[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 76, Issue 8

[Harri Haka <harri.haka@xxxxxxxxx>]

Richard wrote: "The world needs another harp player doing only Little Walter licks as much
as it needs another Elvis impersonator", to paraphrase Paul DeLay.

What Paul DeLay maybe forgot to mention is that nobody can do Little Walter licks like he himself did them. Just like nobody can do Paul DeLay licks like he did them. Yet I like to listen to harp players who have studied LW and use similar mikes and amplification and go for the same tone and phrasing. This of course is a matter of taste and, for example Paul DeLay had a totally different approach to playing compared to Walter. There are lots of good examples of Walter -inspired players, eg Bharath. Don't know much about Elvis impersonators but dare say that is an unfair comparison to Little Walter students, many of whom write their own music.

Harri