[Harp-L] Re: Cadillac harp player



I would have to agree with Ryan, the harp has Kim's phrasing. The only  other 
person who phrases like that is Sugar Ray Norcia, who Kim gives credit in  
influencing his style. Ray is a monster, anyone on the east coast needs to see  
him live. Of course his singing is great, but he has a style all his own. 
 
 
In a message dated 12/7/2008 11:47:13 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
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Today's Topics:

1. Larry Adler plays  gypsy jazz with Django Reinhardt
(David & Jackie  Naiditch)
2. Re:  grooving to backing tracks, drum  machines, etc...
(Steve Baker)
3. re:  evil twin (jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx)
4. Re: Question about custom  harmonicas (Steve Baker)
5. re: grooving to back up tracks  (jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx)
6. Question about custom harmonicas  (John F. Potts)
7. Customizers and Marine Bands (Richard  Sleigh)
8. RE: Columbus Short Learned Harp for Cadillac  Records Movie
(Ryan Hartt)
9. custom  harmonicas model vs model vs brand / jt minster (Buddha)
10. RE: Re:  Question about custom harmonicas (Jim Fitting)
11. Question about  custom harmonicas (Shawn Williams)
12. Re: Question about custom  harmonicas (M. N.)
13. Small harp keys (Dominick  Galluppi)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message:  1
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 23:36:04 -0800
From: David & Jackie Naiditch  <french10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Larry Adler plays gypsy jazz  with Django Reinhardt
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <BDE65FBC-B595-4019-948E-E5BBDB7F180B@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    delsp=yes;   format=flowed

I've been playing the chromatic harmonica at  various gypsy jazz  
jams.  I was originally inspired by Larry  Adler who recorded 4 tunes  
with Django Reinhardt--My Melancholy  Baby, I Got Rhythm, Body and  
Soul, and Lover Come Back to  Me.   You can hear samples at

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1027423/a/Django+With  
+His+American+Friends.htm

Scroll down to Django With His American  Friends Album DISC 3  to find  
these 4 tunes.


Django  was Toots Thielemans's first idol and he got to hear Django,  
but  never played with him.  Recently, however, Toots played at   
Carnegie hall with the great gypsy jazz accordionist Ludovic  Beier.
This show wasn't recorded, but you can hear Ludovic play with  the  
great gypsy jazz guitarist Angelo Debarre:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqjJznHOSWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbd4zfQ0eVg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqZdVWfTRa8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5QLPpR3ZbE
and you can find many others on  YouTube.

--David Naiditch
www.davidnaiditch.com




------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 7  Dec 2008 12:29:33 +0100
From: Steve Baker  <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re:  grooving to backing  tracks, drum machines,
etc...
To: Harp-L  <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <4CF16103-A049-4205-AACC-B6B242ED1238@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    delsp=yes;   format=flowed

I think Slim has hit the nail on the head with his  post. The main  
difference between performing to backing tracks and  recording  
overdubs is the headphones,

Steve

Steve  Baker
steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com
www.youtube.com/stevebakerbluesharp
www.myspace.com/stevebakerbluesharp



------------------------------

Message:  3
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 07:26:49 -0500
From:  jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] re: evil twin
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<386fc0380812070426p7ceef0a8l890a7c0ce19565f0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

When I saw Magic Dick, that's the amp he  used as well.

-- 
Rainbow  Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals


------------------------------

Message:  4
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 14:03:04 +0100
From: Steve Baker  <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Question about custom  harmonicas
To: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <6B6AB8D8-EE86-485B-82E8-D9E231CDDB21@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    delsp=yes;   format=flowed

John F. Potts wrote:

Here's my question  about custom harps:  Why do customizers only
customize Hohners?   I don't like Hohners.  I'd rather play Suzukis. A
custom Hohner would  be an improved version of a harmonica i don't
like in the first  place.  Presumably, a customized Suzuki (I'm not
talking about a  Fabulous here) would be a better product, because the
stock harmonica that  the work is performed on is a better product to
start with.  A custom  Hohner is an improved version of an inferior
product.  A custom Suzuki  should be superior because the instrument
that is being customized  is  superior to start with.


