Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] need some recommendations: diatonic instrumentalists

[Eric Miller <miller.eric.t@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you guys so much.  Yes, as Elizabeth says...I'm trying to avoid going
down the blues route.  I have spent my first year of harmonica
self-education on blues, yes...but that's not my destination.

I've been a professional musician for a large chunk of my adult life, and
as I get older I'm looking to diversify myself into something that will
have more mileage and be more "me".  The traditional stuff that sticks to
the I IV V (even if they jazz it up a bit) is what I'm trying to stay away
from, but also want to stay away from tired and cheesy arrangements of jazz
standards.

The stuff you guys have recommended is very helpful, thanks.  I'll spend
next week diving into each one.  I will say that the one that comes closest
to what I'm looking for is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIzgS2JQGuE

If you guys know any other artists in the same general sound family as what
Konstantin is doing, that's right on the money for me.



On Sun, Sep 15, 2013 at 11:38 AM, <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> **
> Ah, but Rick...if you'll notice he said he was 'familiar with', not that
> he actually PLAYED Blues. Big difference.
>
> I gather that Eric (as a fairly new player), does NOT want to go down the
> Blues route.  Many people don't, even if we love listening to other people
> play Blues.
>
> Since you cited Smokey, you should realize he's not at all a 'Blues'
> player either. His leanings are much more towards 50's/60's style Country
> music, Doo-Wop, Rock 'N Roll and Jazz (and everything in between). His
> tastes range from Jimmy Reed to Steely Dan to Simply Red (Mick Huxnall),
> the Everly Brothers and Jazz from the 20's to Gypsy Jazz violin. Now THAT's
> diverse. ;)
>
> For Eric: I'd suggest NOT playing all that everyone else does on
> Harmonica. You might want to listen to Sax players--or piano/guitar.
>
> Get a few CD's of what the studio-type Sax musicians play for 'Moonlight'
> or 'Candlelight' listening. I have some of those and the range in songs is
> amazing and audiences love them. There are some superb musicians out there
> you can play along with (or over piano/guitar).
>
>
> I'm personally partial to Bob Seger and the Eagles (play their music on
> chromatic, as does Danny G) and R&B of the 70's. It CAN sound great--my
> neighbours think so when they heard me a couple of weeks ago for the first
> time..and told me they had no idea anyone could play 'that music' on a
> chromatic. So I've won over some fans who only knew blues harmonica before.
> Danny uses Band-in-a-Box, I prefer other backing tracks. It's all good.
> Find what music YOU like best because it will make it all that more
> pleasurable to play, and then the instrumentals to back you up. Hal
> Leonard's book/cd's are a good source AND there are NO copyright
> issues--the big plus: you can even use them to record with. I have a huge
> collection now and all who've heard them think they're great.
>
> Elizabeth
>
> PS: I buy the CD's to download through ITunes onto my Ipod. Learned to use
> an Ipod from Ron Kalina--a great Jazz chromaticist/pianist. I prefer buying
> the whole CD to keep the artists surviving, and because I can then take it
> where an Ipod isn't workable and still have the music if my IPod ever
> crashes.
>
> PPS: I DO still love Summertime--it never feels old. Also Georgia.
> Anything by Ray Charles is great.
>
> "Message: 8
> Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 23:17:46 +1000
> From: Rick Dempster <rickdempster33@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] need some recommendations: diatonic
> instrumentalists
> To: Eric Miller <miller.eric.t@xxxxxxxxx>, "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx"
> <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>, bloozeharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>  Eric,
> I find myself wondering why, as a guy who is ".. mostly familiar
> with the
> well known blues harp players from the Walters to JR and all points in
> between" (I'm not sure about "all points in between") you are so keen to
> go directly to playing "modern". But it's a trend I've noted for a long
> time among blues players.
> If I were to advise a diatonic Richter system player, with a background of
> playing
> blues, wanting to play any kind of 'jazz' how to proceed, I'd say learn
> your scales and chord
> arpeggios, learn the 'standards' - a lot of modern stuff is based on the
> changes of
> 'standards' - and listen to all jazz, from, 20s on.
> I think a lot of the attraction for harp players to the 'modern' is that it
> sounds modal, and
> apparently open ended. I hear a lot of people trying to play mod. jazz on
> the harp, and
> most of them clearly know nothing about the harmonic underpinnings. All
> 'free'.
> I'd start by checking out Blues Birdhead, Rhythm Willie, Gwen Foster and
> Don Les for starters.
> Then there's Howard Levy, of course, to come up to date. Philip Jers, is
> someone who
> has impressed me, both on diatonic and chromatic. There's a cat in
> Nashville Tenn., whose name escapes me, but is well worth a listen
> ....ah..is it Bergerson? Joe Leone's diatonic playing is worth checking out
> too.
> (His chrom playing ain't bad either, but that's off-topic -just in case you
> read this, Joe)
> But maybe you are ahead of me anyway?
> Cheers,
> RD
>
>
>
> On 15 September 2013 04:43, Eric Miller <miller.eric.t@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Hey all..
> >
> > I'm trying to build a repertoire of instrumental songs for live
> performance
> > on diatonic. Songs like Summertime and St. James Infirmary are "sort of"
> > in the vein I'm looking for, but hoping to get turned on to something
> more
> > modern than Jazz standards. Jimi Lee and/or Brendan Power have some stuff
> > that's very close to what I'm looking for...
> >
> > I'm relatively new to the harmonica world, and I'm mostly familiar with
> the
> > well known blues harp players from the Walters to JR and all points in
> > between, so I don't really know where to look for this kind of music for
> > inspiration/learning.
> >
> > Who are some well known diatonic performers who are well known to
> produce a
> > good quantity and quality of modern instrumental music on the diatonic,
> > that would be suitable for building a live performance repertoire?
> >
> > Thanks."
> >
>
>
>
>