[Harp-L] Is Howard Levy the most technically advanced harmonica play

[Randy Singer <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

michael,

I respectfully disagree with you. I have spent a lot of time with howard at my house, at various locations, and although I LOVE the other harmonica players you mention I will give you my two cents.

From a strictly technical standpoint, howard could, if asked (i believe) play any lick, head or riff from ANY of those harmonica players you mentioned, including myself. He could then transcribe it on paper and then play it on piano. He could also probably play it backwards or thematically deconstruct it and play their licks in all 12 keys in either major or minor or any other world musical idiom.

Hearing some of howard riffs, runs and compositions (have you heard his concerto which is mind blowing), i sincerely doubt any of us can play howard's most advanced compositions with equal clarity.

I may be wrong but I am sticking to my harps on this one for now. Howard is the technical king by far.

but does it really matter who is the most "technical"? Not really........what matters is what you love, not who is most technical.

randy

Begin forwarded message:

> As far as I am concerned, living diatonic players like James Cotton,
> Rick Estrin, Kim Wilson, Joe Filisko, Charlie Musselwhite, Charlie
> McCoy, Gruenling, Ricci, Del Junco, Michalek, Power, Gazell and many
> others equal or surpass Levy's technical ability. They may not use
> the same techniques that Levy does, but the amount of techniques they
> have mastered are equal or greater than Levy's amounts. If, as i've
> listed for Howard's strengths, pleasing tone is technical ability,
> many of these players are also equal or greater than Levy.

Randy Singer      
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