John, your personal preferences are your  affair, but this is to put  
it mildly an extremely contentious claim.  I and many other pro  
players including a substantial number of high  end customizers regard  
the Hohner Marine Band as pretty much the  benchmark harp for blues  
and related forms of music. Buddha works on  Golden Melodies because  
he feels that for his sophisticated musical  aspirations they give the  
best results. These craftsmen choose  Hohner Classic harmonicas  to  
work on because they consider  them to offer the best raw material  
presently available for their  purposes. The reason lies mainly in the  
tone and response of the  reeds. That's why I play them myself. This  
is by no means intended  to denigrate Suzuki, their harmonicas are  
very well made even though  they don't correspond to my personal  
taste. Tastes differ, so other  players (and customizers) may have  
different preferences, but few  would justify their choice by claiming  
Hohner instruments are  inherently inferior. How about trying a Hohner  
Classic harp out of  current production before making such absolutist  
statements in  public?

Steve

Steve  Baker
steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com
www.youtube.com/stevebakerbluesharp
www.myspace.com/stevebakerbluesharp



------------------------------

Message:  5
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 08:17:04 -0500
From:  jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] re: grooving to back up  tracks
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<386fc0380812070517r4eb16239w1b48a422aff482b@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

When the Space Animals practice, we  always try to have either a drum track
or a drum machine going. Really  helps me to keep the groove.

-- 
Rainbow  Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals


------------------------------

Message:  6
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 09:24:08 -0500
From: "John F. Potts"  <hvyj@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Question about custom  harmonicas
To: steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <4CC4B380-494B-491E-A69E-282CC75918F1@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Steve,

To be fair, my most recent experiences (last 3 or 4  years) have been  
with MS series Hohners, although I did also acquire  a couple of new  
Special 20's and several Golden Melodies. The  Hohner  harmonicas i  
liked best used to be in the classic  series, but Hohner stopped  
making those models and I have not been  as satisfied with the MS  
series models that replaced them. I agree  that the  inconsistent  
quality control that used to be a  problem in past years  has  
improved.  I also acknowledge  that I really don't have the expertise  
to objectively assess  harmonica construction in an informed fashion  
and it is  unquestionably true that a large number of players (many of  
them  much better players than i am) have a strong preference for   
playing  Hohners.

BUT, a player does not need to  be very expert to know when a harp is  
airtight and when one is  not.  All of my Suzukis have consistently  
good  compression.  I cannot say the same about my Hohners.  This is   
not subjective.  The rest of my statements could just be a  refection  
of my subjective opinion, which may be influenced by my  particular  
style of play.  If I knew more about harmonica  construction I might  
be better able to analyze that, but I don't and  i won't pretend to  
have expertise i don't possess.

Best regards,
JP



------------------------------

Message: 7
Date:  Sun, 7 Dec 2008 10:01:48 -0500
From: Richard Sleigh  <rharp@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Customizers and Marine  Bands
To: Richard HarpL Sleigh <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <1533E17C-DBFE-4EAF-A684-3E9420DB2433@xxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    delsp=yes;   format=flowed

Reasons why most customizers work with Marine  Bands:

The Marine Band is still the most widely used harmonica for  blues,  
and the history of the music is full of classic recordings  done on  
the Marine Band. It has a lot of momentum going for  it.

On a purely practical level, if you customize harps, you better  be  
ready to replace reeds. That is 360 reeds if you count 18 keys  from  
lo D to high G, times 20. So you need to have a lot of reeds  sorted  
and ready to go.

Keeping an inventory of reeds for  just the marine band is a lot of  
work. Doing the same for other  harps creates whole new levels of  
complexity. It is hard to get paid  for finding, sorting, and storing  
reeds.

I have tried other  harps and there are some great harps out there.  
I'm just not ready  to start going through the process of getting set  
up to repair a lot  of different harps.

I think the manufacturers can make it easy for  techs to repair their  
harps. The question is - do they want  to?

Richard Sleigh

shop address:
205 E. Pine  Street
Philipsburg PA 16866-1623

814 342 9722  (w)
http://www.customharmonicas.com/
http://isthmusofchristmas.com/
http://www.myspace.com/richardsleigh
http://www.youtube.com/rsleighharp






------------------------------

Message:  8
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 10:04:13 -0500
From: Ryan Hartt  <rhartt1234@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Columbus Short Learned  Harp for Cadillac Records
Movie
To:  <airmojoken@xxxxxxxxx>, <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <BAY109-W25315828DC77A822A34164C2FC0@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


I'm pretty confident that its Kim  Wilson playing in this  clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ojv5OQF1F4
Columbus Short does a  very bad harp-synching job. He does not look 
comfortable enough with the  instrument. 
Ryan



> Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 07:54:35  -0800
> From: airmojoken@xxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>  Subject: [Harp-L] Columbus Short Learned Harp for Cadillac Records  Movie
> 
> I read where Columbus Short learned to play harp for  his role as Little 
Walter for the Cadillac Records movie, and played all the  harmonica parts.
> 
> Kim Wilson has been mentioned a few times  here on Harp-L as providing the 
harp music... that seems way more believable  to me, than Columbus Short 
actually doing it.
> 
> I'm just  wondering what the real story is.
> 
> Here is one of the links  (if it doesn't work, just Google
> "Columbus Short harmonica").
>  
>  
http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/article.html?Columbus_Short_learns_harmonica&in_article_id=428312&in_page_id=7&in_a_source=
>  
> http://tinyurl.com/69cxq2
> 
> 
> Ken H in  OH
> 
> 
>       
>  _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by  SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>  http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

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------------------------------

Message:  9
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 08:04:32 -0700
From: Buddha  <groovygypsy@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] custom harmonicas model vs  model vs brand / jt
minster
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<3c8737c70812070704m78b14d6dj2d99774673dbcc5a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

The biggest reason I use Hohners and  most specifically the Golden
Melody is because that's *MY* favorite  harmonica.  Like many others, I
had phases where I just wasn't happy  with anything brand nor model.  I
tried everything that was available  at the and always came back to
Golden Melodies.

When I decided to  start building harmonicas for anybody who wants to
play the best harmonica  possible, I thought I would focus on building
Overblow harps.  From  what I have heard from other harp building
friends is they dislike building  OB harps.  It's just so happens
that's what I am best at because it's  like setting up a harp for
myself, I know how to get every tick, squeal and  sound out of every
note. Most importantly, I know how to get rids of those  sounds too.
My style of playing demands that I have reeds that are at that  finely
tuned to each other and set at the perfect balancing point to  get
every nuance and tone out of each reed.  Mostly due to Howard Levy  the
Golden Melody has often been thought of as the jazz harp  or
Overblower's harp and that's precisely why I focus on Golden  Melodies.

Joe Filsko is the guy who really started the custom  harmonica
movement. IMO- aside from the Filisko guild the Marine Band  builders
build Marine Bands because that's what Joe does.  It don't  mean it as
a knock on any builder but it's just something that I see when I  see
others follow the leader when working in the same industry.  Perhaps
I'm completely wrong.  Joey once told me that he makes Marine  Bands
because of tradition.  According to him it's the image of  the
harmonica that most of us have in our brains, it's the stalwart or  the
old guard of harmonica.  He was largely disappointed that modern  day
Marine Bands didn't play as well as the prewar Marine Bands and  he
wanted to bring it back to life. In the early days, Joe worked  on
making Lee Oskars better and many of his old brass harps have  Lee
Oskar plates in them.  He's since only focused on Marine  Bands.

Jason Ricci recently told me he prefers to work on Blues  Harps.  To me
they are the same thing. I personally choosse Golden  Melodies. I can't
speak for other harp builders but what *I* do can be done  to any
harmonica brand or model. I've done it to a full set of Huang  harps
back in the early 90s. I've done it with Suzuki's, Herrings and  I've
recently worked with a huge order of Seydels. What I don't like  about
the suzuki's is the welded on reeds.  Replacing them is a pain  but it
can be done.

If you want harps that crisp, tight and more  responsive than anything
you've played before look no  further.

Prices are as follows:
Buddha Harp - $175 - Golden Melody  or Marine Band with wood comb set up for
OB/ODs  ie; Jason Ricci,  Carlos delJunco, Howard Levy style playing
(wood combs are back ordered at  the moment)

Zen Harp - $150 OB/OD harps with stock parts - Available  in
sp20/GM/MB/Blues Harp
- The Marine Band and Blues Harp will have  screws and a sealed comb.

Lotus Harp - $85 - Available in  sp20/GM/MB/Blues
Harp/suzuki/herring/seydel  - A stock harp with  minor
reed work done.  Reeds are destressed, gapped and tuned. Slots  are
slightly embossed.  These harps are not necessarily set up for  OBs.
These are great blues harps.
+$10 for sealed wood comb
+$5 for  screws instead of nails.

some suzuki, herring, seydel model maybe more  expensive depending on
the base price of the harmonica.

I am just  finishing up most of my orders this weekend so the wait time
is minimal  again.  Currently, there is a delay with wood combed Golden
Melodies  but that is beginning to look minimal again as I just
received another  batch of wood combs that I am sealing and drying as I
type.

email me  off list to order.


