[Harp-L] Jimmy Riddle playing chromatic harmonica on polkas

[David Naiditch]

Thanks for enlightening us smo-joe.  Great comments from everyone, but I like those piggies!

> On Mar 25, 2018, at 11:03 AM, Joseph Leone <3N037 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> 
>> On Mar 23, 2018, at 10:53 PM, Rick Dempster <rickdempster33 at xxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>> Love it! But that "Hee Haw" clip is dubbed I'd say. He's in A & E, and
>> unless he's got an A (or E) harp (possible) he couldn't
>> play all that without use of the button, which he does not appear to be
>> doing.
> 
> He’s probably using an A tuned (3 sharps) chromo and switching to G (1 sharp) to get E (4 sharps).
> And yes, he is using the slide. He uses his thumb most of the time. Hard to see with the cupping.
> I agree that this particular clip was dubbed.  
> 
>> Anyway, the movement of the harp sems out of sync in general.
> 
> Yes, it does. At least to me. Not in synch. He may have had tape over the mouthpiece for the video?
> But it might have been previously recorded? 
> 
>> I have Riddle on some old recordings, and like most chrom players back then
>> (and not a few now)
>> he plays in first position most if not all then time.
> 
> Mr Riddle was known to use first position. Similar to McCoy who, when he did play chromo, used one
> that was tuned IN the tune he was doing. Example: ’T.D’s Boogie’. The beginning is done on a G tuned
> chromo. for the first couple bars, then McCoy goes to a C diatonic in cross harp (2nd position) with a
> multitude of bends. 
> 
> When I was at Ernest’s music store in 75 and showing how I was going to do Frosty the Snowman on
> the Ryman Christmas show, Riddle was there listening. He asked me how I was able to get a sharp on
> the 5 draw. I told him that I had cut the reed UP one sharp. He nodded his head in approval. 
> 
> But, all in all, Riddle was an accomplished player nonetheless. Clarinet polka isn’t a super difficult tune
> to begin with BUT at the speed he is going, it does take some concentration. His piccolinos are the result 
> of his ability to do something called: ‘Eefin’. Riddle was over shadowed on Hee Haw. I guess because
> McCoy was musical director for a while, and even HE only played occasionally.So didn’t want harmonica
> to be over exposed. 
> 
> And I could have done without the piggies. It only exacerbates the problem that harp (in general) is looked
> upon as a toy or Johnny Adventure Jokey Joke instrument. Aaaargh.
> 
> smo-joe 
> 
>> Thanks for that.
>> RD
>> 
>> On 24 March 2018 at 03:59, Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>>> The Jethro Burns of the harmonica!
>>> Don't get me started on eefin . . .
>>> 
>>> On Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 1:16 PM, David Naiditch <davidnaiditch at xxxxx
>>>> 
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> A fiddler recently told me about Jimmy Riddle playing chromatic harmonica
>>>> on Clarinet Polka with fiddler Howdy Forrester. I’ve always enjoyed the
>>>> sound of fiddle and harmonica.  This is the only tune on this MGM album
>>>> that features Jimmy. (I've been hearing this polka played for years at
>>>> fiddle competitions and festivals.)
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W_85umzOqs <https://www.youtube.com/
>>>> watch?v=8W_85umzOqs>
>>>> 
>>>> Here is another example of Jimmy Riddle playing a polka—Jesse Polka--on
>>>> chromatic. Love those dancing pigs.
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpfiwMVR6ls <https://www.youtube.com/
>>>> watch?v=TpfiwMVR6ls>
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>