Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Subject: The inimitable Toots Thielemans

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Geez, Smokey ... thanks! - although entirely unnecessary,lol.
 
I did wonder a bit in passing where 'egli and esse' came from (thought  
maybe 'olde' Italian or even German or Latin)? but since you know so many more  
languages than I do it was just a passing thought. No worries though, and 
it  certainly didn't remotely rise to the level of necessitating such an 
apology  from you.
 
...then again - I thought perhaps you might be making words up in  another 
language as you are sometimes wont to do in English <G> since it  wasn't the 
rudimentary French I know:  
 
 
il (masc.) he, it; elle (feminine) she, it; les (plural/genderless) they,  
them - en francais.  :)
 
 
Yeah, I agree that the writer of the song could be taking poetic license  
with the use of 'elle' in the song (my reason for inserting a question mark). 
 




As to the 'weaving in and around the singer' - I love the way Toots does it 
 here. It's just so good! As an old pro he knows exactly when not to  
intrude/overstep.
 
 
 

I'm one of those people who very much enjoys 'ensemble' playing - or at  
least dueting with another person (you know that much anyway since we  played 
some songs together to good effect at a couple of conventions).  It not only 
gives me a higher level of comfort onstage and off, but the sound is  so 
much richer overall to my ears, and helps the lead player get a breather and  
boost here and there when a great player like you comes in with skilled  
'filler'. It's probably my favourite way to play chromatic harmonica, in fact.  
:)
 
 

Elizabeth
 
"Message: 11
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:57 -0500
From: Joseph Leone  <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Subject: The inimitable Toots  Thielemans
To: Joseph Leone <3N037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l _harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 


I was advised that an apology is in order. A very good friend advised  me 
that my post may have seemed as if I were correcting someone. Not so. I was  
just trying to help with the conjugations. 
Conjugations play an important  part in Italian language, as they use the 
same words for different things  depending on the context of what is being 
discussed. That's why their dictionary  is 3.4 times thinner than the English 
dictionary. lolol. 

I thought the  query had to do with what the word 'elle' meant..in THIS 
context. Was it 'Life,  how she passes', or 'Life, how it passes'? To be 
honest, I don't know what the  composer meant, but it isn't inconceivable that it 
could go either way.  

Egli ha (he has), Esse ha (she has), Elle ha (it has), Egli hano (he  had), 
Esse hano (she had), Elle hano (it had). And so on. (spcl note: the G in  
egli is ROLLED, pronounce it 'EL-YI'.). So, depending on how your 
pronunciation  goes, the words Egli and Elle 'could' sound the same. Just accentuate 
the YI for  egli and you're good to go. 

As for weaving your playing amongst the  singers voice. We do it all the 
time BUT you need to be careful. First of all, I  am not that great but the 
singers we have are used to my style and actually  prefer me to do it. They 
know that I won't 'Bury' them. Whereas most singers  would prefer you not to. 
And then there are those whom get disoriented. Hearing  someone else's notes 
while they are singing their notes throws them off.  Especially their 
timing (or 'milking') of their notes. I know a few harmonica  players who have a 
tough time playing while others are playing. AND they get  annoyed. Soooo, 
it's all adjustable. This is what being a side man is all about.  You gotta 
use your head...and discretion. :)

Sooo, My deepest apology to  Elizabeth of Scotland. I meant no harm. 

Jo-Zeppi 


On Feb 22,  2012, at 11:44 AM, Joseph Leone wrote:

> It's it. The conjugations go:  Egli (he) Esse (she) Elle (thing) 
> 
> 
> On Feb 21, 2012, at  6:35 PM, EGS1217@xxxxxxx wrote:
> 
>> Well said, John. What  struck me is how this is a true duet between the 
>> vocalist and the  harmonica 'voice'. Toots keeps playing throughout - 
doesn't 
>> stop  and allow the vocalist to be totally dominant (the way so many 
seem to  
>> insist it's 'supposed' to be when playing accompaniment). He weaves  his 
>> chromatic around and through the singer's voice - adding so  much to the 
song - 
>> which, incidentally, I find especially poignant  at this stage of his 
life 
>> since I believe the English translation  to be: 'Life, how she(or it) 
>> passes'.
>> 
>>  Elizabeth
>> 
>> PS: really dig Salvatore Adamo's voice. I  didn't know of him before.
>> 
>> Message: 7
>> Date:  Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:36:13 -0500
>> From: John Kerkhoven  <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Subject: The  inimitable Toots Thielemans
>> To: EGS1217@xxxxxxx
>> Cc:  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>> 
>> Great stuff... saw him & Kenny  Werner just last week. He's a gentleman 
and 
>> his playing is  constantly surprising. I don't know how he chooses his 
>> notes. He is  no slave to melody but plays with the greatest respect for 
the 
>>  melody. Also what really struck me is the liberty with which he and 
Werner  
>> play -- both individually and together. 
>> 
>>  John
>> 
>>> No one like Toots, here with Salvatore Adamo -  dueting on:
>>> 
>>> 'La Vie Comme Elle  Passe'
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  _http://www.youtube.com/watchv=qbQ41zcjfK4&feature=related_ 
>>>  (_http://www.youtube.com/watchv=qbQ41zcjfK4&feature=related_ 
>>  (http://www.youtube.com/watchv=qbQ41zcjfK4&feature=related) ) 
>>  
>>> SO beautiful...
>> 
>>>  Elizabeth