[Harp-L] RE: William Clarke Leslie speaker question

[Donnie MorTone <harp_boy@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi JD,

 

I just registered at Ted's Place...have to wait for approval 

before I can post there, so I'll give you my thoughts here

and you can quote me if u feel the need.

 

I lost close contact with Bill when I moved to Hawaii

in 1994. I lost a close personal friend, and the world

lost one of the greatest blues harp players to ever live

in November of 1996. 

 

I don't know anything 1st hand about him using a Leslie

cab, or if he did, what kind of amp or pre-amp he may have

employed in the studio. We never talked about it.

 

But what I do know is, towards the end of his life and his

career, he was using some sort of emulator device in his

live performances through the PA. I'm going to try to contact

some of the musicians that played wih him in those last couple

of years, to see if they may shed any light. 

 

I'm the guy that put together the DVD series "The Real Deal"

recently. If you watch/listern to my demo clip for Volume Two

on YouTube, you can clearly hear effects thru his stick harp

mic on the 1995 performances at Old Bay in New Jersey starting

at the 30 second mark, and continuing to about 1:30 mark.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfkiMjRbsEA

 

Both partial cuts are chromatic instrumentals, and it sounds like

he may have been aiming for the Hammond B3 sound, hence th

Leslie factor. But, he may have been using just a foot petal,

perhaps an octave divider or a flange, a chorus, but either way...

it's there if u listen closely. The club is dark, and there is zero

evidence of any gear that he did use. I will write to his last bass

player, Rick Reed, and his last guitarist, Paul Bryant, and see what

info they might provide. 

 

This is a great thread...glad to see it!

Now in the meantime...get YOURSELF the

2 DVD set of Big Bill.   ~The Real Deal~

 

~Donnie MorTone~

 

 





From: jameshoskinz@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: harp_boy@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: William Clarke Leslie speaker question
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 17:09:32 -0700





Hi Donnie, I don't know you but I know of your involvement with William Clarke. There has been a thread on the weber board recently about William using a leslie speaker some. (example: Groove Time- A Good Girl Is Hard To Find ) Can you shed any light on this subject?  This is the link if you want to respond directly, or email me if you would. Thanks either way, JD
 
http://www.tedsforums.com/forum/index.php?topic=5482.0