Here's a nice RJ Mischo video that demonstrates his exquisite tone and timing. He's being backed by a star-studded cast, including the fabulous Barrelhouse Chuck.
We had not heard of RJ in the UK hardly at all, till he was named on this forum, and we heard him playing, again exquisitely, on the Mark Hummel Blues Harp Meltdown 3 recordings.
Barrelhouse Chuck, wow, what a performer and again not known over here.
RJ toured the UK a few years back, BB & the Blues Shacks ably supplied the backing...We saw him midweek in Crawley & it was so good we saw them again 3 nights later in London. Bumped into RJ & the band in a coffee shop on the way to the venue & had opportunity for a good old chat. He's a great guy, friendly, humorous, open & enthusiastic...not to mention a hell of a player & a voice to die for.
He was pretty well known in the UK prior to this largely due to the album "Ready To Go" (1992), with Percy Strother & Teddy Kid Morgan. Some tracks off this session made it on to the highly recommended "Gonna Rock Tonight", "Cool Disposition" had also been released a few years before his UK visit, as had "Rough & Tough - Live in Germany". However, as with many US acts, the bulk of the work is in Belgium, Holland & Germany...UK is often bypassed. Mind you, if you're not far from the Chunnel/Eurostar, you can get to Belgium/Hollnd in about the same time as you can get from Surrey to Manchester.
I attended Amandas Rollercoaster all 3 days-RJ stayed in the same hotel,so I got to hang out with him quite frequently. He's easy going and very polite-also willing to part with some of his knowledge. He told me he is forgoing amps and bullet mics in favor of playing through the PA. He said he was sick and tired of soundmen not being able to get him in the mix correctly.
I like his singing,but I know this is gonna get me some flack, I'm not a fan of his harp playing. I find it cliched and boring. I know Chris is laughing now. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
What's the point of your post Emile? Is that the extent of your contribution...a negative comment when it would have been so much easier to pass it by? We could all make a point of saying what we don't like (you've been spared the sword a few times in this respect yourself, "people in glass houses" & all that)...fair enough, where "constructive criticism" is requested, then I'll give it...but as my grandmother used to say, "If you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing"...I'll add another little quote that is relevant, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are an idiot, rather than open it & confirm the fact." Then the sickest part of all, you bring up the late Mr Michalek, in the hope that your mention of his name will give you some credence. You're not a well man. Your post pretty well represents much of what is negative & ugly in this forum.
When RJ played the 100 Club, many of the hottest harp players in the London area were there to see him (over the 2 nights I saw him, most of the SE UK players of note attended). One of the best turned to me afterwards and said, "I've just realised I don't spend enough time with the harp in my mouth"...RJ has a pretty distinct tone & style, he executes his playing with a hard won fluency. You may not be obliged to like it, but you'd be a fool to not respect it.
A review is personal. If you want rubber stamps then the list is pointless. I stand by my body work that anyone can review and critique. www.youtube.com/diggsblues I made no personnel attack on anyone. I gave my opinion on art. Though I seemed to be being attacked. I considered Chris a friend and he always made me laugh. We shard a lot on the old Buddha's Garden. Don't spare the sword. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
For Emile's benefit, remember who said this: "I think most large cities have a very good harmonica player living there. When I lived in Minneapolis, there were people like RJ Mischo, Clint Hoover and Curtis Blake... some of the best players around."
That's right, Chris Michalek, Jul 13 2009, his 817th post on this forum. There are better ways to remember Chris than fantasising over his collaboration on your negative posts. He never needed anyone to speak for him when he was alive...why think he'd thank you for it now.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 8:03 AM
@ Emile, "Though I seemed to be being attacked." There's no "seem" about it. Hardly a surprise, when you previously said, "but I know this is gonna get me some flack," You know full well you were playing devil's advocate (again), someone was going to bite, today it's me.
