He's using a Super 64X. What he's doing is an untitled Little Walter instrumental that Kim Wilson did a cover on his Tigerman CD and retitled it Reel 11, Take 1. The LW instrumental was first issued on the LeRoi DeBlues bootleg series and is now on the LW 4 CD compilation. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
"Hot Shot" is on Dennis' Little Walter tribute CD called "I Just Keep Lovin' Him". On that cut he uses a chromatic in third and a G in second position.
That was Amazing! I keep looking for chromatic players now and I completely forgot about Dennis Gruenling. Kim and George are going to have to take a back seat.
The beauty of this is sooooo subtle. The lesson to be learned is for all those CLANG BANGING STICK HUMPING, HUGE CYMBAL THUMPING, CLOWN DRUMMERS wandering around thinking they are "blewssssss men". THIS is the way to do it. Watch this drummer and see him "stirring the soup" with those brushes...cool volume, the people love it, Dennis loves it as he captures all onlookers with his mastery of the 64. Yea, yea, yea,...I know, heard it all. "but, but, but, I play in big venues and nobody will hear me if I dont use my sticks". HORSEDUNG! If you need to be heard they can stick a mike on you..ONE MIKE ONLY! One of the best comments I ever heard from Toppy Vann, who played drums with Todd Rhodes for years, was..."the only time the audience should hear the drum or the bass is when they stop playing". Dennis is smart and he has his sidemen in line and if they don't like it or "feeeeeel restricted" then they can hit the road and join a rock&roll show. My salute to you "Mister D"..you making that BigMama do what she is supposed to do. Regards always, Douglas (aka "Old Grouchy")
Any you will not get that sound unless you toungeblock-no ifs,ands or buts. I beleive that's Tom Papadatos on drums-he was Popa Chubby's drummer for a lomg time-if you have never witnessed one of Popas shows-it's LOUD-but Tom is a drummers drummer. Well versed,soft spoken-can bring it if need be,but just a great all around drummer.
Any you will not get that sound unless you toungeblock-no ifs,ands or buts. @tmf714 I disagree totally, LP can get as good sound if not better!! As a one time drummer I totally agree with your comments about Tom Papadatos:)
"I disagree totally, LP can get as good sound if not better!!" Please-don't disgrace Dennis,George Smtih,Rod Piazza and Little Walter like that-if you think it can be done as good or better LP,then POST IT!!
I am not dissing anybody, just arguing that both playing techniques can achieve great tone; perhaps a mixture of both gives variety? Jason, John Popper and all you mention use LP as well as TB and maybe Adam Gussow. Same old boring argument which you are putting forward, who cares, let the tone speak
Right-and Dennis has better tone than any LP/LB -ANY LP/LB. BY the way,can I have some? Dennis TB 1OO% of the time-.
Last Edited by on Mar 20, 2011 4:31 PM
On the chromatic, yes. I would have to say it sound MUCH different when you lip purse and don't tongue block.
On a chromatic harmonica those famous BIG chords are 5 holes apart. I hardly think Anyone can get those lip pursed.
Also a HUGE part of the 3rd position blues stuff are the side to side tongue slaps. Also the subtle chuck sound inbetween every note.
I would challenge ANYONE to get the sound that Dennis Gruenling, Kim Wilson or George Smith get on Chromatic without tongue blocking. It's NOT just the tone. It's the intricate little things that add to the notes.
---------- ---Go Chicago Bears!!!---
Last Edited by on Mar 20, 2011 10:45 PM
Dennis is great at what he does! tmf714 is correct. You can not make that sound that dennis does without tongueblocking! I do not agree with 100% tbing, but his chrom tone is massive. You can't get it any other way! I agree with harmonicanick that a mixture of techniques is a better way of playing. Dennis does what he does perfect! John Popper? What variety is that? Jason has a lot of variety, but is in love with speed harp! The faster you play the more the tone suffers. That is a fact! Adam has very good tone and variety with a diatonic, but doesn't play chromatic. The tone that Dennis achieved doing that vibrato on the three draw is what we all try to achieve! That was perfect!
