Re: Subject: [Harp-L] HARMONICA PLAYING Arabian nights Belly dance music!!!!

"Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx> · Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:03:09 -0800

Please don't give any sweeping interpretations to my posts.  My limited main point is that the Youtube video and audio performances are not the same.  I gave examples of why this is true. My posts had specifics that you could have addressed if you can show that I am wrong. I did not condemn the whole man.  I did point out his deception.  Since deception is his stock-in-trade as a magician, we may take a less severe view than if someone like me had done it.

I agree that the audio is great.....whoever played it.   I suppose that it is possible that he played the audio on another occasion.  However, if he had ever played it correctly, it is unlikely that he would have embellished the video with so much phony button-pushing.   

In the performance that you cite, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJafvhfycPM ,  did you notice that the music and the button action agreed and that the dramatic button trills of the youtube performance were absent?  

The man has many admirable talents, including playing the harmonica well.  "Harp-synching" would seem to be below him.

The "charlatans" that I referred to are the fraudulant magicians that he debunks and that prey on  ignorant or unsophisticated victims. They falsely claim occult powers to help their victims for a steep price.   see http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/09/stories/2008010957900300.htm  For this he deserves great credit and praise.  You must know that debunkers are my heroes!  ;o) 

Vern

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Cc: randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; jevern@xxxxxxx 
  Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 1:23 PM
  Subject: Subject: [Harp-L] HARMONICA PLAYING Arabian nights Belly dance music!!!!

  Before making assumptions about ANYone's playing and of harmonica specifically, especially when it comes to YouTube videos where the music is notoriously out of sync with the actual playing in so many instances, I tend to seek out a Live performance by the same artist.

  I found one for this same player Ashok Bhandari (it's stated as having been done during a performance in the USSR from 1990):

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJafvhfycPM

  Since Vern makes a point that music is 'only mentioned once' in the man's website,  during that performance he plays his harmonica for an extraordinarily long time for someone whose music is purportedly 'only a sideline'.

  I also took the time to read comments on some of his videos, where people who know him congratulate him for focusing more now on his true calling... harmonica playing.

  And just to cinch it, I found a blogspot by a long time old friend of his who specifies that Mr. Bharani is one of those people who make a point of 'outing' the 'fake magicians' ...and also talks about his harmonica playing. A simple google search took me here:

  http://harmonicaclubofgujarat.blogspot.com/2008/08/magician-who-plays-mouth-organ-ashok.html

  here it is in tiny url form:

  http://tinyurl.com/deonq8

  Decide for yourself if this guy is the real deal or not.  I believe he's as decent a chromatic player as he shows himself to be, especially since his version of Lara's Theme from Dr. Zhivago has quite a few flubs in it...something surely a charlatan would have managed to avoid?

  Isn't there also the possibility he recorded himself playing first and then played over it for the video?  After all, there are no 'rules' in YouTube that every performance has to be played Live into the computer...that isn't how music videos are made, nor how those people post their music who are multi-instrumentalists who have to do over-dubs. 

  I agree with you Randy, the belly dancing playing was GREAT!  He also has an original composition up on YouTube (audio only) which is quite beautiful).

  Elizabeth

  "Message: 12
  Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 10:37:45 -0800
  From: "Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>
  Subject: Re: [Harp-L] HARMONICA PLAYING Arabian nights Belly dance
      music!!!!
  To: "Randy Singer" <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,    "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx"
      <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

  I am mystified by the introduction.  He appears to trill on 
  the slide but the note from the harp doesn't change.  Could 
  this be "harp-synching"??   He is a magician who may feel OK 
  about fooling his audience.

  A remarkable performanc from one to whom music is apparently 
  only a sideline!

  His website mentions music once but doesn't mention 
  harmonica.  He is primarily known as a magician.  Debunking 
  the occult powers of fraudulent magicians is important in 
  India where these charlatans prey on the ignorant.

  Vern"

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "Randy Singer" <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
  Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 7:34 AM
  Subject: [Harp-L] HARMONICA PLAYING Arabian nights Belly 
  dance music!!!!

  > THIS IS GREAT!!!
  >
  > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJp1gPilmxs
  >
  > _______________________________________________
  >

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps!