Re: [Harp-L] "Oh Girl" position

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, this looks like a 'vintage' clip (1974, it says, and the clothes sure look like it) That sure sounds like a mouth organ to me, more than a melodica....could be wrong though...wot do other reeders think?
This is it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cu8XA89JzA

>>> joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> 19/09/2010 10:17 >>>

On Sep 18, 2010, at 6:16 PM, JohnnieHarp wrote:

> ... saw the Chi-Lites perform this on a PBS Doo Wop type special
> within the last few years ... what they used during their performance
> was a melodica rather than a harmonica ...
>
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodica 

What year Johnnie? That would be an important factor. Walking  
backwards through my mind, I seem to recall that this tune was  
originally done in around the early 70s.
I don't think they had music videos back then but by early 80s they  
DID. I remember taking the family on vacation to St. Augustine, and  
the motel had MTV.
While the wife & son were enjoying the pool, the girls were watching  
MTV. I came in to check on them and happened to catch a video that  
was just starting.

A large black woman who looked for all the world like Wilhelmina Mae  
Thornton was dipping a Hohner 270 into a glass of water. Then she  
shook it out and began to play it in a warbling fashion. I took that  
to be because there was still water in the chromatic. The tune was  
'Oh Girl'. I stayed and watched it because I had seen Willie Mae live  
back in the 60s in Louisiana. So in the early 80s, Willie Mae was  
still alive. Now here are a couple factors that don't jive.

1... dipping a wood combed chromatic is a no no, and I don't think  
she would have done that...voluntarily.
2... it sounds like a harmonica. There is evidence of muting/hand  
cupping and 'Pulling' or milking the reeds.
I don't think that works on a melodica. Melodica is used on the movie  
'Endless Summer, and the timbre isn't close
3... Melodicas are all blow instruments. I hear evidence of slight  
bending.

This bears scrutiny...   smo-joe