I saw a guy named "Buckwheat Zydico" from New Orleans not this past summer, but the previous, at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, AK. We do not get too much in the way of big names up here, even in Juneau where we now live. Buckwheat Zydico was awesome though! He could play the accordian like I had never heard before. I guess his music is sort of a mix of Cajun and blues put together. I am sure that some of you musicians and or music enthusiasts could put it a little better than I just did, though, if you are familiar with this artist...
My wife and I are going to Las Vegas this February, and are really excited about that. We have never been before. We don't gamble, although I suppose we'll pull a couple of slots. But we do want to see some live shows. I haven't checked into it yet because February is a ways away, but I'll bet there will be some great music there when we get there. Anybody here know the music in scene in Las Vegas?
One of the things we have traded away by living here in Alaska is the music scene that you all down in America have so much more of. There is a local band here called "Lunchmeat And The Pimentos", and then of course this other local band known as "The Chill Cats", with whom I play
Johny- If all possible you have to see 'Blue Man Group' and "CIrcus Soile'. WOW..a huge show of entertainment. They have a permenent show there all year. have fun
Does anyone else here have a problem with shows that start at 10:30? There's many choices for live music in my neck of the woods, but unless it starts earlier I'm just too tired...and I used to be a night owl.
I love John Prine also. Our son saw him and a whole slew of artists at the Austin City Limits music festival this fall. I guess I'm living vicariously through him...concert-ally speaking.
And Johny, for what it's worth, I recommend Blue Man Group as well.
Jonny, I like Buckwheat Zydec, what I'v heard! It's funky, noisy good music!
dmilller, Charlie Musselwhite is alive and well! He lives up in Northern California, sports a cool goatee these days and everything I read about him always notes that he's off the booze and doing well. Years ago, when he came out to California from Chicago, he had a bad habit of turning up late, to the point that one little joint-gig I was playing at with my band where he was headlining, the guitarist got p.o.'d he was so late so he split. So I jammed a couple tunes with his rhythm section and then he showed up, and finally his guitarist showed back up. Charlie had a big old green thermos and a little briefcase of harps. The thermos was filled with wine and he'd dip his harps in them, shake them out, take a shot and just go into a tune. No name, no intro. Just blow. He was incredible, still is. He'd never remember me or the countless little gigs he played all over northern California back in the late 60's I'm sure, but there was some HOT soulful harp playing.
Does anyone else here have a problem with shows that start at 10:30?
Tonto --- yep. I do.
There is an awesome group here called TRAMPLED BY TURTLES, that don't ever start to do a set before then. :(
They are all younger (in their 20's), and I guess the evening is just beginning for them at that time. :D They are a bluegrass *jam* band (is that an oxymoron??), and to get a seat at one of their concerts, you have to be there 2 hours in advance.
Like you -- I can't do that anymore. I like concerts that start around 7 PM, and end in time for me to see the evening weather report!!
Charlie had a big old green thermos and a little briefcase of harps. The thermos was filled with wine and he'd dip his harps in them, shake them out, take a shot and just go into a tune.
Ha! Reminds me a friend back in Indiana (many, many, many moons ago), who soaked his harps in a glass of water to get the best sound out of them.
I thought it was strange, but he had the best sounding harps around, even if the reeds didn't last as long, as a result. And he was the only *harp* player welcomed at the bluegrass jams we held back then. He was good enough to make die-hard bluegrasser's realize that musicianship transcendes boundaries, and genres.
Heh --- he always drove a *classic* VW bug (pre-66 when it was all 6 volt), and I remember also that if there was any hose under the *hood* that he didn't understand, he got rid of it, and plugged it up.
He figured there should only be two hoses underneath --- one for the brakes, and one for the fuel. :D
I first heard of Charlie Musselwhite back in the 80's, and love his "Ace Of Harps" recording. Thanks for mentioning him -- it brought back some fond memories! :)
Charile Musselwhite played at the Souteast Alaska State Fair in Haines, AK about eight years back. Fabulous! I soak my harps when I play, or, at least I keep a glass of water handy while playing, in case I need to.
i went to a Katrina benefit last night and saw The Dirty Dozen Brass Band --one of those genuine, only from New Orleans, brass bands that was well worth the effort to see...I felt like I was walking the streets of New Orleans again and enjoying every minute of it...