Your "comments on art" don't sound much like a genuine critique to me, should you take up the critic's column in the local paper be sure to specify that they don't pay you by the word/column inches ;-) Your comment was glib & flippant & that is what has primarily got my goat. I don't like everything that RJ has done, like anyone with 6+ albums to their name, there might be some stuff that doesn't scale the heights of the best stuff, but I doubt very much that you have bothered to look into the subject matter in any depth. You want to be a critic fine, then put in the work & accept that there's away of doing things.
I avoided criticising you on this forum, because you make the music that makes you happy (like all of us...apart from full time session players) you don't play specifically for my benefit. If someone else likes what you do, it's not for me to tell them they are wrong, any more than I should be dictating their favourite flavour of milkshake. If they like it...hell, I'll let them have their moment.
I see nothing wrong with Diggs's post, either. I agree with him. My first response to RJ's playing in this particular video was, "That does nothing for me." This surprised me, because somebody sent me a dub of one of his CDs a couple of years ago and it blew me away. On that CD he had a massive sound, huge tone, lot of personality. He could play Little Walter stuff as well as anybody, but he also had his own thing. That doesnt come through here--at least for me, and for Diggs, apparently. This forum is strong enough to allow for honest disagreements. And specific YouTube performances by individual players don't always reflect the best that a player has to offer. I'm quite sure that that's the case here.
@5F6H: Please don't use words like "sickest" to characterize the posts of another forum member. That sort of language violates the forum creed.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 7:57 AM
Advisory: the moon is full, right now as I write. Let's all find a way of remaining friends. Keep those fangs hidden, my friends. We're just talking harp here. No big deal.
The official 4 DVD set of the full performances filmed by a large company with state of the art equipment from Amanadas Rollercoaster should be out later this summer. It will give you a better idiom of RJ's playing.
I agree with Diggs. I don't understand why so many people have been raving about RJ's harp playing. This has perplexed me, so I started listening to his stuff on YouTube to determine what it is about his playing that is supposed to be such a big deal and I have been consistently underwhelmed.
I mean, he has decent tone and decent time, but other than that, rather pedestrian. Competent, but otherwise, NBD, IMHO.
I wouldn't have posted this gratuitously, but since the subject has come up and is apparently generating some controversy, I decided to stop keeping my opinion on this to myself and weigh in. FWIW.
I think there are a lot of guys trying to do what RJ does and few really doing it. Let's make a list of living guys really trying to play traditional blues only who are accomplishing it. I may make some people mad with my list: Barath Paul Oscher Steve Guyger I really can't come up with too many. Most folks who are capable of playing traditionally get into stylistic elements that are slightly modern like Gruenling, Wilson, Estrin, Shellist or dare I say it, other folks aren't really playing at a completely pro level in the traditional style.
I may be biased because I've seen RJ quite a bit and he is a good friend of mine.
RJ is a fantastic Blues player. He's got a great sense of dynamics, tone and timing. He plays what fits even if that means playing nothing at all. He's very knowledgeable about all idioms of the Blues genre.
When he relocated to the area a number of years ago, he was quickly welcomed on the scene and had quite a bit of success. A lot of great players have passed through his bands and went on to play with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Charlie Musselwhite, Rick Estrin and a number of other bands. Anyone that has ever worked or played with RJ respects him, not only as a person, but a player.
Since he relocated to Arkansas, he tours the area a couple of times a year. Musicians turn out for him in a huge way. His performances tend to bring out darn near all of the best players around that normally aren't seen on the scene, unless they are performing.
Some people may consider his playing "rather pedestrian" or underwhelming. Those people tend to be in the minority. He is man enough to put his music out there and be heard.
Finally, Chris Michalek left a pretty significant trail of his thoughts on the Internet. His comments about RJ and his playing are out there. His opinion on RJ and his playing is pretty easy to find. He has left us. Does he really need a mouthpiece? He didn't need one when he was here. His words spoke for themselves.
Additionally, it was daylight when I wrote this. The full moon was not in the sky.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 10:08 AM
I'm looking forward to meeting RJ one of these days and hearing him play in person. I have no doubt that he's an exciting live player.
