[Harp-L] Bluegrass Harmonica
B Boggs
Could you list a few good CD's that have good bluegrass harmonica on them?
I was invited to a gig with a band that did a lot of bluegrass (banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass, guitar,vocals) and found that a lot of the songs I could play from blues plerspective.
Anyway, very fun music.
Thanks,
Brian
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"Message: 9
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 19:11:04 -0500
From: "Cara Cooke" <cybe...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L]
To: Har...@harp-l.org
Just an FYI, hearing the term "bluegrass harmonica" should not be any
more
odd than hearing the term "bluegrass dobro". Flatt and Scruggs had
both.
It may be more unusual to have a harmonica player on the ball enough to
do a
good job in the music than on the other instruments, but that does not
mean
that it cannot ever be considered an authentic bluegrass instrument.
Just
because we aren't accustomed to it, doesn't mean that it never happened
somewhere else or sometime else; and it does not mean that it cannot be
re-applied by those capable of holding their own with the other
players.
----------------------------
Cara"
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Cara Cooke
accident). So you should be able to find melodies and such to work with
that are somewhat familiar, if not recognizable.
The population of harmonica players in bluegrass has been thin over the
years, though the numbers of recordings are probably on par with their
population in the overall scheme of things. Some bluegrass musicians do not
record unless their band is the focus, and many harmonica players seem to be
like that, too. Be that as it may, here are some things you might want to
look for:
a couple of *CDs I am on* (I am one of those that tends to record with other
bands.):
K. R. Wood's "Crockett Chronicles" (www.texannarecords.com)
Manchaca AllStars "First Attempt" (
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com)
High Stakes Rollers "Live" (I think that was the title, anyway. The
correct title is probably on my website (www.cyberharp.isonfire.com).
Ledbetters "Early Morning Train" (currently available also on the
CTBA compilation CD -- www.centraltexasbluegrass.org)
*Bob Meehan* (He is on the bluegrassharp list addressed on this post, so
maybe he can tell you more.) www.bobmeehan.net
*George Thacker* ("Bluegrass Harmonica", if memory serves)
*Tony Eyers* (an Australian academian and a wonderful player who plays as
much bluegrass as he knows and fills in from their with Celtic tunes)
www.harmonicatunes.com
*Glenn Weiser* "American and Irish Fiddle Tunes for Harmonica" (
http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/celHarrm.htm)
*Charlie McCoy* (www.charliemccoy.com)
*P. T. Gazell* (www.ptgazell.com)
Flatt and Scruggs (though I cannot remember which ones have harmonica) --
They have had at least two harmonica players: Earl Taylor and Charlie McCoy
*Mike Stevens* (www.mikestevensmusic.com)
*Wailin Wood* (www.wailinwood.com)
*Buddy Greene* (www.buddygreene.com)
Mark Graham
That is a start, anyway. Not everyone listed above is known as a bluegrass
player, but they can play bluegrass or country music that is very similar to
bluegrass. (Originally, country and bluegrass had no real names and played
in the same places.) You might also find some of the older string band era
stuff interesting, like:
Double Eagle String Band (harmonica/fiddle = *Tim Wooten*)
*Ernest Thompson* (1924) => typical player for the time period, but played
in a fashion quite conceivably "bluegrass" (www.archive.org)
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thompson-Red_Wing
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thomoson
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thompson_Wreck_Of_97
There are some other interesting players from the early days that are worth
listening to on www.archive.org and on www.honkingduck.com.
You may also find *DeFord Bailey's* recordings interesting. They are more
in the typical presentation of the harmonica as a solo instrument in the
1920's, but they are educational. I believe Marcella Pry (a friend of
Lonnie Glosson's) still has some of the 1928 and 1929 recordings available
for sale: marce...@gmail.com.
*Lonnie Glosson* recordings ought to be of interest to you, also. Many in
the central US considered him a bluegrass harmonica player, and he was a
wonderful player. He approached the harmonica melodically from the blues
side, just as you described that you did, so he may be a great source for
you. Write Marcella and see if she cannot help you get some Lonnie Glosson
recordings (marce...@gmail.com).
[Please use a large font for Marcella. She is a wonderful lady, but is
getting on in years.]
That ought to get you started.
The most important things to know in bluegrass are: stay in time, stay in
key (and mode), listen to the other players -- how you blend with them --
and how you affect the overall sound, and have fun!!!
