[Harp-L] re: Non Blues Harmonica (Was Suggested player to learn from

[martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,
 
Perfectly OK to blow your own trumpet -- epsecially since it´s a good trumpet you blow. The Baker/Jones CDs (I own all of them since way back) are in terms of song material great examples of what the guys in that band are heading for. But they are duo based -- and maybe, just maybe, if I stear a kinda rotten harp player towards them and say: "Look here", he may take this as a cue to play the way you do in a band context. That can be problematic: one of the first thing newbies/bad harp players must learn is Not To Play All The Time. It works, and to an extent is almost necessary, in the duo, but w/ three (3 ... sigh) guitars going on and a persistent harp player I smell trouble. (If he played as good as you it could be cool but we´re talking low level here.)
  But still, there are things to be lifted from them -- and in the guitar/harmonica duo format in general they are on top of the heap.
  Thanks for the input and looking forward to the Dave Goodman CD.
 
cheers,
Martin
 
>Martin asked:
>Can you suggest another player who sits somewhere in the rock-country-blues zone and who´s not only using the >instrument for soloing?

>Steve responds:
At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I've been playing and recording non-blues material both as a studio musician and on my own releases for the past 35 years including lots of country and rock material, where the harp is solidly integrated into the arrangements. Check out my CDs with Chris Jones on Acoustic Music Records, which include many tunes in the rock - country - blues (influenced but not traditional) genres. The forthcoming CD with Dave Goodman on the same label will showcase the harp in a wide range of related styles and will be out later this year (we start mixing on Wednesday),

Steve Baker
www.stevebaker.de
www.european-music-workshops.com
www.harmonica-masters.de