Re: [Harp-L] "Take the A Train"



There is a great "Take The A Train" on the Toots Blues 1950 to 1952 CD featuring Toots Thielemans and Les Thompson. I also heard Phil Caltabellotta play it at the last Rocky Mountain harmonica festival. At this festival, it was also played at one of the open jazz jam sessions. As I recall we did it in the key of C and both diatonic and chromatic players joined.

Best,
David Naiditch
www.davidnaiditch.com

On Feb 21, 2009, at 7:33 AM, Robert Paparozzi wrote:

Take the A-Train is just one of those standards that doesn't NOT lay well on
chromatic but that being said....check out THE GREAT Les Thompson
version...I've had dicussions with William Galison about the difficulty of
this song. One option is to play it tongue blocked using corner switching
you get MORE accuracy BUT the down side is you've got more mouthpiece deeper
in your mouth. So this will slow you down a bit. I would say practice it
both ways and see what feels MOST comfy...then THAT will be the RIGHT way
for you.


When I first tried to play this DUKE classic, I felt like putting my
Chromatic under the wheels of the A TRAIN on 8th ave!!!!!,-) never give
up...keep it fun!


Best,
Rob Paparozzi


On 2/21/09 9:46 AM, "robert mcgraw" <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:



Several months ago there was a thread concerning the difficulty of playing the
head of "Take the A Train"...I think J.R. Ross may have initiated it? Anyway,
there is no doubt that, for me, this is really tough to play. [I play it on
chromatic.] I can play the notes, but I really can't make it swing
[yet...hopefully]...couple of questions:


1] Anybody know of a recording of the tune by a harmonica player?

2] Seems that i remember somebody [maybe Richard Hunter?] talking about
William Gallison playing it, in Ab instead of C, at a SPAH a few years
back...is this on any of the SPAH videos?


3] This one is for the jazz diatonic folks...I'm sure you guys and gals play
it...[I can sort of play it on diatonic, but I sure ain't gonna post that on
You Tube :-)


Anyway, what position do you play it in? Would Chris or somebody be willing to
post "A Train" on You Tube?


4] Actually, it would be really cool if one of the accomplished chromatic
players on the list would post it on You Tube, too!


WVa Bob

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All the best,
Rob Paparozzi

email:
chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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