[Harp-L] Andy Griffith, jazz harp, Maxwell Street

["Mick Zaklan" <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Stretching (very loosely) the Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee thread from last
month; I notice that today is the 50th anniversary of the release of
"Shouting the Blues and Old Timey Songs".  This was an Andy Griffith
album that featured Brownie McGhee and possibly Sonny Terry on some tracks,
backing up Sheriff Andy.  I know that Andy and Brownie were pretty tight;
dating back to their time on the set of the movie classic "A Face in the
Crowd".  Haven't heard it myself; but I'm betting it was a pretty good
album.  Sounds like something Tom Ball might have in his collection.
   Also wanted to comment on jazz harp instruction.  Haven't seen Richard's
book; but the fact that it's still in print says a lot.  But I wanted to
give props to the late Wendell "Harpdog" Burnett.  Wendell did a column for
many years in the American Harmonica Newsletter on playing jazz on the
chromatic.  Al Eichler bundled those columns up and put out a nice little
instruction book after Wendell passed.  It's a shame that it's probably no
longer available; though Al's widow might have a few copies sitting around.
Or Phil Lloyd.  Wendell helped quite a few people play better and was a heck
of a human being.  I miss him.
   I've enjoyed the Maxwell Street thread.  I'm embarrassed to say that I
only visited the Market maybe three times, though I live about 40 minutes
away.  On one of the occasions; One-Arm Johnny Wrencher was blowing
amplified harp and it was a real treat.  A very good, under-rated player.
   I think Big Walter lived pretty close to Maxwell Street Market.  Johnny
Young took me over to Walter's apartment to arrange harp lessons with the
old master one Sunday.  Walter had turned me down brusquely over the phone
years before but Johnny told me that his good buddy Walter would certainly
give me lessons since he (Johnny) was interceding on my behalf.  He
neglected to tell me that the last time the two men had worked together,
there had been a dispute over the money.  So Johnny's presence turned out to
be a detriment, not a deal clincher.  I still remember an irritated Johnny
demanding to know "Why won't you teach this boy?" and Walter, with three or
four of his buddies standing around, exclaiming "I ain't teachin' him!".
After this embarrassing confrontation; Johnny, me, and my buddy Vic drove
over to Maxwell Street.  Had Polish sausage sandwiches, listened to some
music and forgot about the crap that had occurred at Horton's.  That's
probably my favorite memory of Maxwell Street.  My friend Vic used to insist
that a Polish sausage sandwich could taste as good as fillet mignon "if it
comes at the right time".  That day Maxwell Street came at just the right
time, and kept me from dwelling on Walter Horton.

Mick Zaklan