Re: [Harp-L] Re: [HarpTalk] World Harmonica Festival report

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Larry, what are you basing your assessment on? Do you have a recording of he complete solo?

During that competition I definitely heard a lot of Howard's licks, gestures, and doodads. But nothing among that stuff that rose to the level of Howard's playing. (Of course, by the same token I've heard many Juke renditions that didn't hold a candle out to Little Walter, either). 

The clear winner to my ear was Marcin Dyjak from Poland. His tone was consistent, without overly-bright that Draw5/6 "hot spot," his lines made sense harmonically and rhythmically, and was free of doodads, bends-just-because-you-can, busy-busy-busy licks, and all the other stuff that marred the playing of even the highly placed competitors. Above all else, his playing was musical and satisfying to listen to. He came in second, so at least the quality of his work was recognized.

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Harmonica Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, December 6, 2013 7:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: [HarpTalk] World Harmonica Festival report
 

Well, it sounded very similar to a live version that I heard Howard play in Savannah. Also, Carlos del Junco is a big fan of Howard and has a lot of his "bootleg live recordings". Carlos did a version that is very similar.


So, while it may not have been "note for note", it was based on a Howard solo, unless Howard heard this guy first and then copied him...