Header Graphic
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Ten harmonica solos that rock (?)
Ten harmonica solos that rock (?)
Login  |  Register
Page: 1

Martin
1225 posts
Aug 22, 2017
4:16 AM
Perhaps a useful reminder of what non-harmonica players consider the non plus ultra of the instrument in pop/rock contexts:
https://rockmyworld.com/10-harmonica-solos-that-rock/
AppalachiaBlues
43 posts
Aug 22, 2017
5:31 AM
fake news ;-)
florida-trader
1186 posts
Aug 22, 2017
7:02 AM
Pretty lame list. And to top it off, Heart of Gold is listed twice.

1, “Bring It On Home” by Led Zeppelin

2, “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen

3, “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young

4, “What I Like About You” by The Romantics

5, “Run-Around” by Blues Traveler

6, “Midnight Rambler” by The Rolling Stones

7, “Piano Man,” by Billy Joel

8, “The Promised Land,” by Bruce Springsteen

9, “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young

10, “Love Me Do” by The Beatles
----------
Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Blue Moon Harmonicas
kudzurunner
6335 posts
Aug 22, 2017
7:07 AM
Hard to believe they could leave this one off the list:


----------


Beyond the Crossroads: The Devil and the Blues Tradition (UNC Press, 2017)
Martin
1226 posts
Aug 22, 2017
9:09 AM
@kudzurunner: Watch it now, Jimmy Z is "the best harmonica player in the universe", according to Dave Stewart. Then, of course, he can disregard such stuff as chords and scales and just keep going with his minor 7th riffing.
Mirco
529 posts
Aug 22, 2017
9:26 AM
Not fake news.

I think this is good information to know. Harmonica players, like any hobbyists, can get tunnel vision. We focus in on details and sometimes lose sight of the big picture. We can be elitist and snobbish.

This is a reminder that what is popular does not have to be technically challenging. I can't think of anything that Little Walter or Junior Wells played that eclipses the popularity of "Piano Man." I love that harp part in "What I Like About You". It really fits and it adds so much to the song.

I am really surprised that Whammer Jammer is not on there, but maybe that doesn't count as a solo. Maybe it's classified as an instrumental. Does solo imply that it's only part of a longer musical piece?
----------
Marc Graci
YouTube Channel

Last Edited by Mirco on Aug 22, 2017 9:29 AM
hvyj
3454 posts
Aug 22, 2017
9:47 AM
@Martin: I dunno...sounds to me like Jimmy Z is moving through the chord changes rather adroitly. Keep in mind that the harp solo on the original recording of this tune was played by Stevie Wonder on a chromatic.
6SN7
736 posts
Aug 22, 2017
10:03 AM
Long Train Running by The Doobies.
But then again, it's the greatest "biker harp" solo of all time
Maraboy
23 posts
Aug 22, 2017
12:37 PM
How about the solo in Tina Turners "What's love got to do with it" between 2:04-2:24 I'm not even sure if it's played on harmonica or synthesizer, however it can be played easily on harp. It is not fast and not bluesy so it is a harmonica solo that rocks and at least 25 000 000 people have heard it, mara
ps. so listen it and tell me is it a real harmonica or not. https://youtu.be/oGpFcHTxjZs
Honkin On Bobo
1464 posts
Aug 22, 2017
12:50 PM
Hahaha......the promise of the internet, where any Schmendrick with enough money to afford an internet connection, computer and copy of web page design for dummies can post a best 10 Harmonica Solos list and get people who actually know something about harmonicas and harmonica solos talking about it. You gotta love it.

I'll confess, on the strength of Tom pointing out that the list had Heart of Gold on it TWICE (I guess that makes it a top 9 list, we'll let Neil keep the 9 spot and everbody else can move up one), I went to the website. Safe to say, I never would have known it existed except for being mentioned here, and I'll most assuredly never be going back. So this list being devoid of absolutely any rhyme or reason comports perfectly with the quality of the site. Hey, they got a top 5 Led Zeppelin songs list too. Anyone care to guess what's number one? Hint: rhymes with Fairway to Leaven.

Yeah, the list itself is truly laughable. I'm usually not a fan of lists to begin with because generally there'll be a clam or two in there and a few that everybody thinks should have made it that didn't. But this one? Hahahahaha.
And that's about all you can say.

Last Edited by Honkin On Bobo on Aug 22, 2017 1:25 PM
timeistight
2177 posts
Aug 22, 2017
1:19 PM
It's a Yamaha DX7, not a harmonica:
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-tina-turner-whats-love-got-do-it
Mirco
530 posts
Aug 22, 2017
3:00 PM
I think I would be remiss by not pointing out possibly one of the greatest solos that rock (solo starts around 5:30):

----------
Marc Graci
YouTube Channel
Joe_L
2756 posts
Aug 22, 2017
3:58 PM
Bruce Willis is a musical genius. I find his playing musically inspiring.

