[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 110, Issue 34 - Chris Michalek Blues

[Richard Hammersley <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am going to stick up for Chris Michalek as a person because although I
never met him, or bought anything off him, he was really kind, patient and
helpful to me off list about overblows and other harp matters. From his on
list remarks, I thought he was passionate rather than "a jerk" and I think
it is ill-considered of Richard Hunter to call him narcissist. I speak as a
person, and psychologist, who has had to deal with some genuine narcissists
in my time.  Maybe at least via email we hit it off because I don't think
that playing substitute chords, improvising, going off melody etc, is a
mistake. I think harp-l is diminished without him. From his tone in email, I
am sure he could be a pain in the ass in person, but we need such people to
goad us. Calling oneself Buddha might be ironic rather than vain? The guy
was an open mess of contradictions like all cool people.
  My ipod shuffle is loaded from a playlist called "modern harmonica" which
includes many of the really good and interesting modern players, Howard
Levy, Carlos Del Junco, Brendan Power, Jason Ricci, Gregoire Mareit, Donald
Black, Flip Jers, Frederic Yonnet, Jelly Roll Johnson, Richard Hunter, Sam
Friedman, Winslow Yerxa: the playlist includes Chris, and I have to say that
hearing these guys on shuffle Chris Michalek's work really stands up and it
is a shame he died before realising more of his music.
 As for his vibrato - he was opera singer sized and that gives the voice/
harp abilities that smaller people struggle with.
Vibe on

Richard