[Harp-L] Charlie McCoy's first recording session as a harmonica player

[George Miklas]

Ah hem.... Joey... My dearest friend....

You might recall our mutual friend, Jack Allison. Jack used to play
electric bass guitar with his left hand on the fretboard, and with his
right hand played chromatic harmonica in any key too!

Where did you think I learned to do it?

Sincerely Yours...
*--------------------------*
*George Miklas <http://www.georgemiklas.com/>, M.A., M.Ed., B.M. in Ed.,*
*and **Candidate for DME (2021)*
*Harmonica and Tuba Performing Artist www.GeorgeMiklas.com
<http://www.georgemiklas.com/> *
*Harmonica Gallery www.HarmonicaGallery.com
<http://www.harmonicagallery.com/>  Click here for **Sales
<http://sales.harmonicagallery.com/> or **Repair
<http://repair.harmonicagallery.com/>*


On Fri, Jul 3, 2020 at 6:41 PM JOSEPH LEONE <3n037 at xxxxx> wrote:

> I wasn't trying to be a wise guy when I said what I said. I dissected the
> case as if I were taking it to court.
> 1.. I play trumpet. Yes it's possible to play one with one hand. But one
> would need a strong hand while maintaining fingers supple enough to actuate
> the plungers.
>    a. OR they could play a few notes by just changing embouchures and
> playing
>        it like a bugle. That seems backward to me. Especially on a
> session.
> 2.. I was under the assumption (possibly wrong), that it took TWO hands to
> play a bass.
>     a. OR a body could feasibly play singular 'thrumps'. Which I would
> suspect
>         would sound ...empty-ish. Again..backward. Especially for a
> session.
> 3.. I suspect that the wording: Charley played one handed bass and trumpet
> at
> the same time, may have been misinterpreted FROM: Charlie played one
> handed bass and trumpet on the same TUNE. Which is different.
>     a. Playing BOTH instruments at the same TIME could be accomplished by
>         using TWO tracks.
>     b. IF the two instruments were playing at the same time.
> 4.. I would think that playing TWO instruments would be something that
> someone would have to 'work on' to get it all to mesh. I had a hard time
> ratioinalizing why a person would DO that. On the premise that they may
> have to use it some day? Seems pretty strange.
>
> In conclusion I tried to visualize the whole enchilada and didn't have
> eyes for it. In other words I couldn't see it. Of course if it was actually
> done I would be pleasantly surprised. As Charley is a hero of mine. And
> nothing would give me a bigger chuckle than to find out that I am a
> completey wrong.
>
> But I would have to see it to believe it. Just an opinion you understand.
> No biggie.
> smokey-joe
>
> On 07/03/2020 11:16 AM Mikael Bäckman <mikael.backman at xxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> There is some truth to that story, but it didn't happen that way. Charlie
> played one handed bass and trumpet live for a while with his road band and
> he showed Al Kooper how he did that on a Dylan session. Kooper mixed up the
> story/demonstration and the session and told people that McCoy did this on
> the session which Charlie denies in his autobiography.
> So Smo-Joe is right as usual... 😉
>
> / Mikael
>
> Mikael Bäckman
>
> PhD Student
>
> Luleå University of Technology,
>
> Piteå School of Music
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *Från:* JOSEPH LEONE <3n037 at xxxxx>
> *Skickat:* den 3 juli 2020 16:40
> *Till:* George Miklas <harmonicat at xxxxx>; Rick Dempster <
> rickdempster33 at xxxxx>
> *Kopia:* Mikael Bäckman <mikael.backman at xxxxx>; captron100 at xxxxx <
> captron100 at xxxxx>; Harp-L at xxxxx <Harp-L at xxxxx>
> *Ämne:* Re: [Harp-L] Charlie McCoy's first recording session as a
> harmonica player
>
> Sorry, I don't believe it.
> smo-joe
>
> > On 07/02/2020 9:48 AM George Miklas <harmonicat at xxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Rick,
> > I've heard the same story. I believe it to be true.
> > *--------------------------*
> > *George Miklas < http://www.georgemiklas.com/>, M.A., M.Ed., B.M. in
> Ed.,*
> > *and **Candidate for DME (2021)*
> > *Harmonica and Tuba Performing Artist www.GeorgeMiklas.com
> > < http://www.georgemiklas.com/> *
> > *Harmonica Gallery www.HarmonicaGallery.com
> > < http://www.harmonicagallery.com/>  Click here for **Sales
> > < http://sales.harmonicagallery.com/> or **Repair
> > < http://repair.harmonicagallery.com/>*
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 2, 2020 at 1:09 AM Rick Dempster <rickdempster33 at xxxxx>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I recall a story (true or not, I have no idea) of a session with Bob
> Dylan
> > > where they wanted a trumpet player in the wee small hours,
> > > and none were available. On the next take, McCoy played bass, one
> handed,
> > > and trumpet with the other.
> > > Good story anyhow!
> > > RD
> > >
> > > On Wed, 1 Jul 2020 at 22:02, captron100--- via Harp-L <
> harp-l at xxxxx>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Peter Madcat Ruth wrote: Charlie McCoy's first recording session as
> a
> > > > harmonica player was in 1961 when Charlie was 20 years old. The song
> was
> > > "I
> > > > Just Don't Understand", by Ann-Margret.
> > > > About a year or so ago on Harp-L, Mikael Bäckman from Sweden, posted
> an
> > > > offer to send any of us a research project he is working on - a
> > > > comprehensive list of all recordings that Charlie has participated
> in.
> > > At
> > > > that time, Mikael also requested our assistance in asking for info
> on any
> > > > other recordings, harmonica as well as other instruments, that he
> may not
> > > > have included in his discography.  I wonder how many of us, besides
> me,
> > > > took him up on his offer.  By cc on this post, I'm asking Mikael's
> > > > permission to either forward his Charlie McCoy discography to
> Harp-l'ers
> > > > who may have missed the opportunity to partake in Mikael's
> generosity, or
> > > > perhaps Mikael will send us his latest updated version.  I see that
> > > > Mikael's discography says that says that Charlie's first recording
> was
> > > the
> > > > song, "Cherry Berry Wine" from 1961, altho a poster to the song on
> > > YouTube
> > > > claimed it was recorded on Aug. 16, 1960 with Hank Garland on
> guitar; and
> > > > Mikael's discography dates "I Just Don't Understand" as 1962.
> > > > ron - FL Keys, USA
> > > >
> > >
>
>