Carlos Del Junco is for my money the best modern harmonica player around. He is a total monster player. I much prefer his tone, phrasing and general musicality to Howard Levy or even Jason (Oh no, shock, horror, gasp he hears people cry! lol). I have a bunch of his albums and he always amazes me when I hear him play.
Carlos is easily the best blues musician in the room, he can put a twist on a tune that generates not only excitement but a real appreciation for what the harmonica is actually capable of doing musically...
Total original tone, approach and laid back swing style - including his vocals. Very advanced conceptual musical compositions and ideas. My favorite living harmonica player. He also has always stayed true to his unique musical vision with a pure heart. ---------- The Iceman
Well, he doesn't tongue block much, liberally overbends, he follows harmony, uses ET harps, isn't associated with traditional vocab, plays a lot of formally arranged tunes, and has recorded more nonblues than blues..surprised anyone here likes him.
He's one of my all time favorites. The Just Your Fool album is one of my fav albums period. His tone is stellar, his phrasing brilliant, and he always has a top tier band. ---------- Mike VHT Special 6 Mods Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
I think Carlos is fantastic. I agree almost all the way with the Iceman and Kingley, and it may be one of the few points on which the three of us agree. The ONLY reason I haven't put Carlos on one of my Top-20 alltime lists is because I haven't convinced myself that he's a blues player per se--precisely the argument that Kingley made about Jason on several memorable threads, BTW. Nor do I think he's been as influential on other BLUES players as Jason, Kim, Rod, etc.
But Carlos is everything that Kingley and Iceman say he is. I challenge anybody not to hear his version of "Got My Mojo Working"--I think it's on BLUES MONGREL--and not say "Holy S--t" when he hits it hard on that long solo in the middle. I pulled my car over to the side of the road, literally, when I heard it the first time.
I've been a big fan of Carlos del Junco for many years... probably because he is NOT just a "blues player"... that's what makes him and his music so enjoyable and original.
I own all his CD's, and look forward to buying his next CD.
I'm often left scratching my head trying to figure out what key harp he's playing... I believe most all his later released CD's he notes the harp keys he's playing... and I'm still left scratching my head !
You're wrong about JR...not only via discography, but live expeience. His first two albums were blues and he started out with Big Al and Jr Kimbrough regarding live work. ---------- Mike VHT Special 6 Mods Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
According to his Wikipedia bio, Jason started in punk bands. In his own writings. he's said that his "heart sank" when his first harmonica teacher told him he had to listen to blues to play well.
Look, I'm not slagging Jason here; I love Jason and think hes a fantastic player in multiple genres. I just don't think it makes sense to say he's a blues player and then say Carlos isn't one.
I would definitely mark Carlos as a blues harmonica player. The recordings of his music I've heard were all blues I didn't hear other genres aside from minor branching like Amazing Grace which every blues harmonica player does anyway. While I don't too much like Steady Movin' I can concur it's all blues.
This is the playing in all 12 keys extravaganza first heard at a SPAH convention in the early 90's. Howard Levy performed it at the blues jam. (Same year that Little Annie Raines made her presence known to the harmonica collective).
No one had heard anything like it at the time. Pretty impressive.
Carlos took this concept and transcribed Howard's solo as a starting point, then developed it into his own style over the years. I heard him do this stuff in the mid/late 90's. It's interesting to hear how he's evolved this solo.
So much body groove, interesting sounds, thick rich tone, laid back timing and stellar ideas. ---------- The Iceman
OK, Iceman, I have to warn you to cease and desist from using the name "harmonica collective" as a generic term.
The Harmonica Collective is a service mark of the partnership of Winslow Yerxa and Jason Ricci to present harmonica teaching events and related products.
