Fwd: [Harp-L] Harmonica Blowout

[johnnyace55@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Does anyone have any videos from the blowout ?? 
----- Forwarded Message ----- 
From: "Bernie Clarke" <rhythmshark@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: "Daniel Fritz" <bluesharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 12:02:42 PM 
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Harmonica Blowout 

Billy Branch uses an Electro Voice RE10. ÂUsed to see the news crews using 
them all the time. ÂLess so these days. 

Billy has his own idea about how he wants to sound and achieves it his way. 
He's not a "traditional" bullet through a Bassman kind of player. 

Bernie Clarke 

-----Original Message----- 
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf 
Of Daniel Fritz 
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2011 1:09 PM 
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonica Blowout 


Great players...great show... 

Must say, while I don't think I'm too much of a purist, Sugar Blue plays a 
style I just don't like...seventeen notes where one will do...certainly 
skilled, though. ÂHis "Badda-Bing" patter doesn't really cut it either, 
IMHO. 

I am always amazed at the tone and energy displayed by Mark Hummel. He can 
truly do it all, and do it great. 

ÂÂ Rod Piazza is such a wonderful player that I'm willing to overlook his 
stage accent (I didn't realize they talked like that in Orange County). 
What great tone, and tremendous re-creation of the classic licks. ÂI think 
he is one of the best players out there. 

ÂÂI had never seen Carlos Del Junco in person...wow, what an innovative 
artist, impeccable taste and an original approach to the instrument. ÂI hope 
to see more of him. 

ÂÂSeeing Billy Branch was a true treat. ÂHis playing is so toneful, soulful 
and classy, and he shows respect for the masters but adds his own personal 
touches. ÂReally good singer, too. 

As to amps, it looked like there were two tweeds on stage, one an Avenger 
and the other perhaps a reissue Bassman. 

Does anyone know what the stick mics were that Carlos Del Junco and, I 
think, Billy Branch were using to play through the PA? Â(Greg Heumann 
"Ultimates"?) ÂI guess they were high-end vocal mics from Yoshi's stash, but 
was curious to know what they were. 

It's too bad that Yoshi's allots such a short time per set. ÂI thought it 
was a great sign of much-deserved respect that each of the harpers gave up 
some of his limited time to make sure that Rusty Zinn took a solo in each 
song...he is so skilled and has an incredible range of style and incredible 
tone. ÂHe seems so modest that he would probably have been fine with no 
solos, but I for one was pleased that he got to show his stuff a little. Â 

I thought the band was fine...tough task to handle all those different 
playing styles, personalities, volume levels, etc. with such rapid 
changeovers...I felt they pulled it off really nicely. ÂTotally tuff rhythm 
section, great keys, and Rusty Zinn...couldn't ask for more... 

Thanks to Mark Hummel for putting together this wonderful show, year in and 
year out, and for his own really fine performance. 
Sent from my iPhone