[Harp-L] The Tarnished Blossom, Plastic, and Charlie McCoy

[Greg Jones <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One of my all time favorite You Tube videos used to be the Orange Blossom
Special performed live by Charlie McCoy.  I used sit in amazement as I
would listen to that guy play.  I'm sure I watched that video 200 times.
 Something happened along the way, though.  I heard something.  It was
barely perceptible at first.  I could hardly make it out.  I slowed it down
and replayed certain segments probably another 50 times or so.  Still
unsure, I watched an replayed the video again and again and then right
there before my eyes I saw and heard it!  It was as obvious as a pregnant
nun.  Charlie tried to conceal it with advanced cupping techniques and that
audience engaging smile, but how could anyone be fooled.  That awful sound
I was hearing was from a plastic comb on a Special 20.

The tone it was .. well.. fat, but thin, heavy on the high but light on the
low, just something about it.  The sound was crisp yet edgy, it lacked the
fullness and boldness of wood.  I think I would describe it as plastic
overtone.  Actually, worse than that.  Cheap Chinese plastic overtone.  Oh
sure, he was playing at 1,000 beats per minute with the timing of a click
track, but that was just the allusion to cover up that tone.   I don't know
how I missed it in all those times I watched in pure amazement at his
skill.  I even noticed that as the camera panned the audience, many of them
heard it, too.  There was none of that clap and stomp usually associated
with a show-stopping performance of OBS.  No, in fact, in a really awkward
moment, a wife
stared at her husband in total disgust.  Who knows what she said, but her
look said it all.

Oh, poor Charlie.  If only he has spent less time practicing and more time
on the forums debating the important stuff. At least he would not be
standing in total embarrassment on that lonely stage.


(For the blues players, remove your fedora and sunglasses and relax.  It is
called a parody)
-- 
*Greg Jones*
*16:23 Custom Harmonicas*
*(210) 445-6600*
*http://1623customharmonicas.com/* <http://1623customharmonicas.com/>