I saw Dennis Gruenling last evening at the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly, RI with the guitarist Doug Deming. It was a great evening of blues and swing with some amazing guitar/harp bebop pyrotechnics. Dennis had just a excellent chemistry and interplay with Doug, and they both created a huge tone and full sound. They play again this evening in Cottrell Park in Mystic, CT @ 6-8 PM for free. Check it out if you are in the area.
We have talked about Dennis style here but I was curious how he did the POG like tone in this solo. It starts at 3:41. I had seen him do it last summer and I was told he does it without a pedal.
If you watch closely,you will see the rapid opening and closing of Dennis cupping of the mic-that's it-the only pedal Dennis uses is a Boss RV-3 Digital Delay w/Reverb-of course the HarpKing amp helps a bit too! Doug was Gary Primich's last touring guitarist,and has played with Kim Wilson and Lazy Lester as well. I'm glad Doug relocated to Florida-I have had the pleasure of playing with Doug a few times since he moved here,and consider him one of the top blues guitar players in the country,and a great friend,-he sings well too!!
Last Edited by on Jun 27, 2011 12:55 PM
I can't see the vid, but I assume it's the one where DG synchronizes his vibrato and cupping wahs-very, very cool. I had to steal that after seeing it, although mine is no where near as good as his sounds.
CAPTCHA currently shown(no kidding)MfUXFux ---------- Todd L. Greene
It is indeed a HarpKing 6x10...and thank you all for the kind words.
And...I did NOT step on a pedal, it's my technique actually - my hands are helping me get that "tremolo" effect (been doing it for years), added to what I'm playing which is tongue-blocked.
Thanks for posting @6SN7. You are lucky to have seen their gig. I am in a small group class with Dennis and this past Saturday, he had Doug sit in. It was phenomenal -- we jammed along with Doug a bunch of times and after class he and Dennis performed 3 or 4 tunes for us -- out of this world. Doug seemed like a super-nice guy, seemed really into the opportunity to be a part of Dennis' teaching. I loved his voice, too -- fantastic singer. Only regret is that they had a gig nearby that night in Piermont, NY but we had plans to see another concert -- which was great, but still!
What a bunch of lameasses in the audience! I would have screamed my throath sore after that solo. Thats amazing how he builds it up to the same old high end squeling and instead that alien sound comes and knock you of your feet.
(Not that i think that high end squeling is bad in any way!)
DEnnis and Doug put on a great show last evening in Mystic. What I like about this band is the interplay and the chance for Doug and Dennis play like Dizzy and Bird. Very cool.
personally if i could get that sense of timing, that would be the biggest thing of all. the tricks and licks are one thing, but the groove... man oh man
Notice how "off center" the harmonica placement looks when Dennis plays...He is taking full advantage of the cupping technique that pushes the top end of the harmonica into his cheek - extremely airtight - giving that dark deep tone. It doesn't take much opening of the hands to create a strong tone change, part of what is described above..
I love his phrasing in 3rd position. I noticed (in fact I'm not sure) at about 06:00 when he start to play in unison with Doug, he has to use the middle range of his harp for the first chord, otherwise one note or hole is missing...Then on the 4th chord he can use the low range of his harp again. Tell me if I'm wrong please! So I think he play this entire tune with a harmonica in the key of Bb. ---------- Youtube Myspace
Last Edited by on Jul 03, 2011 10:38 AM