If this works--HERE is a song of theirs you may remember
Ha! Reminds me a friend back in Indiana (many, many, many moons ago), who soaked his harps in a glass of water to get the best sound out of them.
I thought it was strange, but he had the best sounding harps around, even if the reeds didn't last as long, as a result. And he was the only *harp* player welcomed at the bluegrass jams we held back then. He was good enough to make die-hard bluegrasser's realize that musicianship transcendes boundaries, and genres.
Heh --- he always drove a *classic* VW bug (pre-66 when it was all 6 volt), and I remember also that if there was any hose under the *hood* that he didn't understand, he got rid of it, and plugged it up.
He figured there should only be two hoses underneath --- one for the brakes, and one for the fuel. :D
I first heard of Charlie Musselwhite back in the 80's, and love his "Ace Of Harps" recording. Thanks for mentioning him -- it brought back some fond memories! :)
Yeah, that's a great album, d-man. I still see some of those old Bugs around the left coast, plucking along.
JL, what brand of harps do you use? I see different ones, don't know what makes one better than the other really.
I guess the water makes them go shlu-fargh better and they get that gurgly distorted sound.
I used to do that, although I'm not a harp player by any means. I got one of those chromatic harps, with the slider to expand the scale, when I was about 12 and muddled around with that but all I was trying to do was get it to sound like Jimmy Reed's harp and couldn't do it. Finally went to the Marine band model and used to sort of schwack away at that. I play the Bob Dylan method, find a spot and blow and suck till it does something. (figuratively speaking) I'm amazed at you players that make it sound so cool.
Music - anyone heard of a band named "The Meat Purveyors"? They sound like a bluegrass band, heard a few tunes of theirs online. They sounded pretty good.
I think it's two couples, the songs I heard had a female singer. They do a Madonna medley, and the songs are changed around. One of the sections has the lyrics of "Like a Virgin" and it sounds hilarious, very ingenious.
---sorry about the sig thing A la. I think I changed it again. It's posting-on-the-cheap. Prine's the MAN!
Does anyone else here have a problem with shows that start at 10:30?
It depnds on whether I have to get up the next morning
One of our local hot spots has been doing early shows once a week, usually Wednesdays, 6 - 9pm. Susie & I saw Chris Duarte at one of those a few months back.
These days, most of the music that I take in is local bands, but Lincoln has quite a few good bands, especially blues.
During the past 13+/- months i've seen Nora Jones at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center which was wonderful. I also went to Wolf Trap in Virginia and saw Hootie and the Blow Fish...wasn't too bad (that's who was playing there when I was in town, so sue me!). Last weekend I got to see the Dixie Hummingbirds. I have to admit right up front, that I didn't know the greatness of this group before I went, and although it was clear they are WAY old (and past their prime) they have a tremendous presence! It was a great experience and a really wonderful and memorable night!
Mstar, I saw willie nelson when he played before grateful dead in NJ way way back in the mid 70s (waylon jennings was supposed to be with him, but was nursing a hangover i guess and never showed), and then I saw willie again when I was limb staff in SC in 1980/81 (?). He's timeless.
The Moody Blues concert i saw about 3 or 4 years ago in manhattan wasn't half bad - but it was weird to hear the music of my youth being sung by some old guys in leather pants while the guy behind me argued with his girlfriend on his cellphone. ah well. Maybe two years after that concert, I went to Town Hall and saw A Prarie Home Companion which had Leo Kotke and John Sebastian - that was cool. The bass player from Phish was playing with Kotke - and sounded great! Quite a departure from Kotke's normal solo performance.
BTW - I ordered the Ted Green cd mentioned earlier in this thread. Still waiting for it to arrive (and have also seen some weird transactions on my bank statement that I can't explain just after ordering it, so I'm wondering if pehaps the site is spishy...? probably not related - but I'll let ya know. my bank is looking into it.)
Not long ago I went to the Village Vanguard with my totally cool brother - that was a great experience, but i can't remember who i saw there...just that that they were very very good and the venue is world class. The history of music you feel just by walking into that place is awe inspiring, and then feeling the subway rumble under my feet while hearing the music just kinda added to the experience.
next up is a harvey reid concert in December - then Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan sextet at dizzy's club in late january in nyc. Can't wait for either of these!
nellie, sorry that happened! I hope it wasn't the site. I haven't purchased anything else from Art of Life besides that CD, so I don't know. I didn't have any problem, that I know of anyway. Let us know how and when it gets resolved, I'm definitely interested!
