[Harp-L] Butterfeild

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Butterfield knocks me out.  An enormous influence on my playing (and  
on the playing of many others who are a lot better players than I  
am). His phrasing alone is an inspiration.  And he is authentic.   
Others may or may not agree, but I rank him right up there with the  
all time great blues harp players.  WHY?  Not just because his style  
is authentic and his technique is masterful, but also, and more  
importantly, because he is not an imitator.  He has a distinct style  
of his own.  No one was playing harp like that before PB.   
Butterfield paved the way for Sugar blue, Jason Ricci, Lee Oskar and  
so many others.  His influence cannot be overestimated.

And, btw, he does use chords, octaves, split intervals and double  
stops (listen to “Too Many Drivers” for example).  PB did not have to  
imitate ODBGs to be one of the greatest blues harmonica players of  
the 20th century.  He had a style of playing the blues that was  
uniquely his own, and that’s why we are still talking about him now,  
long after his death. Whether one likes his playing or not is a  
different question and a subjective matter.  But, by any objective  
standard, his musicianship, the originality of his approach and the  
enormity of his influence is undeniable.

For proof of his authenticity, listen to PB playing with Muddy Waters  
in “The Last Waltz” and on “The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album.”  As  
far as his innovation is concerned, I played “The Work Song’ and  
“East West” for a friend of mine a few months ago and she simply  
could not believe it when I told her those tunes were recorded in  
1967.  Timeless originality.

JP