[Harp-L] harp player for Joe Turner

[Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   I think Dennis Gruenling cleared that one up awhile back.  He said
George Smith played on some of Big Joe's sides.  Most would associate
Turner with a boogie woogie pianist like Pete Johnson or a jazz orchestra
playing the blues in the Kansas City style.  But Joe did some sides in
Chicago with Elmore James so the idea of him using a harp player is not all
that far-fetched.
   I was fortunate enough to catch Big Joe Turner in a small NYC club many
years ago; I believe it was "The Cookery".  His only accompanist was
Texas pianist Lloyd Glenn, who was terrific.  Between those two, they must
have shared nearly a century of experience playing and singing the blues.
Joe's supply of double entendre blues lyrics was practically infinite, he
just threw down rhyme after rhyme.  And Glenn was a brilliant blues
pianist.  Definitely one of the best shows I ever caught.  I remember
musicians Bobby Short and Charles Mingus dropping by at the end of the
evening to catch the final set.
   Don't mean to sound like an old fart but, man, those were the days!

Mick Zaklan