So, I know I don't post here often, but I was contacted recently by a facebook friend harp player of mine named Pablo Basso. He sent me some of his stuff, saying he was a fan of mine, and it blew me away!!! Great chromaticism and understanding of harmony and chords and stuff, and on diatonic, no less. Wayyyy beyond what I, as well as 99% of other overblow player's I've heard (the 1 percent consisting of Howard, Chris, Sam Friedman, Octavio Castro and Sebastian Charlier), can do. Maybe I am missing something and he is well known to all of you, but if not, here's a link to his unbelievable version of the standard Donna Lee.
Tooka and Sarge, Appreciating this song is not easy. I suggest understanding the history and spend a little time playing it yourself.
The song is by Charlie Parker. Pick up an album with him doing it. The next famous version is by Jaco Pastorius. Read biographies on both men. The harmonica famous version is Howard Levy on Harmonica Jazz, basically Howard's breakthrough album. Listen to all 3 versions.
Then get a written version of the song and learn to play it on chromatic if you do not have overblows down. If you can overblow, do it on diatonic.
I recognize this sounds like a lot of work just to appreciate one song. However, like really understanding one blues song, say Got My Mojo Working, it's history, lyrics, famous versions and harp solos, it will enable you to understand a lot about other blues tunes. By understanding this one jazz song, a lot of other jazz will open up to you.
Or forget it.
Last Edited by on Jul 25, 2012 7:41 AM
Now, those two songs I would enjoy. I'll check it out. No doubt he is a tremendous player. ---------- Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
I don't like it much, but I like Parker's version and love Jaco's version.. it is just too squeaky for me. I appreciate how technically difficult this is.
Very good playing! Sometimes it gets a bit too technical but at a lot places you can appreciate his tone at the fullest. There are some tremendous tone full, quick glissandos that are extremely nice. Thanks for posting! ---------- Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
@Jay: Thanks for posting! We'd love to see you post more here. Please make a point from time to time of letting folks know where they can see you, what recording projects you're working on, etc.
I find myself in the weird position of agreeing with the naysayers this time around, and I'm sorry about that. I still remember the effect that Howard's version of "Donna Lee" had on me when somebody first gave me his HARMONICA JAZZ cassette (!) back in 1987. I have it sitting on my desk right here, in fact. There, if memory serves, he plays harp with one hand and piano with the other. And--also if memory serves--he handles the songs brutal overblows at roughly the same speed, with less squeak and quite a bit more swing. That's my problem with Basso: he obviously has huge technique, infinitely more than I've got--you're quite right: in purely technical terms he right up there with the very best--but then again, I'm not convinced that he's got quite enough technique to make the piece sing. Speaking subjectively, it feels to me like he's decided it's enough simply to jump through the hoops, but he doesn't convince me that he fully knows why he's playing the game. I don't hear much inner musicality. I just listened to Christelle the other day and although her improvisations are sometimes too dependent on repeated scalar motion (1234, 2345, 3456, etc.), she has a beautiful tone and she really DOES have a deep inner musicality. As do you, for that matter: I'd rather listen to your version of "Greensleeves" than Basso's version of "Donna Lee."
Now that is a 'trippy" tune...have that as your alarm to get you up in the morning. I liked it - for me personally some added effect/s would have gave the LIFE to really make it extra COOL!
Last Edited by on Jul 26, 2012 4:49 AM
This guy can zip around but he doesn't pay attention to rhythm in his phrasing -he just zips through the notes as if touching them as he passes by quickly is enough.
Speed in jazz is less important than making a statement that is rhythmically well defined and assured. Charlie Parker always did this, no matter how fast he was moving. Same for Coltrane, Clifford Brown, or anyone else you care to name. Miles pretty much avoided speed playing, preferring to dig in and hone his statements.
---------- Winslow
Last Edited by on Jul 26, 2012 1:53 PM
@ Took- "Where am I going wrong?" - You're not wrong.
I like what Pablo did here. It's not your thing. You are a a smart guy and you know that in any group of listeners personal taste is going to be the wild card. Myself, I would toss a couple bucks in this guys harp case any day, although Pablo might not even be entirely satisfied with that performance himself, who knows?
Charley Parker? There's a reason why Charlie Parker enjoyed country music. Michael and Winslow would be right to recommend Parker for study, and besides, he's just fun to listen to. Buckle your seatbelt.
Some people will think that guys like Bird or Pablo, or maybe even Jay Gaunt sound too cold and busy. Not me, but I wouldn't be afraid to say it if I thought so. Of course, in the end it's your music or not. Whatever speaks to you.
they said of Monk, "he's playing the wrong notes..."
Monk: “I say, play your own way. Don’t play what the public wants. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you’re doing – even if it does take them FIFTEEN, TWENTY YEARS” [stress added].
ps: you can study Monk's playing--'wrong' notes and all--in universities around the world. Your artform has to do with your integrity. As a GREAT jazz guitar guru--Mick Goodrick (Berklee)--says of one's playing, "you're as good as you deserve to be."
The 'frontier' is where all true art forms have their genesis...Go there! Dig it! Educate the head, and the ears (eyes, etc.) will fall right in...
If an audience member--as 'participant' in the art form (music, painting, dance, etc.)--is able to anticipate what it is I am doing--e.g., where I am going next in my phrase/idea, etc.--then he doesn't need to be there!
Better: a subtle composite of the familiar with "the shock of the new"--the audience will be compelled, be INVOLVED (because they are, in fact, LEARNING/GROWING AT THAT SECOND THAT YOU ARE TRULY IMPROVISING/COMPOSING).
For example, we learned that in painting, there exists the complement of the color casting a shadow plus some shade of blue. Once my head processed this, my 'eyes' were never the same. I saw anew! The various blues became oh-so-apparent and a fact was verified by me!
The point: it's NOT all about sense data alone being processed. If it truly an art form (versus, for example, a self-indulgent project geared for marketing), then we would do well to include formal study, i.e., scholarship--whether in the academy, or self-study.
There's nothing wrong with self-indulgence--e.g., it is a fact that it can be therapeutic and healing. Just be aware of the difference...
Dean
(new harp player, and jazz guitarist--playing since the mid-sixties...)