Maybe it was a Freudian slip, signalling that Annie herself is destined to be a teacher at the next "Harmonica Collective"...Get Howard on the ticket too while your at it and make sure you give Carlos an invite to stop by and have some collective fun...Might as well ask Larry to teach, I'm sure he will since Carlos is going to be there hopefully and Barbecue Bob would be a great Ace card to pull out of your sleeve to rev up the excitement some and whip em all into tip top harmonica shape :)
Last Edited by Frank on Jun 04, 2014 6:46 PM
"OK, Iceman, I have to warn you to cease and desist from using the name "harmonica collective" as a generic term."
This is getting silly..."warn you" - "cease and desist"?
Last I heard, Freedom of Speech is still on the constitutional books.
I admit that your workshop title did inspire me to expand my personal vocabulary, but I don't think you have proprietary ownership of these two words.
If I am in error, please let me know.
(edited down from my original response which was waaay too wordy, but it allowed me to get a few things off my chest) ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by The Iceman on Jun 05, 2014 9:37 AM
"Harmonica Collective" is the name of a business from which I derive a part of my livelihood. The term did not exist prior to the existence of this business.
By using it as a descriptive term you dilute the uniqueness of the business name and harm my business. You never used the name before the business name came into existence, and other terms are in widespread use for the purpose for which you employed the term.
This is not about my ego, it is about my livelihood.
I have a lot of respect to Carlos' technique, tone (especially electric, is my favourite one), articulation and timing. However his emotional message completely don't touch me, especially comparing to Jason Ricci's and John Popper's approaches. Also as far as I understand everything he play is prewritten and I think it's the main reason for my emotional reaction. ---------- Excuse my bad English. My videos.
Last Edited by boris_plotnikov on Jun 06, 2014 12:04 AM
I'm not getting any grit from this guy, no real emotional investment from his playing at all. Not a blues player. He's a good player, but all he's playing are notes. ---------- Call me J
I think it is safe to say that Carlos could hold his own....if ever on the same stage with any National Pro Blues man who is going strong today, including Kim Wilson...Carlos can lay down some dramatic heartfelt improvisational lines to the blues "trust me" just do the math - it all adds up :)
Who here has seen him live - opinions ?
Last Edited by Frank on Jun 05, 2014 4:58 PM
not blues, but totally unique, quirky and creative...yes, everything is worked out, but you all should know what it takes to work something like this out.
Not trying to win over blues converts with this tune, but those with a sophisticated working knowledge of music may find it intriguing.
I did.
Don't know any other harmonica player venturing into this type of territory. ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by The Iceman on Jun 05, 2014 6:01 PM
As far as I know I own everything Carls has ever produced. But I have to agree with Boris: there´s something a bit distant in his approach, perhaps due to the fact that he is so premeditated and there´s a certain stiffness that comes with that. The only good thing I can say about the key changing excersie he performs above, is that he´s doing it considerably better in 2011 than on the live CD from ...1994? Still -- really dull.
However, "Our man Flint" is great, as well as "Let´s Mambo" from the same record and shows where you can go with skills.
Carlos is in my top 5 all time favorites for sure, but I'm with Boris on this one. Jason's emotional blues playing sure grabs me.
Someone burnt me a CD of some Carlos tracks. The one that blew me away was a song that Carlos started playing one part, then another, then another, and finally the 4th. He sounds to me like he tracked all for parts on diatonic harps and it is amazing!
Does this ring a bell for anyone and could you post it here? I can't find the disc. ---------- www.facebook.com/catfishfryeband
I sort of agree with a bit of the comments regarding premeditated...however, so far he is the only harmonica player that, even though I've heard his learned solos before, actually sounds fresh each time to me. Something about his delivery. ---------- The Iceman
Is it really fair to say pre-arranged music has less feeling? Christelle does covers and puts an exceptional amount of emotion into her playing. Many classical players play note-for-note yet manage to put huge amounts of emotion into their playing.
