RE: [Harp-L] Chris Michalek... harmonica genius

[Jérôme P. <peyrelevade@xxxxxxx>]

My answer is absolutely not related to Chris, who is definitely a great
player, but I would like to say that, to my opinion, hitting every single
note and being in tune is just the least you can expect from a musician on
his instrument.
I know I'm a bit provocative here, since the harmonica is often considered
as a special instrument, with special "rules", but maybe we should all be
more demanding and consider our little instrument like any other one.
To me, the question is: do we, harp players, amateurs or professionals, good
musicians or not, consider the harmonica as a music instrument?
I hope I don't frustrate anybody here; it is just my two cents on an open
debate.

Best regards,

Jerome

-----Message d'origine-----
De : harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] De la part
de MundHarp@xxxxxxx
Envoyé : vendredi 23 avril 2010 04:05
À : harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc : groovygypsy@xxxxxxxxx
Objet : [Harp-L] Chris Michalek... harmonica genius

I was lucky enough to jam recently with Chris Michalek in Phoenix,  
Arizona... 
I know of no other diatonic player with such superb musical pitch  control.
Chris is a player who is able to play in most keys by bending and  
overblowing on a single harp. That is not a unique skill.
How Chris IS pretty well unique, is that he hits EVERY note... Not "near  
enough" but EXACTLY in tune.
This is a great achievement!
But not only is Chris a superb harmonicist, but he builds and fixes  
harmonicas too...
I today got back three of my blues harps, that Chris has repaired for  
me... WOW...
Thank you Chris, they are SUPERB.
Chris Michalek has taken some of my already "custom" built harps, and  
improved them vastly...People, if you haven't already done so, check out
this  
excellent custom harp builder!
In my opinion, Chris is a harmonica genius.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
John "Whiteboy" Walden,
English harmonica player.
(Who lives in the Philippines.)
Just now in Phoenix, AZ, USA.