Well gee, lemme see. The brand of harps I like the most is "M. Hohner". Hohner is a German company, and makes many many different models, including the "Hohner Marine Band" which is a diatonic harmonica. In fact, the very first harmonica I ever played was a Hohner Marine Band-Now that's a funny name, for, have you ever heard the United States Marine Corps Band do "harmonica songs"? Must be a history there I don't know about, yet...
Anyway, Hohner makes a harmonica model (a diatonic harp) known as the "Special 20". This is the one I like the most. It is pretty durable, diatonic for bluegrass and blues playing, and has black plastic dividing the "reed board". I like the plastic because it does not swell up if it gets wet, like the Hohner "Blues Harp" model. Those wooden dividers between the notes on a blues harp will swell up and stick out and rub the corners of ones mouth, and really get to be irritating. And, the sound isn't any better, imho...
Now, there is a harmonica that has hit the scene lately known as the "Lee Oscar" by Tombo, a Japanese company. No doubt Lee Oscar himself is/was some harmonica great, although I don't know of his stuff, and the Lee Oscar is a nice harmonica, and the only one that is of comparable quality to a Hohner Special 20, imo. I have a few of them in my harmonica belt (which does not fit me any more-the leather shrunk- ), and they are nice and play well. The unique thing about them is that if a reed breaks or gets all clogged up, one can buy from Lee Oscar a new "reed plate" which costs about a third less than the cost of a brand new harmonica. And believe me, the reeds do go out! One night, while bending and sucking deeply (inhaling) on a long note, that reed broke free and imbedded itself into the roof of my mouth like a bee stinger! And so there I was, gagging and reaching into my mouth to get the danged thing out, and my partner playing the keyboards was staring at me in an alarmed manner as he continued playing, wondering just what the H had happened! And so, after I managed to yank the thing from the roof of my mouth and hold it out to him and he understood what had happened, he grinned and just shifted up from the key of A to B, and I pulled out my E harp and we almost didn't miss a thing. The crowd never noticed though....
There are two things on a player that can wear out when playing, besides the reeds. The players lungs, and the players lips. I have found that with the Lee Oscar Harmonica, my lips seem to wear out quicker than the Hohner Special 20, for, the Lee Oscar Harp itself is "fatter", and I am more used to the less fat Special 20. The "wearing out of the lips" is much like when a trumpet players lips just plain get "spent". I have played trumpet also over the years, and the feeling is similar.
And the other, ones' lungs, can also get played out, for it can be extremely aerobic. But, one of the things the guy I play with has always complimented me on is my ability to "keep going all night" and not wearing out like some guys. But, when it comes to lung power, I don't think anyone can even come close to that awesome, incredible harmonica player for the Blues Travelers: John Popper. Man, that guy just plain rules! I would not be surprised if that guy is playing 32nd and 64th notes he is so fast and proficient. When he plays, I just bow and say; "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"
And so, there is some harmonica info for ya. As for me, and my ability, well, drunk people are easy to please at bars, for everyone it seems, loves a harmonica... :)
JL, thanks for the harp information. I did some googling and can picture those harmonicas now, the Marine and the Lee Oscar - he was with War, still is I think. That design sounds pretty cool. It's interesting about the 20's. . But that reed-in-the-mouth thing! Not funny but sounds funny reading it! :D
This makes me think - a lot of harp players use their own mic. But then I've seen others using whatever's onstage. I saw Robbin Ford few years ago and his brother played, harp. Seems like he used the stage mic. Does that effect the sound much?
Oh yeah, John Popper. I saw B. T. a few years ago in an outdoor concert in San Francisco. Way too cool. I was impressed that he played and did his thing and sounded clear as a bell. Have you heard the tune "Carolina"? Cool tune. The guitarist in the band has never thrilled me although he's good, but he did some nice stuff on the live set, and did Carolina without the effects he used on the CD version and it ROCKED. It was like Cream, if Clapton played harp and guitar, that kind of sound.