Of course comparing ANYBODY to Jason when he is really flying and in the groove probably is not fair either! :-)
Last Edited by walterharp on Jun 06, 2014 10:49 AM
I've seen Carlos in both a concert setting and in a jam setting with Jerome Godboo and a couple of young local musicians from Dunnville Ont., where I am very eagerly looking forward to seeing Adam join the two players mentioned above in a couple of weeks.
Is it really any surprise that a former multiple winner of the World Diatonic Harmonica Championship and, as mentioned, multiple Maple Blues awards can jam? In a blues-rock idiom, Carlos can play circles around 90% of pros. He's lightning fast, precise and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single extended blues cliche in a night of soloing. The feeling I get is he learned the cliches 25 years ago, played the s--t out of them, got bored and has been sounding like himself since then. While it's true that his performances are pre-planned, it seems pretty clear to me that it's because that is the musical vision he wants to explore. As it happens, his music connects with me emotionally, which Kim Wilson's, for example, doesn't. I don't know why that is; I love the blues. Go figure.
Carlos is a very dynamic performer and makes his consummate showmanship seem effortless. He and his band held the groove so tight a couple of months ago, I thought it would snap, yet at the same time it seemed effortless and relaxed. He's got a sly sense of humour onstage so the whole performance is riveting and feels a bit dangerous like good improvisation. Anyway, that's my take FWIW.
I think completely pre-arranged music usually (but not always!) have less feeling, especially pre-arranged blues and jazz, as improvisation is a core thing for these styles. Every room sounds different and lead to a different way of playing, another audience, another mood will give you another swing. Playing the same swing and same solos
BTW, good classical musicians often vary articulation and ornamentation. Great classical composers were great improvisers. ---------- Excuse my bad English. My videos.
Pretty much all the top players play "pre-arranged" stuff. Or as I prefer to call it "rehearsed". If a band isn't rehearsed then it will never be really truly tight. Rod, Rick, Kim, Dennis, Jason, etc,etc pretty much all play their solos along the same lines to particular songs, pretty much note for note too. They will vary it a little and add textures and mix up phrasings each time they play them to add flavour, or because on that particular night something seems to fit better to their ear than on a previous occasion. Generally though you'll tend to get the same show, when they play with their own bands night after night. They don't tend to play hugely different solos from one night to the next when using their own bands. I think the whole "It's all played off the top of my head" thing is for the large part something of a myth. All players regardless of who they are have patterns and licks that they use on a regular basis and are the mainstay of their style. The ones that tell you otherwise are simply lying to you, pulling the wool over your eyes and trying to make you think they are much more genius players than they often are. I'm not saying that everybody's solos are always thought out note fro note and played as strictly as Carlos or Rod's are. However if you listen to most players perform with their regular band you'll hear pretty much the same solo with some relatively minor nuances here and there played each time in most cases. Of course in a jam situation all that changes and I'm sure that if you put Carlos into that kind of situation, even though he may not be completely happy in it, he could still play circles round most other players. From my perspective the way that Carlos Del Junco works is incredible and I never tire of hearing him play. He is in my opinion one of the modern masters of the instrument. I'll happily listen to and enjoy his music whether is "pre-arranged" or off the cuff.
Pertinent point Kingley...These ain't off the scuff of your pants "jam sessions" with no money being exchanged for goods delivered.
- they are "rehearsed performances" where it is the performers feel that will direct them when and were to mix things up - off the script so to speak...and still go home with a paycheck to get the bill collector off their back!
These guys Carlos etc. are "at work", that is their JOB ...to make it ALL SEEM LIKE MAGIC to the audience - hence - sets are rehearsed to keep that illusion alive.
That's why so many musicians are disillusioned once they get into a band - NOW "they Know" all the bullshit that goes into doing a show and it takes the MAGIC out of what once seemed so fascinating :)
You see "the show" for what it is now... hard work, discipline and perseverance! Where the audience sees a bunch of guys Livin' la Vida Loca - supposedly with out a care in the world :)
Last Edited by Frank on Jun 07, 2014 3:48 AM
