[Harp-L] Re: Stephane Grapelli

[Michael Easton <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I had the pleasure of seeing Stephane perform with Bucky Pizzarelli  
perhaps a year or more before he died.

He had to be helped to the stage but once there he played like a young  
man.  Part way through the set he moved over to the grand piano and  
played several songs. The man had chops and was as fluent on
piano as he was on violin.

The following morning  I had the opportunity to take Stephane and his  
bassist (I don't recall his name)  to the airport.  We talked about  
Toots and he said he just recorded a cd with him. It wasn't released  
at that point.  At the airport the bassist had a wheel chair brought  
out so Stephane could easily move through the terminal.

Upon saying goodbye, for some strange reason, when he brought his hand  
up to shake mine I bent over and kiss his hand like he was the pope.   
We both laughed.

Yeah, Stephane was cool. :)

On Jan 23, 2012, at 6:27 PM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

On Jan 23, 2012, at 11:23 AM, Winslow Yerxa wrote:

> Actually, Grappelli used to *teach* chromatic harmonica even though  
> he didn't play it.

I find that fascinating. As a youngster I never listened to harmonica  
players. But I DID follow the Grappelli school of thought on  
improvisation. Which I think was to basically stay within the orbit of  
the chord planetary system that you are in. I just love these guys  
whom fall out of the shuttle, can't find their way back, and get lost  
in space.

> This was when he was scuffling early on and needed to dough, and he  
> had a very rich student (from the family that owned the Citroen car  
> company, if memory serves). He admitted that this was a bit naughty  
> and only mentioned in the context of another story about how he was  
> always trying to hook Django and their group up with powerful, rich  
> folks, something of which Django was blissfully oblivious. (Today is  
> Django's 102nd birthday.)

Which 'could' be why Stefane went to England while Django waited out  
the war in Belgium?
smo-joe


Michael Easton
www.harmonicarepair.com