Way back in the 70's Lee Oscar put out a solo album that I bought, although I don't know if it got much airplay. Sort of a funk/r and b jam thing. Don't have it anymore, but it had a dragonfly on the cover art which I liked cuz ya gotta have wind if you're gonna ride the dragonfly and Lee O. could blow. It was nice stuff, Bobby Vega, the bass player, was on it. Don't know if it's still around or not.
Just came back from another Tanzania trip. "Saw" isn't the right wrd. Perhaps "eperienced" will do it. I experienced Masai music, mostly singing in their unique voice. Pure music making. And a quartet of women of another people group (the name escapes me for the moment) who deliver with such power I'm still shaken over it.
I have always loved those cool African vocal harmonies when a whole bunch of these African folks sing and harmonize in a distinctly African "Bush sound". But I know Africa is huge, and I never really know who they are or what region of Africa these folks are from. The only time I've heard this sound has been in movies, and I do not know if what you are talking about is what or even close to that which I have heard before. "Tanzanian" or "Massai" huh?
Oh and Socks and All, I use my own mike most of the time. It is made by Shure, and is known as the "Green Bullet", which is nearly round and has a volume knob on it. When I am holding it and the harmonica, you can only mostly see the cord coming out between my hands. It's pretty much strictly a blues kinda deal, and is advertised on musiciansfriend.dot com as able to deliver that "filthy Chicago blues" sound. Not dirty, but filthy. Kinda funny, that...
But really, it's many times nicer to be able to step away from the mike while it is on a stand so that one can use ones hands to to make the sweet tremolo sound while "hand flappin". One guy told, me, "oh no, never use your hands for tremolo, use your throat. Using ones hands if for the inexperienced". Well, I disagree, for the tremolo that comes from the throat is more of a gnarly blues sound, whereas the sweet hand flapping sound is more for a pretty and sweet sound like one might want employ on something like Amazing Grace, Shenandoah, Red River Valley, or something like that. Fits more into the country and bluegrass scene. That's just preference in sound and style, that's all. Good to be able to do both. But, this means I will have to get another mike with a stand as well. Oh yes, also, singing into the "Green Bullet" just does not cut it compared to a regular vocal mike.
What I would like to get one day is one of those big mikes like the Victors used to sing into. Those are way cool, and since my wife and kids and I like to harmonize, it would be cool to have one of those. What are they called?
And for the sake of "topic", I took my wife and all my kids to see Huey Lewis And The News a couple of years ago back at Wolf Trappe Farm Park in Virginia. Great time, that...
Hi Evan. I went out to Rhapsody and pulled up some Masai music they had. Funky stuff!!! I can hear the power of the music, as well as the subtleties of the melodies and the rhythms. Don't know how authentic it is, but it's very airy, some just voice I imagine the performance of it together with the people would be a very powerful sharing experience.
Different stuff, but I've always liked middle eastern folk musics, too. Studied North Indian ragas years ago, still have the textbook. It's very interesting how indigneous music, the native stuff we create and tool on our own, is becoming more and more blended. The blessings and curses of global communication I guess. The more modern middle eastern stuff that really kicks it for me is the Palestinian music, which I can't really identify by artist or performer but I like. After about 5 or 6 cups of that 30 weight coffee they drink and an hour of that - whoa! You got some giddy -yup in your go-tank.
I can picture the mic's you're talking about Jonny. Sounds like most of the sound is in the player's technique, right?
The good old SM58 is still the choice of champions on both big and small budgets. Not the best but very consistent for the money. An SM57 does good things on an amp too. :)
Sharon, it's funny you mention Bruce Springsteen. I like his stuff and have only been checking it out in detail since I got Rhapsody and I can listen to it online. I remember first hearing "Born to Run" on the radio in Miami years ago, and pulled the car over. "What's THAT?" Personal preference, I've never really liked the way he's recorded with the E Street band, the full band stuff. It sounds slightly thin to me which is weird as he's obviously a powerful performer. Sounds like the way to see him is live. I would think it would be very intimate.
Why thank you Socks, and, imagine my surprise when I connected to the "Harmonica Microphone Museum." My oh my the things to be found on the Net! Now that I think of it, there probably is a "Harmonica Museum" out there somewhere also. I'd better start surfin!
