrass, Blythe  
Bluegrass Festival, Huck Finn Jubilee, Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest,  
Grass Valley Festival, and the Strawberry Music Festival.  I also  
host a monthly bluegrass jam at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena,  
California. I encounter few other harmonica players at these events,  
and never a chromatic player.

I must admit that bluegrass musicians often cringe when they see a  
harmonica player saunter over to their jam.  If the musicians don't  
know me, I have to "prove myself" before I'm made to feel
welcome.   
Unfortunately, the few harmonica players who show up at bluegrass  
jams often haven't taken the time to learn the genre and don't  
understand bluegrass jamming etiquette.  They often don't know the  
melodies, play too loud when others are taking their breaks, or take  
breaks that are too bluesy.  Iʼve tried to avoid these problems by  
learning the leads to many bluegrass tunes and by playing softly, if  
at all, when it isnʼt my turn to play.

As I mentioned in a recent posting, you can hear me play with some  
great bluegrass musicians on my new CD, the "High Desert Bluegrass  
Sessions."  Samples of each of the 13 tunes can be heard on CD Baby:
	http://cdbaby.com/cd/naiditch2
6 tunes can be heard in their entirety at:
	http://www.myspace.com/highdesertbluegrasssessions

David Naiditch
www.davidnaiditch.com

On Dec 5, 2008, at 8:47 AM, James Sterett wrote:

> Andrew,
>
> Among others, I would recommend Mark Graham... he's a monster.
> Southern Old time Harmonica is a great record, and if you e-mail  
> Mark, I recommend asking him if he's got any copies of the record  
> he made with Tom Sauber on banjo, 'Thought I Heard It Blow.'
>
> http://www.mongrelfolk.com/soundfra.html
> http://cdbaby.com/cd/markgraham2
>
> Grant Dermody is another fine player in this vein and I would  
> highly recommend The Improbabillies record.
>
> http://cdbaby.com/cd/improbabillies
>
> There are more (far more than I can think of to list:)
> PT Gazell (country/fiddle)
> Tony Eyers (fiddle)
> Brendan Power (Irish/fiddle/etc.)
> Charlie McCoy (country/fiddle)
>
> Jim.
> www.mcmule.com
>
>
>
>
>>>> PETER OCHALSKI <pochalski@xxxxxxxxxx> 12/5/2008 11:20 AM
>>>
> After a long hiatus learning piano, I'm looking to re-dedicate  
> myself to the harmonica and in particular, I'd like to explore some  
> bluegrass harp.
>
> I had a cassette made for me by a friend that had some music by a  
> great Canadian band called the Dixie Flyers that had some tasty  
> diatonic work on it. It's been years since I have listened to it or  
> even owned a cassette deck and I can't find the tape and don't  
> recall the name of the record. The current line-up doesn't include  
> a harp player and there was no harmonica on the samples from their  
> recent albums. Can anyone recommend one of their earlier albums  
> that is more harmonica-intensive?
>
> I've been told I should check out Mike Stevens as well. Any record  
> suggestions for him?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Andrew "I've got blisters on my lips"
>
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