[Harp-L] Harmonica Otherwise playlist on Spotify

[Benoît FELTEN <benoit.felten@xxxxxxxxx>]

A couple of years back I devised this compilation for a friend whose
perception of harmonica in music was limited to old blues and Neil Young /
Bob Dylan.

I entitled it *Harmonica
Otherwise*<http://open.spotify.com/user/sammael99/playlist/4Q6IVGC2p1pVUt61YTJWP3>because
its goal was to demonstrate the versatility of the harmonica in
multiple musical genres. I have decided to port the playlist in Spotify
even though, as usual, there are a few missing tracks (namely the Rhythm
Junks' Supergroover, Paul Delay's Ain't That Right and Amnésie by L'Ironie
du Son).

I'd love to have feedback and comments. Spotify is a great way to share
music, so also don't hesitate to spread this url around!

http://open.spotify.com/user/sammael99/playlist/4Q6IVGC2p1pVUt61YTJWP3

Here is the annotated tracklist:

*#1 Jean-Jacques Milteau - Heart of Gold [w. Mighty Mo Rogers] *from
Memphis Soul

I included this track in part because of the Neil Young reference and in
part because it's a great example of rehauling a classic with a different
feel. The country twang of the original is substituted by a lush Memphis
soul vibe. It also highlights Milteau's minimalist playing to perfection.

*#2 Lee Sankey - The Man* from Tell Me There's A Sun

Much as I love Lee's harmonica playing, he's always been more of a
songwriter to me and I wish he'd take a break from his lucrative carreer as
an executive to write some more ,-) The Man is a great example of that,
carried on by Ian Siegal's growling voice. I love that distorded harmonica
solo (which you used to be played live from a mini-cassette recorder, see
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULWRYfw-UYI)

*#3 G. Love & Special Sauce - Tomorrow Night* from Coast To Coast Motel

Coast to Coast motel is often considered to be the failed transition album
in G Love's discography, but I beg to differ. There are hidden low key gems
in there including Tomorrow Night with minimalistic blues guitar and
harmonica beating against the awesome hip-hop groove. G Love is an
underrated harmonica player...

*#4 The Rhythm Junks - Supergroover* from Virus B-23

The thing that first hooked me about the Rhythm Junks was the absence of a
single harmony instrument. All harmony comes from the horn section or
instruments playing off each other. The groove is awesome and I love the
forcefulness of Steven de Bruyn's harp playing. (You can get a taste for
this tune here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7MXhKdFvc)

*#5 Kwak - Devant Mon Ecole* from Nage Dans Le Sable

OK, so this is French rock, but even if you don't get the lyrics, the beat
will get you. Damien's harp playing is awesome on this track, very catchy
and fluid, percussive and in your face. The rest of their material is just
as good too... And their energy live is out of this world...

*#6 Greg Szlapczynski - Serve You Well* from La Part Du Diable

La Part du Diable is my favourite Greg Szlaczynski album. It mixes electro
and jazz in a convincing way and Serve You Well is a deep and delicate tune
that I really love.

*#7 Son Of Dave - Devil Take My Soul [w. Martina Topley Bird]* from 02

Probably Son of Dave's most famous tune. Very soulful, very groovy, with
Son of Dave's own brand of minimalism.

*#8 Session Americana - Beer Town* from Beer Town: The Table Top Collective
Vol. 3

Session Americana is an amazing Americana band that has to be seen live to
be believed. Jim Fitting is their harp player (of Treat Her Right fame) and
one of the players who influenced my own playing.

*#9 Holly Cole - The Tennessee Waltz [w. Howard Levy]* from Don't Smoke In
Bed

For my money Howard Levy is at his best as a sideman, and this track
showcases how delicate and effective his playing can be when he's not
blowing your brains with impossible to play stuff...

*#10 Olivier Ker Ourio/Danyel Waro - La Météo* from Sominnkér

OK, so it's not all diatonic, this is Olivier Ker Ourio playing chromatic
harmonica in a jazz meets maloya trip. This collaborative album is one of
my desert island records. I should probably track down a spare copy lest
the CD fades away from excessive playing...

*#11 Vincent Bucher & Tao Ravao - Changer de Visage* from Lazao Izy

My original compilation has the same song from their earlier album Tany
Manga, but this one will do as a substitute. When blues meets Malagasy
rhythms, you get a wonderful blend!

*#12 The John Butler Trio - Daniella* from Grand National

While I'm not a huge fan of Neil Young and Bob Dylan's brand of playing, I
have to recognize that occasionally this "beginner's" sound can work
effectively, as it does here.

*#13 Paul deLay - Ain't That Right* from Take It From The Turnaround

Paul deLay's style of diatonic playing is so unusual and distinctive that
when I was a novice harp player I thought he played chromatic all the time
(he plays some to great effect on some tracks) just because he sounded so
different. I wish I had the relaxed groove that suffuses his music...

*#14 Blues Traveler - Stand* from Four

Maybe not the heaviest use of harmonica in recording, but certainly the
best heavy use of it. Popper's playing can get repetitive after a while,
but on that album they were at their peak, and Stand is my favourite track.

*#15 Marc Ford - Spaceman [w. Bill Barrett]* from Neptune Blues Club Blues

Marc Ford of Black Crowes fame started his solo carreer some years ago and
his best band (in my opinion) is the Neptune Blues Band with none other
than Bill Barrett on chromatic harmonica. Sounds like a diatonic, but it's
not, and listen to those weird intervals and harmonies. Mean stuff...

*#16 L'Ironie Du Son - Amnésie* from La Sorcière Et Les Étoiles

L'Ironie du Son is a morphing Swiss band that used to play a jazzy kind of
hip-hop (or is it the other way around?). While their sound wasn't fully
matured in my opinion (at the time of this album), I really liked this
blend of flow and harmonica.

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