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socks
Well, speaking of John Prine, saw him on Austin City Limits Saturday night. Sweet. He was with Amos Lee, A la. Very nice set by him. :)
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J0nny Ling0
I saw a guy named "Buckwheat Zydico" from New Orleans not this past summer, but the previous, at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines, AK. We do not get too much in the way of big names up here, even in Juneau where we now live. Buckwheat Zydico was awesome though! He could play the accordian like I had never heard before. I guess his music is sort of a mix of Cajun and blues put together. I am sure that some of you musicians and or music enthusiasts could put it a little better than I just did, though, if you are familiar with this artist...
My wife and I are going to Las Vegas this February, and are really excited about that. We have never been before. We don't gamble, although I suppose we'll pull a couple of slots. But we do want to see some live shows. I haven't checked into it yet because February is a ways away, but I'll bet there will be some great music there when we get there. Anybody here know the music in scene in Las Vegas?
One of the things we have traded away by living here in Alaska is the music scene that you all down in America have so much more of. There is a local band here called "Lunchmeat And The Pimentos", and then of course this other local band known as "The Chill Cats", with whom I play
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likeaneagle
Johny- If all possible you have to see 'Blue Man Group' and "CIrcus Soile'. WOW..a huge show of entertainment. They have a permenent show there all year. have fun
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tonto
Does anyone else here have a problem with shows that start at 10:30? There's many choices for live music in my neck of the woods, but unless it starts earlier I'm just too tired...and I used to be a night owl.
I love John Prine also. Our son saw him and a whole slew of artists at the Austin City Limits music festival this fall. I guess I'm living vicariously through him...concert-ally speaking.
And Johny, for what it's worth, I recommend Blue Man Group as well.
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J0nny Ling0
Hokay! Blue Man Group it is! Thanks!
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socks
I do Tonto. Old Guys like me need rest.
Jonny, I like Buckwheat Zydec, what I'v heard! It's funky, noisy good music!
dmilller, Charlie Musselwhite is alive and well! He lives up in Northern California, sports a cool goatee these days and everything I read about him always notes that he's off the booze and doing well. Years ago, when he came out to California from Chicago, he had a bad habit of turning up late, to the point that one little joint-gig I was playing at with my band where he was headlining, the guitarist got p.o.'d he was so late so he split. So I jammed a couple tunes with his rhythm section and then he showed up, and finally his guitarist showed back up. Charlie had a big old green thermos and a little briefcase of harps. The thermos was filled with wine and he'd dip his harps in them, shake them out, take a shot and just go into a tune. No name, no intro. Just blow. He was incredible, still is. He'd never remember me or the countless little gigs he played all over northern California back in the late 60's I'm sure, but there was some HOT soulful harp playing.
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dmiller
Tonto --- yep. I do.
There is an awesome group here called TRAMPLED BY TURTLES, that don't ever start to do a set before then. :(
They are all younger (in their 20's), and I guess the evening is just beginning for them at that time. :D They are a bluegrass *jam* band (is that an oxymoron??), and to get a seat at one of their concerts, you have to be there 2 hours in advance.
Like you -- I can't do that anymore. I like concerts that start around 7 PM, and end in time for me to see the evening weather report!!
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dmiller
Ha! Reminds me a friend back in Indiana (many, many, many moons ago), who soaked his harps in a glass of water to get the best sound out of them.
I thought it was strange, but he had the best sounding harps around, even if the reeds didn't last as long, as a result. And he was the only *harp* player welcomed at the bluegrass jams we held back then. He was good enough to make die-hard bluegrasser's realize that musicianship transcendes boundaries, and genres.
Heh --- he always drove a *classic* VW bug (pre-66 when it was all 6 volt), and I remember also that if there was any hose under the *hood* that he didn't understand, he got rid of it, and plugged it up.
He figured there should only be two hoses underneath --- one for the brakes, and one for the fuel. :D
I first heard of Charlie Musselwhite back in the 80's, and love his "Ace Of Harps" recording. Thanks for mentioning him -- it brought back some fond memories! :)
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J0nny Ling0
Charile Musselwhite played at the Souteast Alaska State Fair in Haines, AK about eight years back. Fabulous! I soak my harps when I play, or, at least I keep a glass of water handy while playing, in case I need to.
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A la prochaine
Just peeking in...
One comment for SOCKS....
YOU JUST GOTTA LOVE THOSE JOHN PRINE LYRICS IN YOUR SIGNATURE ... THANKS THANKS AND THANKS AGAIN!!!!
