Re: [Harp-L] Louisiana

["michael rubin" <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Andy J. Forest is one of my early mentors.  I moved to New Orleans for
1 year when I was 21.  He was playing regularly and letting me sit in
and teaching me heads on the fly.

Andy writes many original tunes, often with humor.  He sings and plays
guitar and percussion made from found items.  He used effects on his
harps sometimes.  He was a great showman.  Without spelling it out for
me, he taught me that variety is necessary to keeping the audience
interested.

His harp playing is bluesy, but not especially traditional.  He would
not win the Little Walter sweepstakes.  He was very good at the high
notes in the first 3 positions.

He also is a movie star in Italy.  He has written novels, including
one that I need to find about a harp player who winds up in hell.  If
I remember correctly, he also was a painter.

For his kindness, I am in his debt.  The same to Johnny Sansone and
Smoky Greenwell.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On 10/19/08, Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hey Harvey,
>   Nice job on the old Tennessee Ernie Ford chestnut, "Sixteen Tons".  A
> nice minor key tune that I'm surprised more people don't cover, it has such
> a strong melody.  I used to have to play it in a band years ago and I think
> I was using 4th on it.  But your minor tuned harp sounds good as well.
> Looked like you were both having a lot of fun.
>   You're lucky to live in a city as vibrant and inspiring as New Orleans.
> Talk about a melting pot, a gumbo of humanity!  And the rest of the country
> could learn a lesson from "y'all" about tolerance, from what I've witnessed
> down there over the years.
>   You know, I bought Smoky Greenwell's latest cd from him partly out of
> guilt.  I must have chatted with him a half-dozen times at the French Market
> the last couple of decades, but never bought one of his recordings.  I just
> finished listening to "Between Iraq and a Hard Place" and it's a fine, fine
> effort.  Nothing groundbreaking; but a nice, strong blues and r & b
> harmonica cd with excellent New Orleans musicianship.  I'm proud to own it.
>   If I get down to N'Awluns again, I'll be sure to look you up.  Smoky
> mentioned a harpist playing around town that I'm unfamiliar with.  I think
> it was Andy Forest.  Can you shed any light on this player for me and
> harp-l?
>
> Mick Zaklan
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