Re: [Harp-L] gig (about solos)



JJ Cale is a master of the use of space around notes. He never plays five
notes when one will do. I like the harp played the same way. While I admire
Jason Ricci's skill, for example, he wears me out after a while. Same with
Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. I saw him live once, and he had to play a mad
solo on every song. Too much, IMO.


----- Original Message ----- From: "steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] gig (about solos)




I've gotten better at laying out as I get older, but my improvised solos still suck bigtime. I don't play much blues and if I stay away from blues for awhile, I am just not good at it. I always looked to Mickey Raphael and his work with Willie Nelson as a great example of less is more.
He never plays a lot in any song and he's managed to stay employed for lo these many years.
Steve Webb in Minnesota


---- Doug H <dough.harpl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'd be pretending if I claimed I could muster a good solo, original or otherwise, but that doesn't stop me from knowing what I like.

Rainbow Jimmy said: <snip>

>Also--I think harmonica sounds better in small doses, so I'm going to >get
>the courage to be on stage with just bass, drums and guitar, and play
>nothing for large section of the song. If they want to play for 15 >minutes
>that's fine--I'll put in my 60 second solo and then sit out.
>-- >Rainbow Jimmy


My all-time favourite example of the less is more school of soloing is the guitar solo on "After Midnight" off of J.J. Cale's album, "Naturally".

If you listen to the specific cut off this album you will walk away remembering how amazing and tastefully right-on the guitar was. But later when you listen again you realize that he only solo'd for a few bars on the whole cut. He makes no attempt at flash, and even slips down in the mix at one point. Super human restraint.

"Quality gets remembered; quantity fades away." -anonymous.

Harp content: Ed Colis does a good job playing down in the mix, weaving in and out of the horn section on "The Woman I Love" off the same album. (Use headphones.)

Doug H







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