----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
nowmon
140 posts
Aug 23, 2017
4:35 AM
For a harp solo the first thing that hit`s me,and this is solo start and finish..."Every things gonna be alright" Paul butterfield blues band,live at Woodstock he,doittoit.and "suicide blond"too.....

Last Edited by nowmon on Aug 23, 2017 4:39 AM
Rontana
431 posts
Aug 23, 2017
5:35 AM
A bit of somewhat OT info on how these lists are produced

Every day I trip over ads for blogs/companies/websites seeking writers for lists (commonly called "listicles" . . . a bastardization "list" and "article"). They're generally very low-paying tasks (maybe $10 for 500 - 1,000 words) and typically specify that applicants need not have writing experience or expertise in the assigned topic.

Listicles are popular because attentions spans (average Internet users) have become too short to read anything over about 400-500 words. Or, at least that's what the industry believes.

It's all click-bait stuff, as is much of the Net. Companies simply want ever-changing content - and quality doesn't matter - because loads and loads of new content scores relatively well on the current Google algorithms. The "bots" don't/can't factor in aspects such as truth, research, readability, etc.

Long gone are the days where a music aficionado (or a writer willing to do tons of research) would attempt a piece of this nature. Now, such stuff is written by anyone willing to work for crumbs.

The Net killed the freelance writing business; rates for freelance (on average) are FAR lower now than they were in the 1980s.

Last Edited by Rontana on Aug 23, 2017 5:43 AM
Martin
1228 posts
Aug 23, 2017
5:38 AM
@hvyj: There are no right and wrongs here, and if it sounds good it sounds good. But I cringe a little when I hear his repeated min 7´s. (Not so on Stevie W´s very elegant original solo.)
Jimmy Z is a player for whom the harp only lives in 2nd pos, and here might be a case where another player would have chosen a C or G harp.

Aside from that Jimmy is extremely skilled at those fast holes 4 and 5 riffs -- and consequently he uses them a lot.
John M G
156 posts
Aug 23, 2017
6:30 AM
Whammer Jammer and Magic Dick have got to be on the list for sure.
Honkin On Bobo
1465 posts
Aug 23, 2017
6:45 AM
Rontana, there was more information in your comment than on that entire website. Nice job. I expected as much, looking at some of the stuff on the internet these days, but some of the details you posted were interesting.

Last Edited by Honkin On Bobo on Aug 23, 2017 6:51 AM
groyster1
2995 posts
Aug 25, 2017
11:48 AM
surprised to see thom doucette solo on done somebody wrong not mentioned
1847
4398 posts
Aug 25, 2017
5:46 PM
groyster... that was the big one wasn't it?
----------
.600_439660165
1847
4399 posts
Aug 25, 2017
5:52 PM


it took me 35 years before i ever learned what the hell that first verse was...........

the bell has tolled.. my baby done caught that train and gone. sometimes its the mystic that gets to you.

Last Edited by 1847 on Aug 31, 2017 5:49 PM
groyster1
2997 posts
Aug 26, 2017
5:42 AM
@1847.....the man made his mark on that solo
Andrew
1632 posts
Aug 27, 2017
10:20 AM
The Bruce Willis track is fascinating.
When it begins you think, oh ho, not so bad.
Then you realise it's mainly sound effects.
Then you realise it hasn't gone anywhere yet.
Then you realise it's not going to go anywhere.
Then you wonder whether you are going to die of boredom or if you should maybe top yourself to end it all.
----------
Andrew.
-----------------------------------------

Last Edited by Andrew on Aug 27, 2017 10:21 AM
groyster1
2998 posts
Aug 28, 2017
2:27 PM
this was over my head.....have no clue what youre saying
groyster1
2999 posts
Aug 28, 2017
2:31 PM
long train running harp solo was done by norton buffalo in studio.....saw doobies in knoxville,tn.....the harp solo by whoever sucked.....I could have done better.....and so could many members much better
Buzadero
1303 posts
Aug 28, 2017
6:59 PM
<>

Really? I've always heard a different story.


----------
~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
MBH poster since 11Nov2008
1847
4414 posts
Aug 31, 2017
5:41 PM


not the least bit lame. one of the best harmonica solos of all time. iconic.

Last Edited by 1847 on Aug 31, 2017 5:44 PM


Post a Message



(8192 Characters Left)


Modern Blues Harmonica supports

§The Jazz Foundation of America

and

§The Innocence Project

 

 

 

ADAM GUSSOW is an official endorser for HOHNER HARMONICAS