[Harp-L] Famous Harmonica Players (John Popper)

[Jon Judson]

Not comparing Popper to Hendrix in any real sense, other than to say: I’m sure a lot of ‘50s guitar players heard Jimmy and went “What the hell is that?”

Anyone who tries to be experimental and deviates from the “norm” will get some pushback by the traditionalists, but I for one applaud those who step outside the boundaries to try something different. Popper isn’t exactly my cup of tea (I’m more of a Ricci guy for harp outside of blues), but he’s working outside of the box, and for that I say: Good for him!




> On Jan 31, 2019, at 4:00 PM, Richard Hunter <rhunter377 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> I haven't seen anyone on this thread comment on the emotional content of
> Popper's playing.  The only connection I see between him and Kim Wilson is
> that they both express a kind of unfettered joy in their playing.  Wilson's
> joy is the joy of being deep in the blues.  Popper's joy is like a volcanic
> eruption--it's like he's saying "OMG  I have to so much to say about this
> and so little time in which to say it and golly I just gotta get all this
> stuff out RIGHT NOW I LOVE YOU ALL I LOVE YOU ALL".  Phew...
> 
> Popper's work is influenced by the blues--there are damn few American
> rockers who aren't--but it's not deeply influenced by blues harmonica.
> He's obviously heard it, but he's just as obviously not very interested in
> it.
> 
> At some point a lot of musicians stop expanding on what they know, and fall
> into doing what's already been successful.  (As an example of the opposite,
> consider Bruce Hornsby, who's made it clear in interviews and recordings
> that he intends to keep adding skills and ideas until he kicks.  Or
> consider Rob Paparozzi and Brendan Power in harmonica-land, both of whom
> are always pushing themselves to take on new and different projects.)
> Popper seems to me to have stopped expanding his ideas a while ago.  He
> came up with something really new, different, and compelling, and he stuck
> with it.
> 
> Where could he have gone instead?  I think he could have done more work on
> different ways to architect a solo. Almost all of his solo work follows the
> same general structure: fast, higher, faster faster, higher higher, stop.
> Compare a Popper solo to the incredible structure that propels the piano
> solo on Bruce Hornsby's "Look Out any Window" and you'll see what I mean.
> If Popper knew a few more ways to tell a story, I don't think we'd be
> having this kind of conversation about him.
> 
> Thanks, RH
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
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