[Harp-L] Overblow Survey

[rosco <roscoharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Robin writes:

"I don't know I am like lots of folks. 5 and 6 OK... others... rarely.

That's it in a nutshell. I have to say that this overblow thing seems to be
this abstract idea like the perfect amp, the perfect mike, the perfect harp.
Why are we trying to do this? I was listening to some Coltrane last night.
And somehow realized after all these years that on a lot of the atonal stuff
he was really just noodling around with what a sax can do. It was instrument
driven. Technique driven. It was licks. Sometimes I think we harmonica
players are trying to make a silk purse our of a sows ear. Why are we
pursuing this? Why can't I do Charlie Parker runs? Well you can with years
of practice and pain but as good as he was Parker was doing things that he
could only do on a sax. He didn't try to do his stuff on a tin whistle or a
bag pipe. He was using a specific instrument with it's attributes and
liabilities. He too at some level was doing licks. And even if you are
Howard Levy a harmonica is still going to sound like a harmonica. Which can
be a really wonderful sound.

I am encouraged by this four key tuning. And Jazmaan seems to be on to
something. It seems musical and capable of an improvisational way of
thinking... not really lick based. And the tonalities are pretty viable.

For me the diatonic richter tuned harmonica works best at blues based
pentatonic stuff which includes a lot. And it works great. But when it slips
to far into jazz land after my initial awe and amazement I find myself
thinking that I would really rather hear another instrument play those
lines. OK... rock improve wise wise Jason Ricci is in a world of his own but
for jazz... I dunno and forgive me but I keep hoping to be moved but so far
the diatonic just sounds often like a novelty. Chromatic is another story
altogether.

Robin"

Hey list,
I take Robin's point - there are very few diatonic 'jazz' players I dig, but
the more I listen to good players, the more these discussions of what
harmonica should or should not do seem irrelevant. I count as some of my
favorite living harp players, in no particular order:

Mark Ford
Bill Barrett
Chris Michalek
Brendan Power
Howard Levy
James Conway
Sugar Blue
Steve Guyger


Completely different tones, sounds, styles, approaches, tunings, embouchers,
etc.; but all distinctively making great music (yes....IMHO) on our
instrument. Debating whether a particular approach is worthwhile for anyone
or everyone in any particular genre seems beside the point. No one but
harmonica players CARE how we get it done. If Michalek & Levy make great
non-blues music using overblows/draws (as I and many others think they do),
that is enough for me & many other listeners. Levy, in particular, is having
a very nice career, thank you, playing jazz & whatever else strikes his
fancy.

In this and all matters of musical taste, if you don't like it - don't
listen.


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-- 
Later,
Rosco
www.maybeaugust.com
www.myspace.com/maybeaugust