------------------------------

Message:  10
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 10:33:27 -0500
From: Jim Fitting  <jfitting@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Re: Question about  custom harmonicas
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>,  <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <COL105-W205C1F5D40804AF5C48674CAFC0@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain;  charset="iso-8859-1"














I am pretty much a hardcore Marine Band fanatic myself, mostly because of the 
 strength/durability of the reeds. These days I play 75% of the time in an  
acoustic setting and I play hard. The marine band stands up to my punishment  
pretty much right of the box, and responds to forceful playing with a full  
sound and great tone. I must admit I haven't played many Suzukis, but the Lee  
Oskars and Golden Melodies of the world do not respond well to my touch. I  
bought a Filisko method marine band from James Powers a couple of years ago,  and 
it was a beautiful instrument that lasted far longer than any other  harmonica 
I have ever bought. But even it had the tendency squelch out when I  got 
carried away and played too hard ( which happened a lot)...In short after  thirty 
years of playing Marine Bands right out of the box, I'm still  hooked.
Jim Fitting
PS
Hey Steve, we met back in '93 in Hamburg when  I was with The the. I hope all 
is well with you. The Harp Handbook (3rd  edition) remains on the top of my 
reference bookshelf.



> To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> From: steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Sun, 7 Dec  2008 14:03:04 +0100
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Question about custom  harmonicas
> 
> John, your personal preferences are your affair,  but this is to put  
> it mildly an extremely contentious claim. I  and many other pro  
> players including a substantial number of  high end customizers regard  
> the Hohner Marine Band as pretty  much the benchmark harp for blues  
> and related forms of music.  Buddha works on Golden Melodies because  
> he feels that for his  sophisticated musical aspirations they give the  
> best results.  These craftsmen choose Hohner Classic harmonicas  to  
> work  on because they consider them to offer the best raw material  
>  presently available for their purposes. The reason lies mainly in the   
> tone and response of the reeds. That's why I play them myself.  This  
> is by no means intended to denigrate Suzuki, their  harmonicas are  
> very well made even though they don't correspond  to my personal  
> taste. Tastes differ, so other players (and  customizers) may have  
> different preferences, but few would  justify their choice by claiming  
> Hohner instruments are  inherently inferior. How about trying a Hohner  
> Classic harp out  of current production before making such absolutist  
> statements  in public?
> 
> Steve
> 
> Steve Baker
>  steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> www.stevebaker.de
>  www.bluesculture.com
> www.youtube.com/stevebakerbluesharp
>  www.myspace.com/stevebakerbluesharp
> 
>  _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by  SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>  http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

_________________________________________________________________
Send  e-mail anywhere. No map, no  compass.
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122008

------------------------------

Message:  11
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 15:59:10 +0000
From: Shawn Williams  <swilliamsffpm@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Question about custom  harmonicas
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <BAY113-W31FD513BA8A40D3845612AA3FC0@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


i say, play a custom marine band.  a custom in any brand by a good customizer 
will be awesome. one brand may take  a little more or less work to get "in 
the zone" than another, but the end  product is the same...and worth it.  
Shawnhttp://code29band.comhttp://www.myspace.com/bosqueblues

------------------------------

Message:  12
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 11:19:00 -0500
From: "M. N."  <mnessmith@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Question about custom  harmonicas
To: list harp <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <BLU146-W32A79C9800BA5D2E2561ECB1FC0@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"


JP wrote:
"Why do customizers  only customize Hohners?"

===========

MIGHT have something to do  with the fact that traditionally most players who 
purchase custom harps  utilize overblows (at least a little). I've yet to 
play a non-Hohner that  would overblow without squealing. With that said, I have 
zero experience with  Seydels. But the Tombo, Lee Oskars and Suzukis I've 
owned all had a tendency  to squeal with overblowing. BTW, the MS Hohners are 
pretty lousy overblow  harps too although wit a LOT of tweaking, they'll  do.

MN

_________________________________________________________________
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2008

------------------------------

Message:  13
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 08:43:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Dominick Galluppi  <hobobluz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Small harp keys
To:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <627812.55613.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I'm looking for a Piccolo or Puck sized  harps in A and B flat.  Seems like 
they are only made in the key of C by  the major companies.  Do you guys know 
if there is a company that makes  them off the shelf?  Or is there customizer 
who could make some  up?

Dom

------------------------------

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