I know Jonny Lingo is a huge fan of Prine...I'm sure he's enjoying them as well!
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mstar1
i went to a Katrina benefit last night and saw The Dirty Dozen Brass Band --one of those genuine, only from New Orleans, brass bands that was well worth the effort to see...I felt like I was walking the streets of New Orleans again and enjoying every minute of it...
If this works--HERE is a song of theirs you may remember
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socks
Yeah, that's a great album, d-man. I still see some of those old Bugs around the left coast, plucking along.
JL, what brand of harps do you use? I see different ones, don't know what makes one better than the other really.
I guess the water makes them go shlu-fargh better and they get that gurgly distorted sound.
I used to do that, although I'm not a harp player by any means. I got one of those chromatic harps, with the slider to expand the scale, when I was about 12 and muddled around with that but all I was trying to do was get it to sound like Jimmy Reed's harp and couldn't do it. Finally went to the Marine band model and used to sort of schwack away at that. I play the Bob Dylan method, find a spot and blow and suck till it does something. (figuratively speaking) I'm amazed at you players that make it sound so cool.
Music - anyone heard of a band named "The Meat Purveyors"? They sound like a bluegrass band, heard a few tunes of theirs online. They sounded pretty good.
I think it's two couples, the songs I heard had a female singer. They do a Madonna medley, and the songs are changed around. One of the sections has the lyrics of "Like a Virgin" and it sounds hilarious, very ingenious.
---sorry about the sig thing A la. I think I changed it again. It's posting-on-the-cheap. Prine's the MAN!
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Oakspear
One of our local hot spots has been doing early shows once a week, usually Wednesdays, 6 - 9pm. Susie & I saw Chris Duarte at one of those a few months back.
These days, most of the music that I take in is local bands, but Lincoln has quite a few good bands, especially blues.
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nellie
During the past 13+/- months i've seen Nora Jones at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center which was wonderful. I also went to Wolf Trap in Virginia and saw Hootie and the Blow Fish...wasn't too bad (that's who was playing there when I was in town, so sue me!). Last weekend I got to see the Dixie Hummingbirds. I have to admit right up front, that I didn't know the greatness of this group before I went, and although it was clear they are WAY old (and past their prime) they have a tremendous presence! It was a great experience and a really wonderful and memorable night!
Mstar, I saw willie nelson when he played before grateful dead in NJ way way back in the mid 70s (waylon jennings was supposed to be with him, but was nursing a hangover i guess and never showed), and then I saw willie again when I was limb staff in SC in 1980/81 (?). He's timeless.
The Moody Blues concert i saw about 3 or 4 years ago in manhattan wasn't half bad - but it was weird to hear the music of my youth being sung by some old guys in leather pants while the guy behind me argued with his girlfriend on his cellphone. ah well. Maybe two years after that concert, I went to Town Hall and saw A Prarie Home Companion which had Leo Kotke and John Sebastian - that was cool. The bass player from Phish was playing with Kotke - and sounded great! Quite a departure from Kotke's normal solo performance.
BTW - I ordered the Ted Green cd mentioned earlier in this thread. Still waiting for it to arrive (and have also seen some weird transactions on my bank statement that I can't explain just after ordering it, so I'm wondering if pehaps the site is spishy...? probably not related - but I'll let ya know. my bank is looking into it.)
Not long ago I went to the Village Vanguard with my totally cool brother - that was a great experience, but i can't remember who i saw there...just that that they were very very good and the venue is world class. The history of music you feel just by walking into that place is awe inspiring, and then feeling the subway rumble under my feet while hearing the music just kinda added to the experience.
next up is a harvey reid concert in December - then Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan sextet at dizzy's club in late january in nyc. Can't wait for either of these!
lah lah lah, hummmm :)
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parsley
ok - got the ted green cd in the mail today, and it's great stuff! thanks for the recommendation!
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socks
Cool Parsley! Glad you liked it. :D
nellie, sorry that happened! I hope it wasn't the site. I haven't purchased anything else from Art of Life besides that CD, so I don't know. I didn't have any problem, that I know of anyway. Let us know how and when it gets resolved, I'm definitely interested!
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J0nny Ling0
Hi Socks.