I did a little poking around and found the album that blew me away. It's a recent one: HE CAME TO PLAY.
Diggs, I'll suggest that you and anybody else who is underwhelmed by the video that started this conversation might want to check out the previews of half a dozen cuts, starting with the third cut, "Mojo Lounge." This is hot, classic stuff, delivered with great panache. He's a top-notch player. I may be a fire-breathing modernist more at home in the land of Blue and Ricci, but I know when somebody is playing strong stuff.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/please-help/id211237784?i=211238471
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 12:03 PM
I never said he was a bad player. IMHO that road has been overdone. I find in the jazz world creativity to be the driving force but it seems in blues a large segment tries to recreate the past.
There are people that can play the instrument but the next step is what do they play. This may be personal taste. I went and checked out more youtube vids He sings great.
---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
@ Diggs - Yawn...why do players with jazz aspirations always think that playing jazz is playing the blues "better". You don't think jazz has been overdone? Jazz & blue are near enough the same age. I owned all RJs albums, there are covers, there are even harp parts that are reasonably note for note, but they are not by any means RJ's stock in trade. IF RJ is an authentic blues player then it is inevitable that he will pay tribute to some of the greats of the past, however much of his playing is not a recreation of anyone else's licks...in that respect, if they are original licks, how can they be "recreating the past". I appreciate it's not your cup of tea & not to your personal taste, what does someone have to do to be "new" in your eyes...don't tell me you're still doing that "old hat" thing of putting the harp in your mouth, or up your nose, & sucking & blowing...? Jeez, that's been done to death...c'mon, we want holographic harp, played via a neural link direct to the brain, it'd be great for Jazz...I know Abraham Lincoln would think so. ;-)
I'd rather you posted more examples of what you do like, rather than cursory dissmissals of what you don't.
In reality, I have attended & sat in at jazz clubs & with the odd jazz band...they don't mind playing old numbers & recreating yesterday, in fact they do it quite a lot in my experience. I listen to other genres besides blues (including some jazz), I see them as just that, as "other genres" rather than ranking them in some arbitrary, self-imposed order of credibility.
For me, and I may well be in a minority, concept is nothing without execution...we only hear what people "do", RJ executes what he does superbly. If I have to analyse what someone is "trying to do", or "where they are coming from" then their execution is probably letting them down.
"IMHO that road has been overdone." Let' face it, you had already made up your mind before you hit the first key...
Well, the over use of blues cliches is the musical equivalent of reenacting civil war battles. Both can be interesting and entertaining and there are certainly fans of both, but, personally, I don't find either particularly inspiring.
Btw, from my perspective, I find RJ's use of blow bends not particularly aesthetic even from a pure traditional blues perspective. He is, however an unquestionably competent player and if people like his stuff, that's great. Personally, I am more interested in players who bring an original interpretation to whatever material they are playing. As I've said before, the blues ain't dead so they shouldn't be embalmed. But others may disagree.
With the exception of the one late, clearly missed note, which RJ admits with a groan, my trad blues perspective finds his use of blow bends, "right in the bag"
I do tend to agree with those who've called this performance uninspired. I'd chalk it up to a pro player on an off night. As often as the "pros" play, they can't be stellar every time. If I had to say, RJ is phoning this one in.
As a side note, I'd like to thank the board for providing me quite of bit of entertainment with this thread today. I particularly appreciate the discussion between Diggs and 5F6H. As I sit mindlessly pouring over electropherograms, the diversion is much appreciated. ---------- "12gagedan" on youtube
Like I said-if you were not at Amanadas Rollercoaster,you missed the rest of RJ's set. This is one song from that set. RJ was the second of the 20 acts over three days-he flew in,stayed three days,then flew to Finland.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 2:41 PM
Regarding blow bends, I am not finding fault with RJ's execution. I am finding fault with his aesthetics.
