Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Chi-Lites Question

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Agree, Rob. The harp synching didn't bother me at all --it simply proved  
that 'at least' it was a harmonica after all--and not a melodica. I just 
thought  it was a bit funny that despite the quite authentic hand movements, the 
player  simply didn't know one end from t'other.<G>
 
 
On the Paul Young video someone mentioned that it was 'the best version  
EVER of this great oldie', and I put in my two cents about the lack of the 
great  harmonica sound. ;)
 
 
 
To that end I did some more digging--and was on an actual ChiLites website  
(run by Marshall Johnson). An old schoolmate of Eugene Record didn't know 
he'd  passed on so in the comments area I wrote to tell him, and surprisingly 
got an  email back from Marshall Johnson himself. I wrote back to tell him  
what Roger had found out about Cy Touff...and my further digging -that he's 
only  ever officially credited with playing harmonica on 'A Letter to 
Myself' and not  on 'Oh Girl', but that because of our harmonica community's avid 
interest the  question keeps coming up with much speculation as to just who 
it was who played  on the song.  So --right from the horse's mouth 
(Marshall Johnson)
 
"Thank you that was CY on that recording  


All the best to you
Marshall"
 
...so now we ALL know. :) Ain't the internet grand?
 
Elizabeth
PS: Thanks, Roger -for beginning the thread again so you'd spark my  
interest in really digging deep and finally resolving something we've discussed  
here many times. This was cool and I got to interact with an original member 
of  the ChiLites. Very cool.
 
PPS: Since Mr. Johnson was so cooperative and in rereading some of the  
postings coming from Mr. Cubie and the history of the group, I've  decided to 
take those with a grain of salt. There were so many changes in  personnel 
with the ChiLites - main personalities leaving and returning several  times, 
their Record Companies, producers, changing hands,etc. I doubt any of  them 
got paid all that much by the time the 'bosses/owners' took their share (as  
we all know how it works). I tend to trust my instincts about people and 
despite  his slightly checkered background, Mr. Johnson seems pretty 
straightforward to  me --and very caring about all of the ChiLites personnel and their  
history/legacy. 



Message: 5
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:56:06 -0400
From: "Rob  Paparozzi" <chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L]  Chi-Lites Question
To: <EGS1217@xxxxxxx>,  <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Hi Elizabeth,

I don't mind the harp syncing  at least people can see it's a Harmonica,-)

However, I never could figure  out how lame some producers could be...here 
is 
the Paul Young Cover with  melodica, which lacks the sustain, breath and 
beautiful vibrato of a real  harmonica!

They spend all that money on Strings and Background, sort of  rip off the 
original arrangement and then use a melodica! If this was done  in England, 
there were plenty of good session players around in cliding  Larry 
Adler.....go figure! If I were an 80's producer, I'd have chose the  DX-7 
Keyboard Harmonica Patch on this ala Tina Turner's (What's Love got to  do 
w/ 
it") but NOT a  Melodica,-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p45bZrl3qiY

best
Rob  Paparozzi