Well gee, lemme see. The brand of harps I like the most is "M. Hohner". Hohner is a German company, and makes many many different models, including the "Hohner Marine Band" which is a diatonic harmonica. In fact, the very first harmonica I ever played was a Hohner Marine Band-Now that's a funny name, for, have you ever heard the United States Marine Corps Band do "harmonica songs"? Must be a history there I don't know about, yet...
Anyway, Hohner makes a harmonica model (a diatonic harp) known as the "Special 20". This is the one I like the most. It is pretty durable, diatonic for bluegrass and blues playing, and has black plastic dividing the "reed board". I like the plastic because it does not swell up if it gets wet, like the Hohner "Blues Harp" model. Those wooden dividers between the notes on a blues harp will swell up and stick out and rub the corners of ones mouth, and really get to be irritating. And, the sound isn't any better, imho...
Now, there is a harmonica that has hit the scene lately known as the "Lee Oscar" by Tombo, a Japanese company. No doubt Lee Oscar himself is/was some harmonica great, although I don't know of his stuff, and the Lee Oscar is a nice harmonica, and the only one that is of comparable quality to a Hohner Special 20, imo. I have a few of them in my harmonica belt (which does not fit me any more-the leather shrunk-
), and they are nice and play well. The unique thing about them is that if a reed breaks or gets all clogged up, one can buy from Lee Oscar a new "reed plate" which costs about a third less than the cost of a brand new harmonica. And believe me, the reeds do go out! One night, while bending and sucking deeply (inhaling) on a long note, that reed broke free and imbedded itself into the roof of my mouth like a bee stinger! And so there I was, gagging and reaching into my mouth to get the danged thing out, and my partner playing the keyboards was staring at me in an alarmed manner as he continued playing, wondering just what the H had happened! And so, after I managed to yank the thing from the roof of my mouth and hold it out to him and he understood what had happened, he grinned and just shifted up from the key of A to B, and I pulled out my E harp and we almost didn't miss a thing. The crowd never noticed though....
There are two things on a player that can wear out when playing, besides the reeds. The players lungs, and the players lips. I have found that with the Lee Oscar Harmonica, my lips seem to wear out quicker than the Hohner Special 20, for, the Lee Oscar Harp itself is "fatter", and I am more used to the less fat Special 20. The "wearing out of the lips" is much like when a trumpet players lips just plain get "spent". I have played trumpet also over the years, and the feeling is similar.
And the other, ones' lungs, can also get played out, for it can be extremely aerobic. But, one of the things the guy I play with has always complimented me on is my ability to "keep going all night" and not wearing out like some guys. But, when it comes to lung power, I don't think anyone can even come close to that awesome, incredible harmonica player for the Blues Travelers: John Popper. Man, that guy just plain rules! I would not be surprised if that guy is playing 32nd and 64th notes he is so fast and proficient. When he plays, I just bow and say; "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"
And so, there is some harmonica info for ya. As for me, and my ability, well, drunk people are easy to please at bars, for everyone it seems, loves a harmonica... :)
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socks
JL, thanks for the harp information. I did some googling and can picture those harmonicas now, the Marine and the Lee Oscar - he was with War, still is I think. That design sounds pretty cool. It's interesting about the 20's. . But that reed-in-the-mouth thing! Not funny but sounds funny reading it! :D
This makes me think - a lot of harp players use their own mic. But then I've seen others using whatever's onstage. I saw Robbin Ford few years ago and his brother played, harp. Seems like he used the stage mic. Does that effect the sound much?
Oh yeah, John Popper. I saw B. T. a few years ago in an outdoor concert in San Francisco. Way too cool. I was impressed that he played and did his thing and sounded clear as a bell. Have you heard the tune "Carolina"? Cool tune. The guitarist in the band has never thrilled me although he's good, but he did some nice stuff on the live set, and did Carolina without the effects he used on the CD version and it ROCKED. It was like Cream, if Clapton played harp and guitar, that kind of sound.
Way back in the 70's Lee Oscar put out a solo album that I bought, although I don't know if it got much airplay. Sort of a funk/r and b jam thing. Don't have it anymore, but it had a dragonfly on the cover art which I liked cuz ya gotta have wind if you're gonna ride the dragonfly and Lee O. could blow. It was nice stuff, Bobby Vega, the bass player, was on it. Don't know if it's still around or not.
