Martin
509 posts
Nov 05, 2013
3:25 PM
|
AS far as I know the earliest live recording of an amplified blues harp is James Cotton with Muddy W at Newport, 1960. (At least no one on Harp-list could gainsay this when I asked about it a few years ago.)
Cotton sounds like he´s going directly to the PA, and it´s rather muddy ... and not to exciting.
Then pretty close to that we have Slim Harpo, in 1961. Not a whole lot from that album, "Sting it then", on YT, but it´s interesting. Slim plays with a considerable punch -- more than on his studio material -- and appears to be singing in the same mic.
A really good blues document, despite the lo-fi quality.
Any knowledge of other early live recordings of amplified harp?
Many of us are likely to deplore the fact that nobody put a microphone in front of Little Walter on one of his club gigs when he was in his prime. But who knows, maybe he wouldn´t have sounded more interesting than Cotton in Newport?
|
5F6H
1692 posts
Nov 06, 2013
7:44 AM
|
Hi Martin,
I think it likely that Cotton is playing the bassman in the Newport '60 clip. The amp was kept at Muddy's house, Paul Oscher made mention of it being "Cotton's amp" & still being there when he was with the band. Muddy himself appears to be playing it in the Canadian Bluesmasters TV special, Cotton using an amp identified by Sonny Jr as a Lectrolab in that instance (but that is mid 60s by this time).
Butterfield's '63 session @ Big Johns recorded by Norman Dayron (An Offer You Can't Refuse) sounds amplified & very similar to the Elektra lost sessions (bassman).
There were some Muddy Waters tracks recorded at Carnegie Hall in April '59, two of which feature harp (player not confirmed - Washington/Cotton), I haven't heard these, may not even be amplified, but this looks like your best bet for trumping the Newport recording.
Little Walter was recorded live in the'60s...but nevertheless, a mic was stuck in front of his amp in the studio in the 50's...agreed it may not represent what he may have sounded like live, but the dry tracks (no reverb or delay) give us some idea of what he could sound like through an amp.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
http://www.facebook.com/markburness
Last Edited by 5F6H on Nov 06, 2013 7:45 AM
|
5F6H
1693 posts
Nov 06, 2013
8:47 AM
|
"There were some Muddy Waters tracks recorded at Carnegie Hall in April '59, two of which feature harp (player not confirmed - Washington/Cotton), I haven't heard these, may not even be amplified, but this looks like your best bet for trumping the Newport recording."
No dice there...
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
http://www.facebook.com/markburness
|
Martin
511 posts
Nov 06, 2013
4:39 PM
|
Thanks Mark, really interesting. Those Carnegie hall session were completely unknown to me (or if I´ve known about them, I´ve forgotten), as well as the Canadian Bluesmasters.
Unfortunately no amplified harmonica in Carnegie hall -- and, honestly, Isaac Washington is not very impressive ... Don´t understand his role in the band?
The LW tracks from the 60´s w/ amplification -- yes, I´m familiar with them. A terrible disappointment when I bought the record (sold it immediately) and I couldn´t for the life of me understand what had happened ... But I know better now.
|
TetonJohn
146 posts
Nov 06, 2013
5:59 PM
|
Coincidentally, I just happened to be looking at a John Lee Hooker DVD and see that Muddy's band including James Cotton is backing him up at 1960 Newport. Unfortunately, Cotton is way back in the mix (as is Hooker's guitar!). Hooker's vocals and Spann's piano are right there though. (DVD is Vestapol 13035.) When the camera goes briefly to Cotton, it's pretty blurry and hard to see what he's got (there is an amp right by him though, for what it's worth).
|
tmf714
2166 posts
Nov 06, 2013
6:11 PM
|
Theres a Gibson and a Gretsch here with the Bassman-it was Mudddys Bassman-the one he kept at his house.
Last Edited by tmf714 on Nov 06, 2013 6:13 PM
|
tmf714
2167 posts
Nov 06, 2013
6:12 PM
|
Hooker with Muddys Band-
|
TetonJohn
147 posts
Nov 06, 2013
6:19 PM
|
At the top of the thread, Martin says Cotton sounds like he is going through PA at Newport 1960. Cotton is clearly playing a bullet at 2:40 in the Mojo Working video.
MoJoNewport
Edit: Martin, maybe I misunderstood. You DO say it is the first live recording of amped harp -- so maybe you were just saying it nevertheless "sounds like" it's throug PA. Sorry if I misunderstood or misrepresented what you were saying.
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Nov 07, 2013 7:18 AM
|
5F6H
1696 posts
Nov 07, 2013
5:42 AM
|
@TMF714 "Theres a Gibson and a Gretsch here with the Bassman-it was Muddys Bassman-the one he kept at his house."
What looks like a wide panel Fender over by Hare, plus Gibson, Gretsch & bassman.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
http://www.facebook.com/markburness
Last Edited by 5F6H on Nov 07, 2013 5:50 AM
|
5F6H
1697 posts
Nov 07, 2013
5:49 AM
|
Muddy's guitar lead is dark & disappears against his suit, Cotton's mic lead is pale. The cord going into the bassman is pale.
I might have watched this one or two times...;-)
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
http://www.facebook.com/markburness
|
jbone
1407 posts
Nov 07, 2013
6:53 PM
|
Stop and consider- ALL P.A.'S in the early 60's were tube driven. Cotton could have very well player a high z bullet mic since low z was not common then.
----------
http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
|