Like many players tend to do, RJ is, for the most part, bending the blow note down. A big part of the emotion of the blues comes from playing one of the blue notes bent or flatted against the corresponding major chord tone and then RELEASING the bend UP so that the blue note/bent note resolves UP into the chord. On the high end, this requires the player to hit the blow note bent and release it up, not bend it down. Of course, this requires a higher level of skill and control. This is what I am referring to when i say that I find his blow bends (for the most part) unaesthetic.
Clearly there is a market for what he does.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2011 3:01 PM
tmf714, you speak directly to my point. It's amazing how much these guys go through just to play for an hour or two. There are many possible reasons why this tune reads as a little "off". Sometimes we all have a tune or two that go worse-than-expected on a given night. RJ is still a pro who's chops I respect. His "off tune" would be the skill-envy of many, many players.
Going to playing/singing through the same mic will seperate him from the mulitudes of guys going through amps. The amp thing has dominated blues based music for decades. I wonder if he goes that way full time will he lose gigs for it????? I remember when I was doing gigs with charlie musselwhite back in the late 70's-early 80's. He, birdleggs, and I were the only players in the bay area not showing up with amps for the harp. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Are we forgetting that a Large amount of people who listen to musicians are NOT musicians.
I'm pretty sure that when they listen to a guy play they are not saying, "Man I really wish that guy wasn't a traditionalist and would start blazing trails."?
Or, "I wish he would move out of 2nd position."
If it sounds good and makes money, it is good. ----------------------------------------
I get a lot of rap as a Freestyle Skateboarder for not "Blazing Trails".
I just like Truckstands. What can I say? NOBODY can convince me that I am not a worthy skater because I don't do many flip tricks. Many DO try.
But at the end of the day, when I "Skate", everyone usually has their mouths hanging open and Kids ask me how I do it.
Isn't that all that matters? I don't have to be Rodney Mullen and I certaintly am not trying to be Rodney Mullen. I just saw a truckstand and said, "Holy Shit! I want to skate like THAT!"
What's wrong with that?
And what is wrong with being a traditionalist? If at the end of the day it STILL gets Kids to want to Play or Skate?
Joe_L: I am glad to hear he is still alive. He and I did a lot of harp playing in Cool Papas band. Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Michael: Birdlegg (and his tightfit blues band) is a harp player/singer from the bay area. I figure he has to be at least mid 50's by now. I wonder what got him to leave the great weather out there for the austin shake and bake oven? Must be a woman with money..... I miss austin but not that heat. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I've heard he's gotten some gigs down there. I can't imagine Birdlegg as a sideman. He used to be billed under Birdlegg and the Tight Fit Blues Band. He's a good player and a helluva entertainer. He gave me some great advice.
Joe_L: The bay area scene use to be vibrant much like the austin blues scene was. Both are pretty much defunct for non full time touring guys to survive. Both places now cost a fortune to live in but back in the day both were cheap living. That and most of the local old black blues players dying off has made it all a memory. I could see birdlegg doing an ocassional antones gig but other than that, Austin will be a hard musical place for him. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
they don't but back then guys like birdlegg, me, and most of the unknowns, could eak out a bare bones living in the bay area or austin by playing a couple hundred times a year(about 1/2 in the home area and the other 1/2 throughout the usa and across the sea). Now the club scene is so sparse, the pay so low, the cost of food/fuel/hotels so high, most of the big names don't play that many gigs anymore. I am so thankful I went to college and found teaching after the music scenes started dying off. I make good $ and will be able to retire in 6 years. Heck, I am getting paid regular while off for the summer and can stay up late typing this note! I feel for the guys that didn't make it and didn't get some other skills. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
When I moved to California in the late 80's, the scene was pretty good. It's still good, but there are a lot less bars and festivals. The two drink DUI and the unwillingness of many municipalities to issue liquor licenses has decreased the number of venues. I sort of feel sorry for the youth of today. There isn't a lot for them to do, but there are a lot less young people getting into music.
Look at RJ's schedule above. He spends a lot of time in Europe and Scandinavia. He does a lot of work with pick up bands along the way.