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sharon
just saw Bruce Springsteen in tour, he was solo & acoustic almost 3 hours long he was brilliant
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TheEvan
Just came back from another Tanzania trip. "Saw" isn't the right wrd. Perhaps "eperienced" will do it. I experienced Masai music, mostly singing in their unique voice. Pure music making. And a quartet of women of another people group (the name escapes me for the moment) who deliver with such power I'm still shaken over it.
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J0nny Ling0
Hey, that's really cool The Evan...
I have always loved those cool African vocal harmonies when a whole bunch of these African folks sing and harmonize in a distinctly African "Bush sound". But I know Africa is huge, and I never really know who they are or what region of Africa these folks are from. The only time I've heard this sound has been in movies, and I do not know if what you are talking about is what or even close to that which I have heard before. "Tanzanian" or "Massai" huh?
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J0nny Ling0
Oh and Socks and All, I use my own mike most of the time. It is made by Shure, and is known as the "Green Bullet", which is nearly round and has a volume knob on it. When I am holding it and the harmonica, you can only mostly see the cord coming out between my hands. It's pretty much strictly a blues kinda deal, and is advertised on musiciansfriend.dot com as able to deliver that "filthy Chicago blues" sound. Not dirty, but filthy. Kinda funny, that...
But really, it's many times nicer to be able to step away from the mike while it is on a stand so that one can use ones hands to to make the sweet tremolo sound while "hand flappin". One guy told, me, "oh no, never use your hands for tremolo, use your throat. Using ones hands if for the inexperienced". Well, I disagree, for the tremolo that comes from the throat is more of a gnarly blues sound, whereas the sweet hand flapping sound is more for a pretty and sweet sound like one might want employ on something like Amazing Grace, Shenandoah, Red River Valley, or something like that. Fits more into the country and bluegrass scene. That's just preference in sound and style, that's all. Good to be able to do both. But, this means I will have to get another mike with a stand as well. Oh yes, also, singing into the "Green Bullet" just does not cut it compared to a regular vocal mike.
What I would like to get one day is one of those big mikes like the Victors used to sing into. Those are way cool, and since my wife and kids and I like to harmonize, it would be cool to have one of those. What are they called?
And for the sake of "topic", I took my wife and all my kids to see Huey Lewis And The News a couple of years ago back at Wolf Trappe Farm Park in Virginia. Great time, that...
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socks
Hi Evan. I went out to Rhapsody and pulled up some Masai music they had. Funky stuff!!! I can hear the power of the music, as well as the subtleties of the melodies and the rhythms. Don't know how authentic it is, but it's very airy, some just voice I imagine the performance of it together with the people would be a very powerful sharing experience.
Different stuff, but I've always liked middle eastern folk musics, too. Studied North Indian ragas years ago, still have the textbook. It's very interesting how indigneous music, the native stuff we create and tool on our own, is becoming more and more blended. The blessings and curses of global communication I guess. The more modern middle eastern stuff that really kicks it for me is the Palestinian music, which I can't really identify by artist or performer but I like. After about 5 or 6 cups of that 30 weight coffee they drink and an hour of that - whoa! You got some giddy -yup in your go-tank.
I can picture the mic's you're talking about Jonny. Sounds like most of the sound is in the player's technique, right?
I looked up these microphones, vintage models.
Not sure what that big vocal mic is, but this one looks familiar - HERE if you scroll down a smidge.
This page lists all the Shure mics alphabetically. I know the 55SH has been around forever, it was the first mic I bought years ago.
The good old SM58 is still the choice of champions on both big and small budgets. Not the best but very consistent for the money. An SM57 does good things on an amp too. :)
Sharon, it's funny you mention Bruce Springsteen. I like his stuff and have only been checking it out in detail since I got Rhapsody and I can listen to it online. I remember first hearing "Born to Run" on the radio in Miami years ago, and pulled the car over. "What's THAT?" Personal preference, I've never really liked the way he's recorded with the E Street band, the full band stuff. It sounds slightly thin to me which is weird as he's obviously a powerful performer. Sounds like the way to see him is live. I would think it would be very intimate.
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J0nny Ling0
Why thank you Socks, and, imagine my surprise when I connected to the "Harmonica Microphone Museum." My oh my the things to be found on the Net! Now that I think of it, there probably is a "Harmonica Museum" out there somewhere also. I'd better start surfin!
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