Re: [Harp-L] Mike Stevens is still burning

[Benoît FELTEN <benoit.felten@xxxxxxxxx>]

I didn't know the guy and I have to say he sounds good (though the singer
here is the one who really blows my mind.)

His tone is killer and there's some great vibrato, but I find he uses a
little too much effects for my taste. It makes his playing a little bit of
a caricature. Guess I'd have to listen to some more to see if that
impression fades away with familiarity.

Benoit

2012/2/10 Larry Sandy <slyou65@xxxxxxxxx>

> It's later and my ears are smiling, so thanks Richard, for posting this
> lead.  Now that's some great harping on a hot song.  He does Brendan proud
> on that power bender.  I've gotta get me one.
>
>
> Lockjaw Larry
> Breathing Music daily
>
> ________________________________
>  From: Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; harptalk <
> harptalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2012 4:47 PM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Mike Stevens is still burning
>
> I dropped by Mike Stevens's website today (
> http://www.mikestevensmusic.com/home), and heard a cut from his new duet
> album with Matt Andersen, "Piggyback."  The cut is called "Devil's Bride,"
> and to say that Stevens burns a hole through the CD on this cut is putting
> it mildly.  He's apparently playing a Powerbender tuning (in second
> position on this cut, I think), and the sounds he gets out of the
> instrument, including huge bends with earth-shaking vibratos on single
> notes and chords all over the harp, are freaking killer. The video of Mike
> playing his looped piece "A Walk In My Dream" shows a very different side
> of him, the side that's about extending the harmonica repertoire to include
> electronic textures and trance-y structures.
>
> I last heard Mike play live at SPAH in 1999.  I was sitting next to Rob
> Paparozzi one night at the blues jam.  Mike played just before the circle
> came around to me and Rob, and both of us were not at all eager to follow
> him.  Two days after SPAH, Peter Ruth sent me an email to say that he'd
> rarely heard anything so wild and free as Stevens.
>
> Stevens is still one of the most powerfully emotional and virtuosic
> diatonic players on planet Earth, and I urge everybody to go to his site
> and check it out for themselves.  You can thank me later.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
>
> author, "Jazz Harp"
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Myspace http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
> Twitter: lightninrick
>



-- 
Benoît FELTEN (http://twitter.com/fiberguy)
www.fiberevolution.com
www.musicalramblings.com
www.apprentiphotographe.com