i would like to see peoples top 6 blues harmonica player on this form starting with 6 to 1 so if theres a harmonica player that i don't know about yet I can look it up and rant and rave about it later 6 boogie macain 5 james cotton 4 little walter 3 sonny terry 2 big walter horton 1 neal pattman
Last Edited by on Jun 20, 2011 12:36 PM
I reject the term "best" and prefer to offer a list of my "favorites". I'll also make it known that this is my favorite 6 today. It could change at any time. Six is too few, but I'm sticking to the rules.
Jason Ricci Rod Piazza William Clarke James Harman Lester Butler Little Walter
SonnyD, I started off writing about compilation CD's and then realized that it's 2011. I'd copy all of these names and just sit on youtube and watch all day long. Anything not on youtube, I'd preview on iTunes. Don't try to get into everybody all at once. Find what moves you the most and start there. You can always add more later. ---------- 12gagedan's YouTube Channel
In no particular order and it's impossible to pick 6 other than to say that these are the 6 I'm enjoying tremendously at this moment in time. One thing that I think affects this list is not just the skill of the harp player but other aspects of the music, including singing, the feel of the songs overall, etc. And speaking of other factors, I think John Hammond is underrated and unsung (actually rarely ever mentioned in these kinds of discussions) which surprises me because not only is he a phenomenal blues harp player (get "When Push Comes to Shove" and you'll get what I'm saying) but he's doing it on a neck rack while playing guitar, which is kind of a handicap, don't you think? Shouldn't guys who do that get extra points for pulling as much sound of the thing as guys who are gripping it with both hands and therefore more able to direct airflow, etc? I meant to post a topic on neck-rack players but couldn't help but bring it up here. OK, here it is ... -Sonny Boy II -Junior Wells -Sonny Terry -John Hammond -Snooky Pryor -Johnny Sansone
Great string Sonny D. I'm learning about a few players I've never even heard of.
Lots of players have moved me. I couldn't limit it to only six.
It was nice to see Andy Santana on someone's list. Personally, I think he is one of the best harp players on the West Coast. He's also a really good guitar player and singer.
wow i thank all of you and yes it was hard for me too pick and a lot of these people i haven't heard of yet so i thank all who help me with this and keep them coming..........sonny ps. im looking for new people to subscribe to on my youtube page to learn more harmonica from all of you so if you check me out on youtube and give me some points ill subscribe to yours thanks --sonnydaneils4885
somebody posted recently a harp player playing first position that little walter said he would not want to compete with his playing was pretty fierce
Last Edited by on Jun 21, 2011 10:41 PM
Like a lot of the others - not necessarily "The Best" or even "My Favorite" but these are the guys who have been giving me a lot of listening pleasure lately: 1. Mark Hummel 2. Gary Smith 3. Gary Primich 4. Bob Corritore 5. Rod Piazza 6. James Herman
1. Rod Piazza 2. Walter Jacobs 3. Rick Estrin 4. William Clarke 5. George Smith 6. Carey Bell ...in that order, too. ---------- "The degree of someone's "open mindedness" will be in direct proportion to how much they agree or disagree with the issue being discussed"...William F. Buckley
I won't say 'best'-no one's opinion makes anyone the 'best', but here are 6 blues genre players that move me, in no particular order:
Adam Gussow Andy J. Forest Paul Butterfield Gary Primich Andy Just Mark Ford
Most the above weren't mentioned already, and are worthy, in my opionion. They all have/had a unique approach or sound that sets them apart from the herd. The list could go on, but I'll limit it to the requested 6. ---------- Todd L. Greene
check buster brown, model t slim, slim harpo, if you are looking for off guys off the top lists. ---------- 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
It's hard to decide, even if I just call them my favorites, but I'll make an attempt: 6.Sugar Blue 5.Lazy Lester 4.Little Sonny 3.Walter Horton 2.Rice Miller 1.Slim Harpo
With all due respect to my fellow harmonica players and posters, it is very difficult to refrain from commenting on some of the Number 1 players that some people have posted here. Are you sure that you aren't thinking it says "favorite" instead of best? I mean really...I guess we are all influenced by who we see and hear the most. Let's leave it at that. But at least we should try to be realistic on some of these # 1 selections. I think Adam Gussow's list of his opinions on the best is closer to the mark. Some of the Number 1's here only make Adam's Honorable Mention list. Favorites to not translate into Greatest necessarily.
atty1...if you had been at Hill Country on the last night....well...you would know who the greatest blues harp player alive is.....Adam's criteria for his list goes much deeper than who he thinks is best....read it...I'll bet JR is geting close
I don't have a top 6, but I am surprised that Junior Parker or Papa Lightfoot haven't been mentioned on anyone's list.
