As you may know I have been enjoying listening and trying to play harp to songs by the French harmonica player Michel Herblin. I'm playing the first part of the song entitled Breizh Ile from his excellent 'Golden Melodies' CD on a Bb harp.
This style of song is very new to me and is pushing me way beyond my comfort zone which is both frustrating and envigorating all at the same time. I'm not used to playing this style and also at this speed. Even when I have worked out the notes and can play them, it's another thing entirely to add the expression and nuances he nonchanantly acheives at speed.
The video is of the first part of the song up to the 'instumental break' and is only around a minute long.
The harp after the break is longer and more challenging than the first part and I'm looking forward (I think!) to tackling this at some time.
As a matter of interest, anyone else know of his work or been playing it?
Michel is one of my favorite diatonic artists from the 90's. Along w/Paul deLay, Carlos del Junco he approached diatonic from an originally unique direction.
I like his music very much - but you already knew that as we have spoken about him.
He is a lovely fella, i had the pleasure of a skype chat with him. I had just started lessons with Michael Ruben. I was starting to understand music theory and was completely taken back my Michel Herblin as has had no understadling of music theory, positions, scales etc...
Complete opposites still making great music.
He sits and plays over piano chords until he 'is inside them' and finds the musical notes/ runs/ riffs etc. that he is happy with.
He was in the French national basketball team - useless information but i thought i would share it.
ps. Your playing is superb, there were moments where i expected you to stop and then it would expose the fact that you were only pretending. Seriously great playing.
Have you any gigs lined up? - i would pay good money to see to play a set live.
Tooka - I’m looking forward to the second phase but along the lines of having treatment at the dentists i.e it’s probably going to be worth it in the long run but there could be pain and suffering involved.
Jodan - Yep, you know the routine :)
Iceman – Yes, I admire Michel a lot. He did and does present a fresh individualistic style of playing. He’s clean and accurate, jazzy on occasion but not too Jazzy for my taste. What I love is his ability to travel up and down the harp fluidly and effortlessly with surprising and different sounding runs. He often hits a brisk tempo but still seems to have time to put varied expression and subtle nuances in his playing and he has a terrific vibrato.
He is underrated which is a shame but there again his work to my knowledge is restricted to two CD’s:- Matins Aux Pommes and Golden Melodies and I’m uncertain if he has massive exposure outside of France. He hasn’t played a concert in the UK for instance which is just across the channel. Contrast this with the exposure of someone like JJ Milteau (another excellent French player) who has multiple CD’s to his name and is well known internationally.
Shoulders- Wow, Thanks a lot James!
You were the one who introduced Michel Herblin to me (didn't know anout the Basketball - talented guy)
Harmonica has for me been a very enjoyable hobby and I can't believe how much fun I've had returning to the instrument I gave up playing years ago. I continue getting a buzz posting stuff on youtube.
Although I am used to singing & playing guitar in public I haven't really used my harmonica in public that much, However, I hope to hook up with my son this Summer and play some improvisations to his original songs. He's a guitarist/vocalist.
Still learning loads on the forum and need to forge on with music theory (as you have been doing with Micael), a discipline I've always lacked in the past.
Frank - Yes I have heard this song before and it's mighty impressive. Good to listen to it again, thanks for posting. ---------- Grey Owl YouTube Grey Owl Abstract Photos
Last Edited by on Apr 03, 2012 1:50 PM
