[Harp-L] Grégoire Maret

[martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Caught a snippet of a Jacky Terrason concert the other day (Swedish televison) where Grégoire Maret sat in on a jam on at least one song.
  I´ve heard him quite a few times over the years with Cassandra Wilson, Charlie Hunter et al, and he´s obviously a well-schooled player and tremendously successful -- but I just don´t "get" him.
  He´s forged an individual style (although at times he sounds a bit like a truncated Toots T), likes to play on the outside of chords, rather dry tone/sound, no vibrato (almost) and a sort of choppy phrasing -- certainly not ingratiating. 

  Strange, perhaps interesting but -- apart from recognizing his skills -- he does not move me at all. I´m not into slamming him (as if he´d care ...), and you could say the problem is mine, but am I alone in this? Or can someone give some pointers on what he´s up to.
Cheers,
Martin
PS I don´t give a rats ass what instrument he´s using (it´s chromatic harmonica!), lubrication oils, amplifiers, microphones etc: this is about the music.