At the moment Forrest City Joe would be quite high up on my list, I only just recently heard about him through a thread on this forum.
Last Edited by on Jun 22, 2011 1:44 PM
Oh please harpdude, I was there all weekend, and I sat right under the stage for Jason's concert. He is a great player, and I love the guy, he is a wonderful human being too. But I won't get that carried away.
@ Todd: out of respect for those not in my list of top 6 living blues players, I will refrain from singling out players who just don't make that list. Nice try. But even if we are talking of all time, some of the choices are actually amusing.
Calm down, boys. None of us has an exclusive claim on reality. We're just having a friendly conversation.
This thread doesn't specifically ask for the top 6 living blues harp players, just the top 6. The top 6 living players, however, would be an interesting list.
If we're talking top 6 living players, then the question is: Are you talking about what players can actually deliver NOW, on stage? Or are you talking about "living legends" whose best days are plainly behind them?
This is important. James Cotton, in my view, easily makes the latter list, but he probably doesn't make the first list. His best days are clearly behind him.
If I had to pick the top 6 living blues harp players right now--guys (& gals) who can deliver the goods onstage in 2011 with depth, power, panache, and indelible style--I'd certainly choose from the following list of 11. In no particular order:
Kim Wilson Jason Ricci Sugar Blue Billy Branch Carlos del Junco Rod Piazza Rick Estrin Madcat Ruth (for his playing with Triple Play) Mitch Kashmar Paul Oscher Charlie Musselwhite
I'd have a hard time winnowing it down from there.
edited to add: ....And if I had space for 15 living players instead of 11, I'd certainly add Dennis Gruenling, Steve Baker, Phil Wiggins (it's the tone, the tone), and Jimi Lee (best rack player, period.)
Of course Cotton is on the list, wherever you care to put him.
Please don't ask me about why I left so-and-so off. They're great players, too. Anybody who can claim to be on the Top-20 living blues harmonica players list is doing very well indeed, and if I haven't mentioned your faves, they're almost surely on the Top-20 list. We're just having a conversation.
Last Edited by on Jun 22, 2011 9:05 PM
Yep Kudzu i like your list...I am a bit surprised no one has mentioned Brendan Power,now there is a man who can play anything and do it well.Maybe if there was a list for the 'best' all rounders he'd be at least near the top of that
Glad you enjoyed the "humor" and thanks for your additions. You know it's interesting, as soon as I saw the topic title, I thought, oh brother, here we go.
Being in a bit of a mischievous mood, I tried to think of the players who always get dumped on by this forum (some of whom I LOVE as artists), or players who would be universally thought of as horrible and compiled my list. Then I sat back and waited for the fireworks and insults to fly (I know, shame on me).
And then a funny and interesting thing happened. NO ONE took the bait. Nada, zip, nothing. Not one shred of criticism toward me.
Has the forum matured this much? Is it the presence of our ferocious mods, who, to their credit nip any hanky panky in the bud? Is some kind of reverse full moon going on? Was I too obvious?
To people new to the forum, you gotta have been there during the low point... it felt like an argument could go nuclear over how many holes were in a diatonic.
Anyway, Adam's gentle warning and a little bit of listing toward the end notwithstanding, this thread gets my vote for: Thread With The Most Potential for Rancor That Absolutlely Refused To Ignite
Well done lads, the new MBH civility is "wicked" cool.
PS: No more attempted mischief from me.....PROMISE
H.O.B.-Your post made me smile, as I could just envision your smirk and facetiousness while typing it. I didn't reply;I also figured someone else would take the bait.
I'm not 'ferocious'...in fact, my ban hammer has a thick layer of dust on it these days...
Playing Kindergarten Cop here isn't always easy nor fun, but the six-figure pay, full-coverage medical insurance and 4 months of vacation a year that Adam graciously spoils us with make it worthwhile. ---------- Todd L. Greene
