[Harp-L] Re: Harmonica Otherwise playlist on Spotify

[Benoît FELTEN <benoit.felten@xxxxxxxxx>]

So, has anyone tried the playlist ?

Thoughts, comments ?

Benoit

2012/6/20 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
>
>


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