Somebody, unsolicited, sent me a couple of mp3s of Paul Harrington. (Since I've got a website and a YouTube channel, I occasionally get gifts of this sort and accept them in a fair-use sense: somebody wants me to publicize a player whom they feel deserves more attention. This is the official disclaimer. I'm not trying to build a free music library.)
In any case, the album they're off of is a 2003 release entitled "Harmonica Soul Seranade." I would urge you to check it out. Start with what I started off with, a song I know well: "Chicken Shack."
Some people call Harrington the best player in Texas. He only has a couple of YouTube videos, and they wouldn't automatically lead me to make that claim--but they certainly do reveal an interesting player, a player with interesting ideas and real musicality. The cut from the album, though, is much better than the following, which simply gives a basic read on who this guy is:
If you'd like to know more about him--and his name was entirely new to me--just google "paul harrington harmonica." There are a couple of other famous Paul Harringtons, so be careful to disambiguate.
I was in TX a couple of years ago at an employee award trip my wife won. It was one of those deals were you got to pick and choose activities like cooking lessons or golf lessons lead by famous people. The cooking session was at some huge grocery store and the group lessons were being lead by Emeril.
As I'm sitting there at the beginning of class, I hear some blues. Then I really some really good harmonica playing... then I hear some funk and then realize there is a live band outside the store. So leave and met Paul Harrington. While I don't think he's the best player in Texas he was good enough to get me out of my seat and miss a session with Emeril.
Paul was very gracious and to my surprise he knew who I was. The band was great. Great bassist and drummer. I had fun sitting in with them and enjoyed talking with Paul.
If you listen to Huey Lewis' Workin for a livin' the amp that was used on that session belong to Paul. He says Huey offered him twice what the amp was worth to bring it home.
Paul is a much much better player than what he shows in that video.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 5:06 AM
"Whos better than who" this contantly drives me mad. Good compared to what a clock, a chair?
To me this clip of these two players doing their thing is EXCELLENT, they have a story to tell and they are telling it for sure.
This could be what we call in the jazz trade a marathon gig, function shit or event no set audience attention ( got to get through it ) or could be an attentative big crowd which is much easier to play to.
Dosen't matter they do their thing work off each other and tell a story.
There is no need to through out technique for the sake of it.Doing that tells a story about the player for sure.
That to me is what any form of music is about,A STORY. Some people have better stories to tell than others.
Did you dig these guys playing or not, I certainly did Excellent.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 6:21 AM
well, based on being compared to a clock or a chair...I think he's a little better!
Seriously, I think you're correct, Sop. Adam started the thread with "best in Texas" question. I looked into this guy and he has a long pedigree for a harp player. The stuff I could find on the web was all good. I didn't have the benefit of listening to the mp3's that Adam has but I'm sure based on a good recording on his CD, it would be a lot better.
Sopwith: Since you asked: No, I don't dig his playing here. I've played exactly the same sort of electric-guitar-and-harp gig. I put my heart and soul into it; he's not doing that. He's working at 40% of max. It shows in his lax tone.
I hear a nice vibrato on a few sustained notes, a thoughtful approach to a non-blues Bill Withers song (one that I've played on several gigs, BTW). But no: if I hear a story, it's not the one I'm interested in hearing a harp player tell. I'd much rather listen to Jimi Lee or the late Gary Primich.
I was being diplomatic, which is to say, I wasn't being honest about how mediocre I think this video is from a guy who comes this highly touted. Thanks for calling my bluff.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 7:42 AM
Sounds pretty cool to me ; I'd certainly stop and listen. Sure, they don't look to be 100% there, it's kind of lazy but it suits the atmosphere you can feel around.
Maybe they're just getting started, like a diesel engine ? When I played with my acoustic band (two guitarists and me), we usually started our gigs like that, with a cool instrumental blues, just to get slowly in the mood... like an ambient thing to begin with. We often played for 3 hours and more (not included the pauses), maybe a good excuse to take our time...
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 9:02 AM
Kudzurunner:Ha ha I know what your saying Adam and yes your spot on.
It reminds of when you do wedding gigs or some of function stuff and say you got 2 the same day or even 3, and there are times when you kinda just got to get through it pick up the money and run.
Don't get me wrong you do a pro job and everything but you can't create a spark.It becomes work which is in a way criminal.