Diggs you said "in blues a large segment tries to recreate the past.". Then you offer a version of a 40yr old song to suggest that you are some kind of cutting edge, trail blazer? You play fine...you seem a little over confident (not an unusual trait in musicians and there are plenty MUCH worse in that respect - we all like to think that we're doing it the "right" way), but the biggest issue seems to be the difference between what you do & your perception of what you do. You can play songs that were popular when I was 3yrs old all day long if you want, doesn't bother me in the slightest, I love lot's of "old music"..but bear in mind that the average life expanctancy in some countries is younger than "Ain't no Sunshine". Hard to see that as new, different, or a creative driving force.
For example, RJ told me that he really dug the Jr Wells Delmark stuff from the late 60's (even back when I saw him, he was playing straight through the PA on a few numbers in a homage to this style), so you think RJ & guys like him are "Recreating the past", playing music from the late 60's, made by artists born in the 30's...then you go and do pretty much the same thing? Play what makes you happy, I'm sure it makes plenty of others happy too, taken on it's own merits it makes me happy...just drop the lofty ideals & high minded concepts.
Last Edited by on Jun 16, 2011 5:57 AM
"When I moved to California in the late 80's, the scene was pretty good. It's still good, but there are a lot less bars and festivals. The two drink DUI and the unwillingness of many municipalities to issue liquor licenses has decreased the number of venues. I sort of feel sorry for the youth of today. There isn't a lot for them to do, but there are a lot less young people getting into music.
Look at RJ's schedule above. He spends a lot of time in Europe and Scandinavia. He does a lot of work with pick up bands along the way."
I left the bay area in the early 80's and the scene had already began to slow big time from when I got there in the 70's. When I returned in 96 it was like "live music- what is that?" We left in 2006 and between the no music scene, traffic, high cost of living, poverty on all the streets (downtown santa rosa was where we lived)we moved again to Ohio where we can live much like we did in Sebastopol back in the 70's. No music scene here either but safe, cheap, and friendly small town living. When we retire we dream about going back to the sonoma county coast, get a small house, build me a studio, and finish our lives out there in the still pretty much unspoiled beauty.
I too feel for the young kids today in respect to local music scenes. They have no idea what they are missing because they have grown up without one. I hear Europe and scandinavia are not paying what they use to either and their scene is beginning to experience the pattern we have here with club declines. I use to play about 3 months a year over there and would make 80% of my money for the year. I really don't know how guys like RJ survive. They must have a wife with money and or do side work outside of music or live so bare bones it is scary. Health insurance?? home ownership?? Vacations?? Hobbies?? People take this stuff for granted in middle class life. Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I agree unless you are driven like I was to play. I left home as a teenager with no idea of future except to get onstage with the guys I dreamed about. Whatever that took I did. Money and future security never came into the equation. Music was my life as much as finance is to donald trump. You can't derail someone when they are that driven. Down the road you got to deal with your choices. Personally I wouldn't change a thing. I am 25 years behind a person that went from public school to college to work person, but what I life I led! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I met Birdlegg while on an interview trip to the Bay area during the fall of 2005. He was sub-hosting an East-Bay jam one night, then invited me to his OAKLAND jam the next night. I was a little uncomfortable at the Oakland jam because I was a singular minority in the club. It was cool after I played, though. I really enjoyed his energy.
On the subject of day gigs and the music business, I gave it a year-long shot with my college band. I worked in a hardware store to make rent but we were starting to get some money ($800-1000) gigs (not a blues band) so it was worth a shot. Differences in musical direction lead to the demise of that band, and to me crawling back to the career world.
I've sat and chatted with Rod Piazza many times. Almost every time, he tells me about having to play music, and not being able to retire. Apart from say, Kim, Micky Raphael, Fingers Taylor, and ??? how many people in the world make a really good living just playing the harmonica?
If we're going to keep it alive, I think most of us have to keep music on the side. And, we also need to support the guys doing it full time.