Cara Cooke
www.cyberharp.isonfire.com
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com
MLeFree
only respond
to her final and perhaps most "actionable" gem of wisdom:
> The most important things to know in bluegrass are: stay in time, stay in
> key (and mode), listen to the other players -- how you blend with them --
> and how you affect the overall sound, and have fun!!!
I could only add some specific advice from my personal experience playing in
a bluegrass jam group: Play some bass lines and rhythm harp to actively
support the other musicians when it isn't your break (you might as well take
advantage of the fact that the harp is a terrific rhythm instrument). With
no drums and often no bass, in a bluegrass ensemble there is by necessity a
lot of energy spent providing supportive rhythm. So think fiddle when you
play a break, but, as a source of creative inspiration when playing
off-break, imagine you are playing an upright bass or a mandolin. When the
other musicians learn that you are there to support the group and not to
just hang around waiting for your break, you'll have gone miles towards
acceptance, regardless of what instrument you play.
One other idea... Often when playing in a jam circle, you rotate who picks
the next tune. That can be daunting if you are new to the genre. A cool
idea, even if you haven't comitted the obigatory 20 or so bluegrass songs to
memory, is to "bluegrassify" tunes you already know. Some well-known, even
over-played 1st position tunes can become superb bluegrass tunes that way.
Speed up your best "Shenandoah" to a bluegrass rhythm and get the other
players going with you, and you're in like Flint.
At least that's the way I see it. 8^)
Michelle
Cara Cooke
bluegrass fast or slow. Buffalo Gals can be found in bluegrass medium or
fast. Bluegrass isn't all fast -- there are some beautiful slow stuff, too,
with the same energy and drive and conviction as the faster stuff, but
slower.
All that is really important is to keep it bluegrass, fast or slow, simple
or hard, etc. Keep it bluegrass and they will enjoy having you in the jam.
One of my main suggestions to folks just getting into these situations is to
start keeping a notebook wherein you will note the common tunes and the keys
in which they are played and anything else along the way that you learn and
do not want to forget. From these notes you can compose a tune/song list
and the keys for the tunes/songs (and positions) so that you can call a
tune, sing it, play it, and enjoy it with the rest of the group. It is
usually a good idea to learn a few old standards, as well as bring some more
unique tunes, original tunes, or converted tunes to the jam. If they are
not up for any of the latter, they will be up for the former -- and jams
usually always need lead singers and people who can call and start a tune
reliably. Keeping a notebook is the first stage of learning to be prepared
for the jam.
Cara
fss...@att.net
"... A cool idea, even if you haven't comitted the obigatory 20 or so
bluegrass songs to memory, is to "bluegrassify" tunes you already know. Some
well-known, even over-played 1st position tunes can become superb bluegrass
tunes that way. Speed up your best "Shenandoah" to a bluegrass rhythm and
get the other players going with you, and you're in like Flint."
========================================================
I'm not sure I can get my head around a quicktime Shenandoah or not, but
Michelle's excellent suggestion of "bluegrassifying" familiar tunes reminded
me of the novelty act from a few years ago called "Run C&W".
They took old R&B, soul, and blues standards and bluegrassifyed them to the
hilt. Their bluegrass versions of "I Feel Good" and "Stop in the Name of
Love" was worth the price of the 1st album. And my favorite
bluegrassification of all time is the "Hey Joe" by Jerry Douglas.
Harp Content - not sure this really helps if you can't play 32nd notes, but
it can't hurt.
Fred S
Cara Cooke
tunes. His version of "Viva, Las Vegas" and "Fly Like A Bird" are often
requested. Some of the traditional bluegrassers, who normally would be
unencouraging to a jammer who played rock tunes, are some of the biggest
fans of his "Fly Like A Bird". If the tune/song you want to play is good
and fits in, then try it out. Sometimes you have to feel your way with the
limits of what everyone in the jam wants to play, but that is a part of the
dynamic of working with a group. Some bluegrassers are real into acapellas,
but some are not. Some bluegrassers are more into instrumentals than
others. Some bluegrass jams have very few instrumentals in them. It all
depends on who is there and who is playing -- the group dynamic. If your
non-traditional stuff fits in with the group, then go for it. If it
doesn't, then save it for another time.
The most important thing, however, in presenting something that not everyone
knows is to work out the details and how to communicate them to everyone
ahead of time -- be prepared. Know your key, the chords, any stops, etc.,
so that you can clue everyone in and they won't have to stumble around on
the tune/song. This preparation and communication can take practice, but it
will be worth it in the long run.
Cara