RE: [Harp-L] FUN Music

["Bradford Trainham" <bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ry Cooder, while not very harp-ish... Usually laces his stuff with enough
humor to qualify as fun music.  Check out his Paradise and Lunch album and
Chicken Skin Music, both from around '75/76. 
And, since this is harp-l, I've done his Tamp 'em up Solid with harp in the
neckrack and guitar along with I'm a Fool for a Cigarette.
For rootsy rock fun that occasionally includes a little harmonica, check out
NRBQ. 
 It's hard to find fun rock music because the rockers all want you to know
how smart they are and that's not fun... Or funny most of the time.
An exception I've always liked was the Kinks Muswell Hillbillies release. 
I've done several of these tunes with neckracked harp and guitar, the best
one being Holiday. 
Glad to see this one aired for discussion because so many of the mainstream
pop people don't sound like they're having very much fun at all and that's,
in my estimation, a supreme tragedy. 
And if they wonder why music sales are shrinking, I'd ask how can you have
pop music that isn't fun?  Wasn't that always the point?
Brad (having fun right now with his new chord harp) Trainham


-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of IcemanLE@xxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 10:44 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] FUN Music

While it seems that music has taken an unusual turn in today's brave new
world (after all, contemporary music reflects the world in the present
moment) -  including documented changes to how CD's are mixed, live music
seems to be too  loud and using dynamics effectively is not as commonplace
as it once appeared to  have been, there are a few new discoveries out there
- mostly on the independent  music scene or up and coming talents. I enjoy
being turned on to something new  and this list has offered a few gems over
the years.
 
I also enjoy discovering old recordings that move me - the most amazing in
recent months is rediscovering Lindisfarne - and it has got me on a new path
of  enjoying musicians that factor in FUN rather than the "dig me - I'm a
virtuoso"  stuff.
 
Lindisfarne has a few live recordings available - it is so apparent that
this band laid out the good times similar to how Jimmy Buffet live creates a
fun  evening. In addition, it does not sound dated, even though the
recordings were  made in the 70's, 80's, etc. The audience is almost as much
a part of these live  Lindisfarne recordings as the musician. 
 
Guess I'm tired of the same ol' and find relief in the pure FUN - kinda like
listening to Paul deLay when he was in a fun creative original song  mood.
 
Lindisfarne also has a lot of harmonica throughout - blues style/w
distortion as well as the pure folk acoustic.
 
Definitely worth a listen if you seek out fun and new experiences.
 
Along these lines, the very early Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks and Martin
Mull recordings are a breath of fresh air, too.
 
Anyone else have suggestions on fun music?
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