I had never heard of this guy until about 20 minutes ago when I was listening the radio in work and the Eurythmics song "Missionary man" came on. I wasn't really listening to it until I heard a harp wailing and then I paid attention. When it finished I looked it up on Wiki and found out this guy was playing. Seems he's a bit of a wiz on sax, flute and harp and has had a very varied musical career.
What sort of music does he play now Chris? His Wiki article says he's done some Hip Hop,pop, rock and blues. I was impressed with his playing on the record above.
Hey Chris I just looked up his website...what a career this guy has had!! Seems to have been quite in demand in the 80s and 90s and working with Etta james and his own projects now.
Jimmy wont be at SPAH. He is going to be on the road with Etta James. He is from Sacramento. As a kid I used to stand at the back stage door and listen to him with his band Nightowl Express. His current band Z-tribe are awesome.
need to clear something up. Per an email, I realize this morning that the person I talked to yesterday calls himself Jimmie Z but is not Jimmie Zavala LOL
Last Edited by on Jul 11, 2009 5:45 AM
If anyone knows where to get a copy of the Eurythmics live I would be willing to trade a fully customized Marine Band on Corian or hardwood comb. This video was recorded live in Australia around 82 in believe. My copy is long since dead. I think mine was even on beta. I would even settle for a vhs copy. Jimmy's solo's on this are fantastic. I have been waiting forever for somebody to post it to youtube but it still hasnt happened. The solo on "Talking to an angel" has to be heard to be believed. Makes the hair stand up on my neck.
Last Edited by on Jul 11, 2009 11:01 PM
I haven't heard Jimmy Zavala play harp since the original track came out in the eighties until I heard this clip.
I know that a lot of you are going to disagree with me.
But I have to say that I was unimpressed by his playing here.
To me his amped tone didn't sound great. The overall solo sounded rushed and fairly repetitive. It was to me as if he was just going through the motions.
To be brutally honest this particular solo just bored the pants off me.
From what I remember of the album recordings the harp sounded a lot better and was played with infinitely more emotion than this live version. Obviously there is studio mixing to take into consideration. But his playing seemed a lot more controlled to me.
I did notice that he didn't look overly happy at the end of the clip. Maybe there were sound problems and he struggled to hear himself properly.
Who know maybe Jimmy was just having an off day.
Last Edited by on Jul 12, 2009 1:21 AM
Actually your right on one point. Jimmy was hung over from partying all night and the band went on at 9:30 in the morning. He was also kinda freaked out about playing in front of 100,000 people. But yes, this was not even his best playing. The original studio version of this song had Stevie Wonder on harp. Mark Feltham has also done this with them. Marks version of "Thin line between love and hate" with Annie Lennox is great.
I dont think so. Unless that is a re-release.I have been checking on amazon and havent seen it in a long time. The title is just " Eurythmics live" Actually, I think it came out around 1984 not as previously stated 1982. Kingley, your right about it sounding rushed. I have never been a saxaphone fan, but after I saw him live at Harvelles I was sold. His old drummer from his first band told me he could play sax 1 year after picking it up as well as he can now. Which is saying a lot. He freakin slays on sax. He plays a mean flute too. But I dont think I could ever get into flute. Too "Anchorman" for me. AQUALUNG!!!
Me ears pricked up when I heard " there must be an angel " a couple of weeks ago, after not hearing it for a long time. Now that I am into harp I googled it and discovered that Stevie Wonder played on it as Genesis says. The thing I found amazing quoting Wiki:
"Wonder took up piano at age seven, and had mastered it by age nine. During his early childhood he was active in his church choir. He also taught himself to play the HARMONICA and the drums, and had MASTERED BOTH BY AGE TEN."
