RE: [Harp-L] Diatonic/chromatic

[JersiMuse <jersimuse@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well, let's say it is not possible to estimate the limits of the mechanics
before trying to go over them.
I've been quite far I think compared to many, and still haven't found the
limits. For the moment, I am the limitative factor, not the instrument.
Ok, maybe my ears aren't that good.

Concerning the other musicians, ok, their ears are good ... but they don't
realize, they are cheated by the "cool effect" ... ok ... difficult to share
ideas and experiences under these conditions. But ok.
Let's say Alain Caron, Dominique di Piazza (John Mc Laughlin Trio, Bireli
Lagrene Trio), Curt Bisqueira (list is too long), Yoann Schmitt (Alain Caron
Trio), Didier Lockwood (he is recognized by the jazz community as a great
master, one of the most innovative violinist and jazz musician with Stephane
Grappelli - who's been his mentor - and Eric Dolphy), and so many others,
let's say they just think it is cool to play with a diatonic harp player
making a very unusual music on this instrument ...
Considering these names, their experience, their knowledge, their skill,
their usual challenging demand, and their success in the worldwide jazz
community, it is very surprising. I guess you could play any instrument,
they would only be interested by your music, not by the tool you've chosen
to play it. But ok, why not.
Then what do you think about Sir John Barry choosing Sebastien Charlier to
play Macadam Cowboy's Theme instead of a chromatic player, with a symphonic
orchestra ?
Is it because he thought it would be cool to have a diatonic instead of a
chromatic, not realizing the timbers and articulations are not very good, or
because he thought his playing was at least as good as any chromatic player,
if not better ?

Ok, we both know we won't agree at the end on this point :-)
Future will tell.

Thanks for this respectful chat anyway,

Regards,

Jerome
www.youtube.com/JersiMuse


-----Message d'origine-----
De : harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] De la part
de jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx
Envoyé : mardi 26 avril 2011 15:54
À : harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Objet : Re: [Harp-L] Diatonic/chromatic

Jerome writes:

"my instrument is chromatic, the rest is a question of work."

But that's the crux of this debate.  The diatonic harmonica is not
chromatic, not in the same way as most other instruments would define it.
It's not a matter of effort or technique, it's a matter of mechanics.  And
that can't change.

As for other musicians liking it, again, I think that's actually more a part
of the ghetto effect.  Oh look, a harmonica can kind of play this stuff.
Isn't that cool.  Yeah, but it's not exactly the same as real respect.
Someone like Larry Adler was often dismissed by the isn't that cool effect
until he actually played and showed that he could manage to meet the same
standards as other instruments, otherwise he would have eternally been stuck
in the ghetto of isn't-that-cool.  It seems to me that if you want to play
chromatic music on a diatonic, the goal should be to meet the standards that
exist for other instruments, not lower them down into the isn't-that-cool
world.  And perhaps it can be done, but I would argue that rather than
ignoring positional usage, alternate tunings, etc... These need to be a
major part of the effort.

And yes, I know I've said this all before, but i guess I just like hearing
myself talk (no surprise there to anyone whose been on the list a while).


JR Ross