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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Master Harmonica Teacher at Work
Master Harmonica Teacher at Work
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easyreeder
197 posts
Feb 24, 2012
10:41 PM
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I had much the same opinion as Martin after skimming the video. After this discussion went on for bit I went back and paid more attention.
As nuts-and-bolts harmonica instruction it's a waste of time. When he demonstrates licks the playing sounds pretty sloppy. Although it's clear that he understands what he's doing, it's also clear that he can't explain it (as he admits during the video). Many people who can teach one-on-one are horrible in front of a camera, so that may be part of it. But as Greg said, when he stops trying to do that and gets down to playing and story telling there's a lot to enjoy and learn. But the lessons are about musical expression, not how to play; and they're not taught, they're ladled into a soup bowl and slammed on the table for anybody who's hungry.
During the sections where he's performing on this video, his harp playing changes. It become a part of the song, it's not "the harp part".
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Frank
299 posts
Feb 25, 2012
9:44 AM
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I like the part near the end where he sings a little phrase then plays a bar of harp, looks into the camera and asks- that looks easy, don't it... he smiles and responds softly- but it isn't. As if to taunt in a loving way [Being The "Real Deal" is EARNED] good luck my fellow students!
What I got from the video was this- Boy discovers harmonica > boy falls in love with the blues > boy is inspired to share his joy > boy makes people smile by entertaining them.
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waltertore
2018 posts
Feb 25, 2012
10:36 AM
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In conclusion I have to say more power to everyone who voiced an opinion on this. I am pretty passionate on Junior Wells because he literally changed my life during the time I got to spend with him. We all are equally qualified to speak of stuff that inspires or doesn't inspire us. In reality debates on art are really a waste of time for the debaters. Those in debate rarely change to the other side but instead hope to "educate" the "uneducated" masses to their "educated" views....... I am off to make music-much more productive and satifying. Walter
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Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2012 10:55 AM
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HarpNinja
2216 posts
Feb 25, 2012
2:57 AM
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@12gagedan
You didn't understand what I typed. Jr Wells would catch a ton of flac from hardcore traditional players if he hit the scene today...the look, the attitude, the unconventional phrasing...all things that contemporary artists get flamed for now are things he embodied.
I love Jr Wells...the whole package. I do think his harmonica playing gets overrated often as people judge him based on the whole package. Referring to Adam's top 10 list and 2nd top 10 list, his execution on harmonica isn't the same.
But I can't deny his overall awesomeness - his image, performance style, personality, and vocals would make him a legend even if he didn't pick up a harp.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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Joe_L
1759 posts
Feb 25, 2012
3:58 AM
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Mike - I think you're wrong. Many of the traditional players that I know tend to be students of the Blues genre. They don't measure an artist's performance or contribution by their instrumental prowess alone. They listen to the whole package. The vocals, the accompanying artists, the groove, the timing, how everything comes together.
Players who tend to focus on just the harmonica playing tend to be the guys who just want to hear players going, "womp, womp, womp...". I don't know many traditional players who think like that. The few who do, don't get many gigs because they tend to be less experienced or they are wankers.
Most of the guys in the first category tend to revere Junior as an artist. He's viewed at the complete package. A solid player, singer, song writer and band leader.
If you want to learn about how well respected Junior was watch the video of his life. Don't Start Me Talking, The Junior Wells Story.
I saw Junior perform. He never put a harp in his mouth. It was great. I saw him perform where he played a ton of harp near the end of his career. He was as good as he ever was. The band was tight and he was locked in.
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Frank
300 posts
Feb 25, 2012
12:39 PM
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I believe that the hardcore traditional players are longing for a musician to come along that embodies the GENUINE persona of someone like Jr Wells. It would be a sigh of relief actually, because losing JR. was a major blow to the blues world at large- for the simple fact that what he did and the way he did it is so difficult to accurately emulate.
Does anyone know of any harp players on the scene today who are doing a Jr. Wells shtick with power and authenticity?..... John Nemeth?
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MP
2034 posts
Feb 25, 2012
6:21 AM
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he's jr. wells and no one else. he is an original. the real deal. i gotta admit i pefer his early stuff prior to hoodoo man. but it doesn't matter. he did have a lot more technique than people realize.
sure! yes! he was the whole package, but i suggest you listen to 'blues hit big town' and say, "well..he wasn't a total master of the blues harp".
you would be wrong, stone wrong.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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12gagedan
173 posts
Feb 25, 2012
11:47 AM
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Has anyone else seen the Rod Piazza instructional video? Taken from the very fortunate position of the modern harmonica student (who is privy to an untold wealth of free high-level instruction and encouragement) both JR's and Rod's videos are comic. From the point of view of their world where you had to hustle to learn anything on harp, then their lack of teaching ability makes sense. It's like when you apply modern political correctness to an old person. They come from a world that isn't the same. Bottom line: Be thankful you get to live at such a wonderful time for harmonica information exchange.
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12gagedan's YouTube Channel
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HarpNinja
2217 posts
Feb 25, 2012
11:55 AM
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@Joe_L
I don't think you get what I am trying to say, same with 12gagedan, but no biggie.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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shanester
516 posts
Feb 25, 2012
12:45 PM
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There are all kinds of music, but to me, the blues, born of a people who had distinct sociological struggles, is a music of the common man made to reach the common man.
If it's not capturing that hungry belly, that desperation to get that check, or not to lose that woman, then it is something else.
Technical mastery has its place. I know i mentioned earlier about playing a lot of notes, and I don't want to be some kind of fascist, but it really is more emotional than intellectual.
Scales and modes are great, and disciplined knowledge and practice could certainly provide a shortcut to an instinctive command of an instrument, and a means of verbal communication, but if you could create any sound at will would you give a shit about scales and modes?
...and to live and think from them I think is missing the point, and can become a trap of self indulgence and masturbation. It reminds me of that Cake song, "Commissioning a Symphony in C".
And then, having all that out of the way at last, what would you play?
Musically, I will always choose feeling over knowing. To me that is where the magic is.
And to me, that is what Jr. Wells is a master of. A true bard across all dimensions.
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Shane,
"The Possum Whisperer"
Shane's Cloud
1shanester
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