Re: [Harp-L] Review of Galison show: Please post

["Rob Paparozzi" <Chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nice Job out there Will, now get home...the Yanks won!,-)....seriously, a 
really terrific review, congrats!...see you at the Garden State Fest

best,
Rob Paparozzi

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <wgalison@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:00 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Review of Galison show: Please post



Here's a nice review of my gig in LA.


http://irom.wordpress.com/category/live-jazz/


I'll also be be playing at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Alta Dina on 
Friday November 6 and:


at the McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica


Both gigs I'll be opening for and playing with Jim Kweskin


I had a great meeting with Tommy Morgan on Tuesday.  What a dude!




Will


















Live Jazz: William Galison at the Whitefire Theatre
October 31, 2009 â irom


by Devon Wendell
It was an evening of pure, traditional jazz delivered with sensitivity and 
originality by harmonica wiz William Galison and his quintet on Thursday 
night at the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks.  Backing Galison in the L.A. 
Modern Jazz Series concert were pianist Otmaro Ruiz, clarinetist John 
Tegmeyer, bassist Greg Swiller and drummer Dan Schnelle.
Opening the set with the Charlie Parker classic âBillyâs Bounce,â Galison 
and Tegmeyer immediately established an original sense of harmony between 
the chromatic harmonica and clarinet. Instead of trying to mimic Bird and 
Milesâs original recording, Galison proved that less is more, choosing to 
play well thought out and tasteful phrasing with soul and a true knowledge 
of his instrument, without falling back on fast scales or abandoning the 
over all theme of the piece. Tegmeyerâs playing, though sweet, was more 
frenetic, which created true dynamics between the pair.  Here and elsewhere, 
Ruizâs piano work tended to start soft and tender and slowly build in 
intensity, prompting the very pure rhythm team of Swiller and Schnelle to 
give it their all, very much the way McCoy Tyner would push Jimmy Garrison 
and Elvin Jones to climactic heights which John Coltrane could explore.
On Galisonâs composition, âNew Samba,â the band laid down a hard-bop samba 
motif, with Galison and Tegmeyer interweaving in and out of each otherâs 
lines perfectly, without stepping on each otherâs phrasing.  As Galison said 
to the audience, âClarinet and harmonica are like family, or like peanut 
butter and jelly.â
Though almost every jazz artist has covered âBody and Soul,â Galisonâs 
rendition was one of the most mournful and bluesiest versions Iâve ever 
heard, playing high note bends on the harmonica and making the instrument 
cry and plead with very few notes. It was, without a doubt, a highlight of 
the set.  His slow vibrato, in fact, was closer to that of tenor sax 
balladeer Ben Webster than that of his mentor and chromatic harmonica 
master, Toots Thielemans.  Tegmeyerâs solo, though confident and skillful, 
could hardly match Galisonâs emotional outpouring on this standard.
âJust Friendsâ will always be associated with Birdâs incredible reading of 
this classic ballad on the Charlie Parker with Strings album.  Galisonâs 
cover was closer to the version by Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins on the 
album Sonny Meets Hawk. Again, Galison chose not to mimic Birdâs laser like 
runs and instead rode slowly and soulfully behind the bass, drums and piano. 
His ability to slur notes and expand upon the songâs well known melody was 
astonishing.
On âWhitefire Bluesâ (Galisonâs on- the-spot ode to the showâs tiny theater 
venue), he switched from chromatic to diatonic harmonica, delving straight 
into a pure and slow Chicago blues shuffle, paying tribute to blues harp 
masters Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and Junior Wells, with squawks, 
wails, moans, and sharp bends.  Ruizâs playing was in the authentic vein of 
Chicago blues piano veterans Eddie Boyd and Otis Spann, instead of sounding 
like a jazz player trying to oversimplify the blues.  Swillerâs bass walked 
with purpose and groove, and Schelle held down a solid foundation for 
Galison and Tegmeyer.  It was obvious on this number that Galison has a pure 
understanding of the blues, which is also the foundation of his jazz 
soloing.   This was true alley music from the Windy City even though 
Tegmeyerâs playing sometimes seemed out of place â a reminder that Howlinâ 
Wolf and the others never seemed to include a clarinet in their musical mix.
Johnny Mandelâs composition âEmily,â made popular by Henry Mancini, closed 
the set, with Galison and company choosing to emphasize the romantic 
ambiance of the original theme. Tegmeyerâs clarinet shined on this number, 
playing fast yet graceful runs to match Galisonâs voice-like lines.  The 
band remained strictly within the jazz mainstream, convincingly calling back 
to a different era.
Galisonâs enthusiasm and joy for the music â whether pure jazz or the 
blues â was present in each number,  Although he spoke with warmth about his 
former teacher and mentor Toots Thielemans, it was obvious, in this 
refreshingly intimate and memorable jazz performance,  that Galison has 
found his own style.  Unlike the countless other chromatic players have hung 
on to Thielemansâ every note for the past several decades, Galison is a true 
original.
To read other posts by Devon Wendell, click here.




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