Re: [Harp-L] future in country for harmonica/bluegrass?

[george sanders <georgegsandman@xxxxxxxxx>]

Except for Willie, Mearle and Jimmy B, and they are considered over the hill and politically incorrect by today's country radio stations, I don't hear much harp in country these days.
 I just spent all day Saturday at the Grass Valley, Ca Father's Day Bluegrass Festival, didn't see or hear a harmonica all day.
George


________________________________
 From: Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 10:04 PM
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] future in country for harmonica?
 
"Country music"? I don't hear it anymore. I hear a lot of watered down, bad rock music, 
but I don't hear anything vaguely 'country', except maybe in alternative niche areas.
Those albums that McCoy made in the 'seventies, for all the great musicianship (an I love McCoy, by the way)
sounded like the show was over and people were walking out of the theatre; 'country muzak' while the credits rolled
and the coffin descended. 'Country' is an industry, but as a true popular aesthetic form, the way the blues was till the late fifties, it looks to me about as dead as the blues is now.
RD


>>> Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 16/06/12 6:17 AM >>>
robert mcgraw wrote:
<P.S. Also got a chance to hear Jelly Roll play chromatic at a jazz jam 
> <in Chris Depino's room...Jelly Roll is a solid chromatic player, 
> <conversant in jazz. I was impressed
Richard said: 
>> Jelly is a great, great player. Anyone who doesn't have one or more of his CDs is missing out. 

<---I'm not sure if Rcihard thought that I meant that Jelly Roll is merely a "solid" player. What i meant was that Jelly Roll is a <solid jazz chromatic player. Richard is absolutely correct: Jelly Roll is a great, great player, a master of the diatonic. I have <his solo cd, and it is terrific...when someone is a master of the diatonic like he is, that makes his ability to play the <chromatic as well as Jelly Roll does impressive. There were some heavy duty players in that room; three or four truly great <chomatic jazz players,and a handfull of pretty darn good ones; Jelly Roll held his own for sure. Furthermore, he didn't know all <the tunes that were  played, but was able to improvise on them nonetheless, which indicates a knowledge of jazz harmony, a pair of <damn good ears.

No, didn't think Jelly Roll was being assigned to the "merely solid" category in the previous post.  Merely adding my voice to the choir (and trying to get people to buy Jelly's CDs, which they ought to do without my help).

Regards, Richard Hunter

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