Magic's solo starts at about 1:45, but I'd highly encourage listrening to the whole track. Listening to Magic Dick is a masterclass in everything dealing with amped up harp in a blues rock band. The call and response, and weaving in and out with Geils and Seth Justman. His comping. So cool.
As an aside I was at this very show at Boston Garden back in 1975. Well one of the two shows that comprise the album. The other being at Cobo Hall in Detroit a few days later I think. It was "festival seating" on the floor back then, which meant no seats at all, just stand wherever you want. Me and a few friends were about six rows back packed in like sardines with barely enough room to beathe. I loved every minute of it. The band killed it. We could barely hear ourselves think. The whole place was ROCKIN. Good times.
Last Edited by Honkin On Bobo on Jan 13, 2017 10:28 AM
i could listen to the mighty flyers recording repeatedly, and play along with it for hours, same with the j geils track. and i have.
but with some of these older recordings like the jr parker track, once or twice and i have little or no desire to ever play it again.
a lot of the songs were before my time. they just do not resonate with me the same way. it is almost like they are the cover, and not the original.
some of these players would sit in with rod's band or bill clarke'e band,
shakey jake, george smith. heck even jimmy rogers. hell everyone has played with rod's band.
sometimes it seems to me that the flyers are under rated, but they are up there with the best of them. part of the stratosphere, upper echelon top flight, one percenters.
they did several songs by jr parker, which escape me at the moment.
Paul deLay - Say What You Mean Baby, Alan Wilson - Boogie Chillen with Hooker, Sonny Boy II - Down Child and My Younger Days, Big Walter - Trouble in Mind, Little Walter - Blues With a Feeling, Buterfield - One More Heartache, Snooky Prior - Work With Me Annie, Slim Harpo - Scratch My Back.
These two solos sort of encapsulate the spectrum of my harmonica tastes. One, a Jason Ricci pyrotechnic display of modern incendiary playing and the other a Joe Filisko medley of authentic pre-war train songs. Each represents the pinnacle of their respective pieces of the harmonica "pie."
I actually wanted to share Joe's performance on David Barrett's "History of the Blues Harmonica" concert recording (which is superb, BTW), but thankfully I couldn't find a pirated version. So I'll share his train song medley from the 2006 NHL Festival.
And I can't let a thread on blues harp solos go by without paying homage to one of the very best, Walter Horton as he plays "Walter's Boogie." I particularly like this version.
Great thread, BTW, Killa. I never tire of learning about other's favorite blues harp solos. I always discover new gems.
Michelle
---------- SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
Last Edited by mlefree on Jan 15, 2017 11:36 AM
1847 ... yea thanks, that was kindof the point. When Bee originally posted this, i just really couldn't think of any in that short range. It was tough. And it was really bugging me for a few days, for some reason... lol. I even had it in mind as i was listening to music all day for a few days striaght, and still couldn't really come up with much.
Btw I like your post: "a lot of the songs were before my time. they just do not resonate with me the same way. it is almost like they are the cover, and not the original."
Yeah what I meant was one or two choruses. Could be a 16 bar progression, or an 8 bar (although many records slip into a standard 12 bar for solos even if they are 8 bar verses and bridge eg: just your fool, ain't got you)
Wow, love that Paul delay track bluethird thanks for posting, and agree with Mooncat on Silly Smile. What I love about Paul deLay is that his playing was so melodic and so unique. You'll barely ever hear him play any clichéd blues licks. There's not been a player like him before or since. Genius!
Solo or instrumentel, Little Walter, Roller coaster ride.Since 1968 I`ve been learning something new every time I hear it. a lot OF JAZZ SAX IN THIS...
i am really getting to like the original version of.... in the dark... thanks for posting that.
here is is another modern classic by the late great lester butler. it took forever for this asthmatic to develop enough breath control to hold that note, for what seemed like all twelve bars, when in reality it is on 4 bars long.
lester would do it with a cigarette in hand. LOL....
@1847 -- Lester Butler wasn't the only harp player who has had to deal with asthma problems and I can tell you that I also deal with that from time to time and the late, great jazz chromatic player Toots Thielemans dealt with that for many years also and I know of a number of others as well who deal with it. I quit smoking some 44 years ago and when I see someone with asthma smoking, it makes me crazy because that's pretty damned dumb and reckless and it only makes that situation worse. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
sorry i did not mean to imply lester was asthmatic , i was referring to myself. i typically play with reasonably hard breath, but there is no way to play an extended note like that without using the lightest breath possible. it is also necessary to completely relax as well.
it is a great technique to master, if ever you find yourself playing with 3 or 4 harp players on stage, just let them wail away, then step up and play just one long note. guaranteed to bring the house down without even trying.
This is my holy grail. I've never heard anything so compelling and musically right. It's the most significant piece of harmonica playing I've ever heard and one of the longest solos I've ever wanted to be able to play. Just amazing.
Really love this one...maybe because I know it so well after transcribing it (starting at 1:38)
This is incredibly musical (at 4:47). Great things happen if there is enough space for the harmonica. This is often the case in quieter, acoustic settings. Some beautiful things about our instrument get lost playing amplified.
I think most of the views on this one are from me. I know Adam posted it a while back. I just love that Ronnie goes places you don't expect and very little repetition if any. A true blues artist. This is from our Shared Harvest Harmonica Retreat down here in Dunnville, Ontario. With the super talented Suzie Vinnick metronoming her way for Ronnie on guitar. June 24th, 25th and 26th 2017 this year will feature Adam Gussow, Mike Stevens and Roly Platt.
Last Edited by kham on Jan 20, 2017 7:47 AM
Recently I have been really impressed by a non-blues 1st position solo on the song "You're Spookin' the Horses" in the "Ralph's Last Show" live double album. The solo is a really effective use of harmonica in a folk/rock/country genre. Willie P. Bennett plays excellent harmonica and mandolin on the album, also offering vocal harmony, I believe.
I like Fred Eaglesmith's writing, and had never before heard of Bennett before attending a show and buying the album. Unfortunately Fred's band "The Flying Squirrels" was gone before I went to the show, so I didn't get to see Bennett perform.
The harp solo is around 2:40, but the whole song is cool. There is no extraordinary technique used, just a solo with very different choices of notes, played competently in live performance.
EDIT: Apparently this live album cut is no longer available on YouTube. ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Feb 18, 2017 8:51 AM
@gamblershand That Delay "Can't Quit You" song is some great stuff right there. Thanks for putting that out. Gotta buy me some more Paul Delay. I've been listening to I Worry Sometimes right now from the Delay Does Chicago album.
pull them up on youtube, click share, embed and cut and paste.
Damn that's some sick playing.
MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
Last Edited by bluemoose on Feb 19, 2017 9:17 PM
