Re: [Harp-L] Summertime on A Diatonic

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Oct 1, 2008, at 5:14 PM, George Brooks wrote:

> I heard the story told a little differently, although I make no  
> claim that this version is authoritative, or that the exchange even  
> took place.  Night after night, Coltrane was playing extended  
> solos, and he knew he was going on way to long to suit his  
> bandleader.  So he goes to Miles and asks him, straight up and  
> sincerely, "How do you end a solo?"  Miles responds, "You take the  
> damn horn out of your mouth!"

That's the way I heard it. Naturally, when you play a particular  
instrument, you tend to follow what's happening IN that world. A  
trumpet player (I was cornet) would have heard it this way. I think  
this was around the time that Coltrane was doing 'Primitivo'.
> Apologies if this has already been mentioned.  I think Summertime  
> lays out best on a diatonic in fourth position ("A on a C harp").   
> The first three notes are 5 blow, 4 blow, 5 blow (Sum - mer - time).

I wasn't sure what position I was using and that's why I didn't  
comment on Richards comment on third position. To be perfectly  
honest, I don't know much about positions. I think I may have used  
3rd and maybe some other ones, but I am primarily a cross harper with  
a smidgen of straight.
It turns out that I am using 4th, (if that's what it is). I like the  
possibility of doing the background part right after the word  
'high' (as in, when the cotton is high). It's a 5 blow into a 5 blow  
1/2 step bend DOWN, then 4 draw and 3 draw, the 5 draw into a 5 draw  
1/2 step bend DOWN, ending in a 5 blow. It's   Da da da da.....Daa da da

You are also able to do the fill in after the word 'cry' (as in, hush  
little baby, do--on't you cry-y)  Da da da da.....Daa da
(btw, I' assuming that everyone can handle the draw bends down in the  
2 & 3 holes)

Here's where it gets interesting. THIS is EXACTLY why I have, for  
many years, used a 5 draw with the pitch raised a 1/2 step AND a  
windsaver on the 5 draw so that the 5 blow CAN be blow bent DOWN.  
Otherwise, you would have to be able to blow bend the 5 draw UP and  
the 5 blow DOWN by means of blow bending. That was curds and  
whaaaaaaay beyond my capabilities at the time. With my method, I was  
able to add a plethora of other phrasing into a tune. Especially  
important when one is a little 'skinny' on back up players. And it  
opens up a world of pop, doo-wop, and boop boop bip bip.

So, in retrospect, I am probably guilty of playing too many notes (my  
Don Les influence), so I should maybe heed Miles Davis' sage advice  
and just pull the Khrome Khlondike away from my lips now and then.

smo-joe (a definite George Brooks fan)
> George
>
> ========================================================
>
>  Richard Hunter wrote:
>
> I am reminded of a fabled conversation between John Coltrane and  
> Miles Davis
> that supposedly took place while Trane was working in Davis's band.
>
> "You're playing too much," Miles said.
> "I've got so many ideas. I just don't know how to stop," Trane said.
> "Well, why don't you try takin' the f---in' horn out of your  
> mouth?" Miles said.
>
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