I know we've had other threads on Bad News Brown, but he's probably worth additional discussion. I don't know how many kids have been prompted to pick up a harmonica as a result of seeing or hearing him, but he's arguably one of the handful of notable popularizers of the instrument right now.
Take a look at this brief preview piece. He makes it clear that the harmonica was something he deliberately added to his act as a way of doing something new, something that would set him apart from the pack. The Little Walter urge all over again--if not, obviously, expressing itself as harp virtuosity per se. But that drive to distinguish onself, to make a name.
His most popular video on YouTube is remarkable not really for the harp playing, but for the way that BNB has placed the harmonica at the center of his hip hop iconography. The video is full of harmonica fetishism: BNB sucks on it, diddles it, cradles it, dances with it, holds it out as an offering.
The melody itself is only occasionally bluesy, but it's certainly catchy. Much sweeter than one would expect in hip hop. Almost middle-of-the-road stuff.
Needless to say, if anybody here thinks they have an inroad with BNB's management, I'd be delighted to make him our guest at Hill Country Harmonica. Maybe North Mississippi could be the backdrop for his next video........
The only thing I would like too would be vocals, I don't know if the hip hop community could stand harmonica instrumentals in that style for too long.
But harps with good vocals that would be a killer combination.
However I think the production value of the video is awesone, and as Adam says, it's great to see a good player getting the instrument outside of blues box.
In fact minor and major pentatonic scales cand be played almost over 90% of todays western popular music (rock, pop, electro, hip hop etc.) (I'm not talking about blues licks of course)it just depends of phrasing. Phrasing is what turns that scale into music.
But kudos to bad News Brown, I hope he gets further with his show and gives a showmanshi of his cappabilities.
---------- With some latin flavour for you, chico!! :P
That was cool, I have never heard of him, but will do some research now. Smooth sounding harp . ---------- Various Musical ramblings http://www.youtube.com/user/sjeter61?feature=mhum
My brother saw him in june, he was one of the perfomers at the formula one party. He had the chance to chat with him. My bro was really impressed buy the guy. BNB knows he's doing something unique and he's focussed on achiving is goals.
Martin ---------- Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov
I've been following him for a while now. In my opinion, he, and a select few others, are "it" for the future of the harmonica in popular music. It's clear that there needs to be more avenues than trad blues country and jazz for the harp. IMO, Hip hop, Reggae, Ska, Punk, Indie, Electronica, etc. are all genres that the modern harmonicist should be exploring, and BNB is doing his thang in the hip hop world. It's sweet stuff! ---------- -------------------------------------- View my videos on YouTube!"
Came home after a really bad day (bad weather, bad traffic, bad people - everything bad), and am cheered up by this superb posting.
This is just what I am talking about - a different approach to using the (some would say) humble harmonica, and not easy to guess where it came from - a Lee Oscar fan doing some hip hop?, or a hip hop fan doing some pop?, or a blues harp fan doing someting different?
Above everything else, this guy strikes me as a very good musician - I wouldn't be surprised if he can play Little Walter riffs aswell!
Adam, I haven't been in the forum long enough to have seen the other threads on this guy, but for me you hit the bullseye with this one mate - thanks for posting!
What is BNB's connection with Lee Oskar? He mentions Lee on his myspace page.
'Huge shout out to my good friend, sponsor and multi-platinum harmonica legend LEE OSKAR for his generosity and support.'
Is BNB an endorser for Lee Oskar? Did BNB ever study harmonica with Lee? There seems to be a few videos of BNB and Lee Oskar on youtube playing together.
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2010 1:48 PM
I've met and talked with Lee-he is a great guy. No doubt he's thrilled to see his namesake instrument being introduced to a whole new genre and crowd. Maybe he took him under his wing, too. It's a win-win situation for him. Kids idolize their musical heroes, and for them to see this particular one playing harmonicas that say LEE OSKAR on them-guess what brand they'll be buying if the harmonica 'calls' them? I think it's great that this guy and others like him(if there are any)are making a name for the harmonica in an unusual(to the harmonica) genre. ----------
Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2010 2:23 PM
Let me be clear about where I stand: BNB is not a virtuoso harp player by any stretch of the imagination. Heart2Harp has him beat, hands down. But as a performer, a creative artist, a pop artist who is trying to take WHAT he can do on the harp and redeploy it in a compelling way, he's extremely interesting. He's clearly caught the public imagination, and the harp is part of what has helped him do that. So he's worth paying close attention to.
Even as I say that--and my comments about the harp playing are referring mostly to what I hear in the video directly above--I find his harp riffs in the first video I posted to be surprisingly catchy in their own right. Listen to that melody starting around 1:10. It's bluesier than I gave it credit for. I'm tempted to tab it out and make a buck teaching it to kids who want to learn it. He's got something going on. And he's DEFINITELY got the visual aspect going on. Lee Oskar is a smart man for hooking up with him.
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2010 8:45 PM
From an originality standpoint, well, no one can argue that... from a musicality standpoint. i think it shines moreso than the latter. the simplicity of the tune and the middle of the road playing is what makes it what it is. if he were all over the place it wouldnt fit in the genre, much less with the groove.
i think the song in the first vid, in particular, will go down in history and be highly revered by future generations much as we do LW today. mainly because hes new and we are sure to expect more things.
eh what do i know...edit: there is also plenty of over overdubbing in that tune. almost impossible to play with the feeling close to the cut if you were to do it live, unless you had a pardner... ---------- Kyzer's Travels Kyzer's Artwork
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2010 9:37 PM
This kind of thing needs to be happening more. Fusion is how music grows. I think he could make a huge impact...
I'm waiting for someone to turn up their gain to a ridiculous level and do some dubstep-related stuff. I tried, but I am not really qualified to be pushing the limits like that, I'm not proficient enough with a harmonica.
This is definitely a positive thing, and I dig his songs. They have a Jazzmatazz vibe (Guru's series of jazz-based rap albums from the 90s), but the harp gives them a unique feel.
Sounds like he likes to use the LO Melody Maker. Any one have another guess as to which model he uses. To me the 1st and 3rd clip here sounds like a Melody Maker... which I've never really heard anyone use on a recording to my knowledge.
If he gets in to some beat box/looping I think he would blow up huge. Would be cool to wrangle him in for HCH 2011 !
Adam - you'll be pleased to know he started out busking on the streets of Montreal.
I've been listening to his album "Born-2-Sin" - using a few minor keyed harps here and there. If you like hiphop it's definitely worth checking out - not the best rapper in the world and lyrical content-wise nothing groundbreakingly original, but he has a style of his own and clearly a very different set of musical influences from the majority of hip-hop artists.
I think he's doing great things, i know he might not be the best harp player out there but if it gets kids to check out his video's on you tube, the next thing you know they've stummbled across Adams lessons or Jason Ricci and bam!!! you got loads of kids picking up a harmonica which is great in my book.
I also like the melody's he plays, it seems to click with what he's doing. I would buy his album just to check it out. ----------
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2010 9:37 PM
