Re: [Harp-L] what goes through my head?

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I imagine Clayton is joking around, but I think it brings up an
important point.  Levy may be the leading journeyman of the overblow
style or in a broader sense, the new diatonic concept that diatonic
can play any style of music blues or not, with the same level of
originality of any instrument.  However he did not invent these ideas
and he is not necessarily the person doing the most interesting or
pleasing work to all of our opinions.

Chris is definitely doing amazing work and has a lot of people
interested in what he is doing and he is influencing many players.
Personally, I like Chris' smooth tones and vibrato and especially his
high note playing.  I like a lot of what Chris does better than
Howard.  I also like a lot of what Howard does better than Chris.

Neither player hits the "that's it! That's what I like about
harmonica!" for me.  There are many old school players who hit that,
Butter, Clarke, Cotton, Williamson II, Horton, Jacobs, Smith, some
Musselwhite (although I see Musselwhite as one of the early proponents
of the new diatonic concept) , Wilson, Estrin.    There are only a few
"new concept" harp players that come close.  Delay, even without
overblows, is the closest for me, Musselwhite and Del Junco, Conway
are close.  There are many other new concept players I admire and
enjoy, that I do not feel hit the spot for me.  That doesn't mean I do
not think their work is important and it does not mean that I would
not go see them if they came to my town.

I honestly enjoy my own ideas the best, but my technique leaves a lot
to be desired for me.  Part of my struggle is my work on bass harp and
mandolin is far more interesting to me and I only have so much
practice time.  Perhaps later I will become obsessed with the diatonic
again and can increase my technique.

In any case, I think it is time to knock the pedestal players off and
enjoy who we enjoy.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com




On 11/4/09, Clayton Gary Lehmann <hqr@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> BLASPHEMY!!!!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of joe leone
> Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 8:53 AM
> To: Eric Nielsen
> Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] what goes through my head?
>
> Yeah, I like him better than Levy
> s-j
>
> On Nov 4, 2009, at 11:43 AM, Eric Nielsen wrote:
>
> > I'm sure glad we have Chris on harp-l. He's a true harp pioneer and
> > a very
> > musical guy.
> >
> > Eric
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