[Harp-L] Charlie McCoy

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Charlie vacations in FL every winter and does a few small shows w/acoustic  
guitar/singer and/or small local back up band at RV Parks around the state. 
 
Vicki and I saw him last night in Eustis, FL. While it is not the setting  
for which he can use first class musicians, it is a relaxed and appreciative  
audience - reminded me a lot of SPAH - most in the audience with white hair. The 
 RV crowd is also like SPAH in that it is its own mini community of extended  
friends and family, all traveling around the country crossing paths as senior 
 citizen nomads.
 
He finally recorded a CD that he's been wanting to for a while (especially  
after his time spent w/Toots in Belgium) - all jazz and contemporary  
standards, using an excellent group of back up regional jazz musicians -  entitled 
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow". In typical Charlie fashion, he kept  talking up the 
abilities of these musicians and downplayed his own contributions  (leaning 
towards me and saying "and would you believe that all I had  to do was play the 
melodies?"). 
 
This CD is a great musical demonstration on how to let the melody tell the  
story without embellishment. I found it very similar to Peggy Lee's approach to 
 melody - pure, unadorned, with a subtle and original sense of swing.
 
Charlie uses mostly country tuned harmonica and is not afraid to use all  the 
notes created through bending technique on the two and three inhales, so  
there is a lot of real music created, not just through "avoid notes" and note  
substitutions, although he does have a great sense of note substitution when  
necessary. 
 
I am moving more towards Richard Hunter's assessment of harmonica music  
created using altered tunings rather than OB, OD, It sounds so  sweet. Just listen 
to Charlie play beautiful melodies.
 
The CD is self produced and available through Charlie McCoy at shows  and 
through his web site.
 
Charlie also tells great jokes.
 
The Iceman
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