If you got a blues or a jazz blow to look forward to last thing or the function provides the right set up that helps.
Marathon function gigs as I call them 3 to 4 hours sometimes longer at a time, can be a major endurance. Instresting when you work with guys who have busked on the streets, never complain just get on with it.
Nice little trick to use on the wedding thing when I go over to my piano player or hammond man and say, "hey you see the girl I was with at the bar, well her friend with the blonde hair is into you big time." I do a similar thing with either bass or drums. Only need to do it with,two of them.
Man, you listen to that band cook right through the next set.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 8:34 AM
If I were trying to persuade somebody about the quality of Paul Harrington's playing, I'd start with "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" from the HARMONICA SOUL SERENADE album. I do the song, I thought I knew how to play it, but the man really dances around on it, without overblows, and showed me a big handful of new moves. He moves from the bottom to the top of the instrument extremely well, with a really inventive rhythmic concept underlying his improvisations--not just machine-gunned notes, but a constantly shifting note-duration filter, which is the mark of a real musician. He's a pro. Distinctive sound: part Butterfield, part Magic Dick (the first J. Geils Album--"Ice Breaker"...
AND he uses two smaller tube amps in tandem. My man! Check out what he says about his equipment. And do order the album. One of the best I've heard in a while.
http://bluzharp.tripod.com/harringtongear.html
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2009 6:19 PM
Well sad to say that the website address for Paul Harrington does not exist anymore (it's now just a holding page). Also can't find the cd anywhere online to listen to it at all. What I found of him on YouTube sounded ok though.
That MySpace page opens up into the version of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" that I'm talking about. Do yourself a favor and listen to the whole thing. This guy is very good.
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2009 8:45 AM
Yeah! I agree that was good. I like the amped sound! That was recorded well. Very good example of what amped harp should sound like. His playing is very good and has a nice approach, but the amped harp sound quality is what I like. He knows how to work the tube amp! Not a lot of people on you tube impress me with their amped tone, but that song did!
I saw him last night. IMO his level of music virtuosity set him apart from the other harp players who were in attendance at a public radio harp showcase fund raising benefit expo thing.
Best in Texas? Perhaps not the most widely known or commercially successful, but I'm sure he can hold his own with Kim Wilson and Delbert McClinton, and give them lessons in Jazz.
Here is another cut by the same duo. Sorry that there is no embed - the YouTube poster did not allow embed, nor allowed comments under the video. Well, how about that?
http://youtu.be/TK2ue1kc9Mo
This seems a bit better. But I don't feel the fire at all. Maybe this is his personality. This is one of those tunes that people in a club talk over, or listen during dinner while they are waiting for the main act. Or like the acoustic set at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago at lunchtime.
Last Edited by on Jul 30, 2012 8:39 AM
I like what he did in the video. He's obviously not playing at full throttle, but it seems like it's a jam or practice session and not a performance before an audience.
I'll bet he can really crank it up when he wants to.
Funny to know that Mercy Mercy Mercy is a Zawinul's composition. There will be tribute paying to this fabulous jazz keyboarder still during 100 years! And when the tribute comes from a great harp player, it's turning crazy...
From Wikipedia..,Timber" is a song by American rapper Pitbull, featuring recording artist Kesha.[1][2] The song was released on October 7, 2013 as the lead single from Pitbull's EP, Meltdown. The song was produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut, and Sermstyle, with additional production by Nick Seeley.[3][4] The song interpolates "San Francisco Bay" (1979) by Danish harmonica player Lee Oskar, which was written by Lee Oskar, Keri Oskar, and Greg Errico.
Best in Texas?, opens a big 'ol can of worms. I think I recall once hearing Paul Harrington introduced as a consultant to Mickey Raphael on at least 1 Willie session. And don't forget Kim Wilson and Delbert McClinton. And there's another guy named Jeffrey Barnes. A few more I'm sure.
Wow! From the Dallas Morning News Article.., “When I heard the finished track, I was knocked out,” said Harrington. “Boy, did they turn me up loud.” Harrington received a flat fee of $1,000 for the session. He won’t get any royalties, but he’s hoping the exposure will get him more studio work.
At the time of that article, the song was #4 on the Billboard Top 100. I hope, at least, Lee Oskar sues somebody for stealing his music. How many harmonica players are going to get screwed on this hip hop hit?
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Dec 21, 2013 8:20 PM
