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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
"So What"
"So What"
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LittleJoeSamson
45 posts
Aug 27, 2008
6:31 PM
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Generally, I have not played cool jazz. Felt it did not fit my style. Love it tho. Started out as a musical Luddite in the 60's when the Beatles were the craze. I thought they were schmaltzy! "I Want to Hold Your Hand"? YUK. ( I was 8 YO ! )
It was first jazz that I started playing. Dixie and Swing from Dad...Progressive from Mom ( big Brubeck fan ).
Explored all sorts of other genres. Then late night WGN...the first superstation, led off their insomniac news with "So What".
Never had the sound for it, but with the tweaking I have been experimenting with...now I do.
Here's the fun part: my 1969 Traynor 100W workhorse with two twelves is not your usual harp amp. With very little to no modification in the guts, but with trying different combinations and dialing of settings; the sound is butter. More like garlic butter.
The tone is unbelievable...like a warm vinyl LPversus the sharpness of CD's.
SO, Ihad to bring out "Kind of Blue", and attempt "So What".
It is in Dm and Eb m ....AABA.
Rather fortunate, as I have alot of harps that have Dm tunings, not the least is a chromatic in "C".
I can hit all the solo parts, first Miles on the trumpet in 1st po Melody Maker, Then for Adderly, I switch to 2nd po NaturaL Minor, then the Coltrane I go with the chromatic.
Now, these are my renditions, and I have to get this down with the rest of the instrumentation.
Anybody else do this, or other cool jazz?
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kudzurunner
97 posts
Aug 28, 2008
3:59 PM
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I've always loved "Moanin'", by Bobby Timmons, works great on harp.
Also, "Sister Sadie" by Horace Silver.
They're not cool jazz, though. They're from the funky period--late 50s/early 60s.
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LittleJoeSamson
46 posts
Aug 28, 2008
4:35 PM
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Oh Man! Horace Silver would be a challenge ( I think ).
I'm more tempted to check out "Bag's Groove" and "Chelsea Bridge", other '50's Ellington with Terry and Gonsalves. Also, one of my faves (tho not CJ) "A Cottage for Sale" by Benny Carter with Ftha Hines.
Eventually Brubeck . I'll have to talk with Madcat, an old friend of the family. He shares keys and odd tunings when asked politely.
I'll try those out, Adam.
LJS
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New_B
28 posts
Aug 28, 2008
4:39 PM
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I really enjoy that Blue Note, Hard-bop stuff from the late 1950's through the mid 1960's.
When I develop my skills, I will definitely attempt some of the works of Lee Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley and others who recorded for Blue Note, during that time.
Cannonball Adderley's "Something Else" might be right up your alley. This is the only LP that I can think of, where Miles Davis recorded as a sideman. Perhaps, with the exception of some his earliest recordings with Charlie Parker.
Speaking of Ellington, I'll bet some of Johnny Hodges (Ben Webster, too) work would translate very nicely to the harmonica. He was so silky, creamy smooth and his phrasing was impeccable.
Last Edited by on Aug 28, 2008 4:44 PM
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LittleJoeSamson
48 posts
Aug 28, 2008
9:42 PM
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New_B: Oh Yeah, Johnny Hodges is still under-appreciated, even now. His best time was during the war and unrecorded. he had such a good reputation, that he was brought back by Duke. JH might not have been cool, but he sure was smooth. Overshadowed by Parker and Lester Young, but a more mature player.
Here we are harp guys talking about the stylings and phrasing of sax dudes. Ellington would not care. He would say that music is good or it is Not.
BTW: Anyone do "Stealing Apples" by Fletcher Henderson?
I have the intro, but it gets lost later. When it goes into the sax bridge, it must modulate ( ??? ). Throws me for a loop!
LJS
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