Here's a terrific bit of interview footage, with Adler telling stories and playing piano & harmonica simultaneously--and tastefully. This will interest many here, I think:
Brilliant, world class musician. Interestingly, he was not enamored of blues harmonica or blues harmonica players, save for Sonny Terry, who he once he admired greatly. ---------- Ted Burke http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VPUDjK-ibQ&feature=relmfu
Obviously, this man is a talented musician who works hard at his craft, but I was reminded of another recent thread on harp players and musicianship when he said he chose harmonica because he knew he did not have the dicipline to put in the time it would take to master the piano!
Larry's the reason my folks bought me a few Chinese tremolos, then a 270 Chrom. when I was just a boy..............(welled up a bit at the end of that!) @ STME58, but then he says....' I found I had a "facility" for playing it (harp)'.....! ;~} ---------- One of Rubes's bands, DadsinSpace-MySpace Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
Last Edited by on Dec 02, 2012 11:22 PM
He was probably the very first harmonica player to play classic music on the instrument and to this day is still the only harmonica player respected by the classical music community. During the McCarthy era, where people were often falsely black listed for allegedly being communist (and McCarthy eventually was exposed as a fraud), he renounced his US citizenship and became a citizen of the UK. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
In terms of actually no brainer sort of respect, unfortunately it's still true tho some of the younger parts of the community has more respect than the older part of it, which is ironic because there are also so many really amazing classical players in Asia. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I love Larry Adler! At Spah 2011,I saw Stan Harper's performance and was totally blown away. He did a jazz piece and a classical piece. 89 years old and I didn't see any sheets in front of him. All from memory.
BBQBob--How about John Sebastian Sr. & Riley?
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2012 8:51 AM
You're talking about John Sebastian Sr., who was a monster player (father of the man who played several instruments including harmonica with the band Lovin' Spoonful and did the theme of the 70's TV show Welcome Back Kotter), and Tommy Reilly was also a great player who helped set up the outrageously expense chromatic designed for classical players, the Hohner Silver Concerto.
When it comes to those two, the respect level from the classical community isn't even remotely close to what Larry Adler gets. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
You're talking about John Sebastian Sr., who was a monster player (father of the man who played several instruments including harmonica with the band Lovin' Spoonful and did the theme of the 70's TV show Welcome Back Kotter), and Tommy Reilly was also a great player who helped set up the outrageously expense chromatic designed for classical players, the Hohner Silver Concerto.
When it comes to those two, the respect level from the classical community isn't even remotely close to what Larry Adler gets. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
It was no secret that Larry Adler did not like the sound or the players of what he called "the short harp" (except for Sonny Terry).
I had lunch with him in Trossingen during one of the World Competitions in the 90's. It was interesting to me how everyone totally avoided him that few days, especially out in public - either intimidated or scared to talk with him.
He was sitting alone at his table when I introduced myself and asked if it would be OK to join him. He was pretty nice, does not think much of the USA because of the McCarthy Era Red Scare, which caused him to leave the country.
Later on, after my diatonic competition piece, a lot of attendees almost fell over when he came up to me, shook my hand and told me he enjoyed the sound of my "short harp". I guess this was pretty rare. ---------- The Iceman
Impressive. Since he lived in England, Mr Adler might have been accustomed to the british humor? So you should have replied "your chromatic isn't bad, either!" The case may be that he composed and played a Blues called "Screws Blues" after having heard your playing?
The first time that I ever heard of him was around the year after Muddy Waters died. I was in a band that played a tribute to Muddy about a block from where he lived. We played a hour long set that was supposed to be a tribute to Muddy. Afterward, an older person came up to me and said, "you are a fine harmonica player. Your playing reminds me of Larry Adler.". I said, "thanks". I had no clue who Larry Adler was. It was many years later before I found out who he was. ---------- The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by on Dec 03, 2012 7:29 PM
Bob, would you not say that Cham Ber Huang is at least as respected as Larry Adler? I am not part of the classical music community, but it seems silly to say Huang is not respected. I had the pleasure of hearing him several times at the Jackson Hole Music Festival and even to meet him once. I've seen him described by eminent classical musicians as the greatest classical harmonica player of all time. Indeed, he played Carnegie Hall with Larry Adler. I do believe he gets respect.
Rick, I agree with you that he should be respected just as much as Larry, but when I'm talking about the classical music community, it means the entire spectrum of not only fans of the music, but people who play all of the different instruments being employed in the music as well, so what I'm saying is based on the larger view, rather than, as what you're saying, is the classical HARMONICA community, which definitely does respect guys like Cham Ber Huang, and many others as well, and by compaision, the classical harmonica community is a tiny niche compared to the classical music community as a whole. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Bob, I would disagree that respect for Cham Ber Huang was limited to the "classical harmonica community." The Jackson Hole Music Festival -- where he was the featured artist in residence -- was not a harmonica event.
Robert Bonfiglio is a classical harmonica player who earns $6000.00 for a performance with great orchestras around the world. I think that kind of money indicates respect
As much as I love Cham-Ber's and Robert's playing, when it comes to respect, violinists like a Jasca Heifetz, Ytzchack Pehrlman, or a cellist like Yo Yo Ma, have FAR more respect from the classical community than all of the great classical harp players combined, and that's a cold, hard truth. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Bob, that may be true but that is not what we are discussing. You said Larry Adler "to this day is still the only harmonica player respected by the classical music community." The only one? That is nonsense.