Re: [Harp-L] Does Bill Barrett play altered tunings?

[joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 4, 2010, at 3:33 PM, Ben Bouman wrote:

> Hi Joe
>
> Well..some time ago I had Bill Barrett coming to my monthly  
> Harmonica Heaven where he did  a workshop. He showed many players  
> how to practice /how to combine chromatic and diatonic playing. I  
> called this workshop Harmonica hell because I knew Bill was going  
> to shock anyone with his crazy way of playing...  weird sounds,  
> crazy bends, incredible corner switching. And indeed..some people  
> left in  a complete shock!

I'll BET. Of course 'I' wouldn't have been surprised. Because I think  
he is one phenominal player. And, maybe a little too unknown.  
Considering.
> The informal gig with Jason Ricci ( who happened to be around...  
> well, I picked him up in Amsterdam between 2 shows....!)

At Schipohl airport no doubt.

> and Michael Gomez ( who is an amazing guitar player!) was almost  
> like normal, compared with the workshop.
> But again, Bill shocked many players.
>
> It was even more intense than shown on the videos...some people  
> were smiling from the beginning to the end and they told me that it  
> was a once in a lifetime experience!
>
> The same evening I was invited to do a solo during the Hazmat  
> Modine concert in Haarlem. I was honoured ..but when I went on  
> stage Wade Schuman gave me his RE10 mic( wireless) and as soon as I  
> started my solo the battery went down. So basically, that was it!   
> But I loved being on stage with this fantastic band!
>
> Does all this make me a nice fellow???  Hmmmm..... maybe it is  
> indeed my haircut.

I was, of course, only poking fun Ben. Jason is the one with the  
demonic (hellish) album... lolol
> In a week or 2 I will put 2 or 3 more videos on YT from Bill  
> Barrett and Jason Ricci.
> It seems like Europe is the place to be for US harpplayers.
> So, when one of you plans to tour in Europe, please let me know and  
> maybe we can organize a special event ( we already had Adam Gussow/ 
> Charlie Musselwhite/Steve Baker/Carlos del Junco/Joe Powers a.o.)

Well Big Ben, to be honest, I am not nearly in the same league as  
ya'all. Ask Jason, I have played with him on occasion. lolol.
I sure miss Amsteldam. Loved to sit at the little coffee house on  
Nieuw Doelenstratt overlooking the Binnenamstel watching all the  
tourists trying to get in and out of the excursion boats. Dropping  
cameras in the water. THEM falling in the water. Sitting in Nieuw  
Market watching the characters. Yeah...MY kind of town. GOD I love it.

Vasco Pajama  (smo-joe)
> Ben Bouman
> www.customharmonicashop.nl
> www.harmonicainstituut.nl
> www.marble-amps.com
>
> Op 4 jun 2010, om 21:02 heeft joe leone het volgende geschreven:
>
> > On Jun 4, 2010, at 12:38 PM, Gene Pool wrote:
> >
> > > Does anyone know if Bill plays altered tunings?  It sounded to me  
> > > like the video on his myspace might be a C diminished chromatic.
> > >
> > > http://www.myspace.com/billbarrett23
> >
> > Yes Gene, he does. On another note, what 'I' have been musing over  
> > (lately) is the comment the other day attached to some videos.  
> > Basically what it said..and I hope I get this right..was Bill  
> > Barret and Jason Ricci together equals Harmonica Heaven, but Bill  
> > Barrett and Ben Bouman together equals Harmonica Hell. This one  
> > has me perplexed? The Ben Bouman seems like a fairly nice fellow.  
> > Clean cut, nice haircut, et al.   lolol
> >
> > smo-joe