I have to assume that this brilliant clip has been posted here at some point, but if not: here you go. Primich had the tradition in his fingertips--not a note is out of place here or sounding less that great--but I like the way he pushes at the edges, trying to find something new. That's particularly true at one point in the middle; you'll have no trouble knowing what I'm talking about; it's not a lick you'll hear anywhere else, I don't think, and he worries it a few times 'cause it's a neat trick.
It may seem churlish to say that when I listen to this clip, I want him to break loose with a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng octave, like William Clarke, rather than sticking to the short, punchy stuff. But that's just me. This is a virtuoso display of in-the-pocket third position blues, and the fact that it's being done right on the street--Saturday night in Austin? I'm betting--makes it all the more remarkable. Few of us will ever play this well.
Trip Henderson told me years ago that a harp player's best friend was the drummer. "You have to groove with the drummer," he insisted. True indeed. This is a sick-tight groove, the whole band.
Adam, I have to wonder if that was a "rule of 3" I heard Rick Estrin talk about. I'm paraphrasing, but in essence if you play something that didn't come out like you planned, play it 3 times and everyone will think you meant to do that. I am not familiar with Gary's style, so maybe he used to toss stuff like that in every once in a while.
---------- The more I learn about harmonica, the more I learn how much more there is to learn.
Last Edited by on Jul 26, 2012 8:02 PM
Love this: Trip Henderson: "...a harp player's best friend was the drummer. "You have to groove with the drummer," he insisted. Seriously Freakin True That Is!
I've been viewing this clip for many mos.Trying to get a guitar player similar to Gary's.How do you describe what he(guitarist)is doing.Can you call it Jazz comping with blues licks,as one guitarist called it.Or old school as another called it.
