kudzurunner
4229 posts
Aug 31, 2013
5:11 AM
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Those three, plus two Brits, Giles Robson and Tom Cocks. My first take is that Sugar Blue's presence is pushing Billy and Charlie to raise their game and get more experimental than they might ordinarily be. Billy is doing some crazy arpeggios at various points.
The last six minutes are when things really erupt. At 14:00, you end up with a massive wall of sound. Harmonapocalypse!
Here's a challenge: darken the screen and LISTEN to the whole thing rather than watching it. Can you tell which player is which? What makes a given player's voice distinct?
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Aug 31, 2013 5:13 AM
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atty1chgo
696 posts
Aug 31, 2013
6:34 AM
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Now that's an exam question! These are just initial impressions.
First, regarding identification, each of The Big Three has a distinctive tone. Their individual attack is very distinctive. With all three, the specific microphones they use are identifiable as well. Blue uses the Astatic, Charlie has one of Greg Heumann's mics (I think) and Billy has the EV 635A. Charlie had the richer tone, the others usually run a cleaner tone.
I don't know that Blue was "pushing them to raise their game", because "raising" one's game does not necessarily translate into fast higher register playing. Sugar Blue jumped to the higher end of the harp because that's what he always does, but it doesn't lend itself to this particular tune. To me, as great as Blue is, that practice tends to make his songs start to blur into sounding the same much of the time.
Billy plays "Help Me" all the time, that was his standard way of playing the song, but I will agree that he was trying to do a Sugar Blue run and it didn't fit. Charlie has a mellow, rounder tone, and a slower pace which was better for the song. It is more similar to Billy's sound. Sugar sounded best, in my opinion, with the run he played before the 14 minute mark. With regard to other two players, I heard influence of all three.
As to what makes each player's HARP voice (not vocals) distinct, it is the attack. Why is that I am always thinking that Blue has to hit every note on the harp? Charlie and Sugar play with more feeling and emotion that Sugar Blue does here.
But I'm still trying to interpret what the speaker at the end was saying. :)
Last Edited by atty1chgo on Aug 31, 2013 6:55 AM
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Kingley
3082 posts
Aug 31, 2013
7:24 AM
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My initial impression is that it's nice to see my old mate Tom on stage alongside Charlie and Billy. Other than that though I have to say that this performance does nothing for me. To be perfectly blunt I think they are doing a stellar job of slaughtering a good song. It's sounds too fast, there's no space and the feel of the tune is just completely lost. Every corner of the damn thing is filled with a wall of notes. If you listen to Sonny Boy play this song it's filled with emotion and the space that is there creates huge tension in the music. That in my opinion is absolutely lost here. If I'd paid good money to see that, then I'd be severely disappointed.
Last Edited by Kingley on Aug 31, 2013 7:25 AM
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Chinaski
259 posts
Aug 31, 2013
8:53 AM
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This was at the Colne R&B festival last weekend, as I was there with our band.
I didn't catch this particular performance as it was on the previous day, but had seen some video footage in the meantime. It was billed as 'The Harp Explosion' so I understand that the whole point was to have all these guys on stage together. However, as a person that often feels two harps on stage is one too many (not always, but often), I wasn't really in a hurry to see five.
That's nothing to do with the players' abilities I should stress, it's just a set up that doesn't really work for me. I agree that there's just too much going on here - I probably like Billy and Charlie's playing/tone the best, though it just feels a bit like everyone is trying to out-zing each other.
I'd much rather to listen to any of the players doing their own thing with a band.
Since it was the same event, I'll be cheeky and post a clip of our gig there ;)
Last Edited by Chinaski on Aug 31, 2013 3:36 PM
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tmf714
1915 posts
Aug 31, 2013
9:19 AM
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Anyone who has attended the Hummel Blowouts knows that this is the "finale"- all the players perform separately, and at the end of the show,they all hit the stage for the finale.
It is not a fair representation of ANY of the players abilities on their own-notice how they smile and interact with each other-it's about having fun and trading licks-and the fans love it!!!
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John95683
100 posts
Aug 31, 2013
9:21 AM
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I also must admit that this didn't do much for me either. Most of the solos seemed to have little to do with the the original song. The whole thing seemed to devolve into a head-cutting session.I just can't listen to Sugar Blue for very long. Harmonica histrionics for their own sake quickly become boring. I'll take Sonny Boy any day. Just my opinion, of course.
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atty1chgo
697 posts
Aug 31, 2013
9:33 AM
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For the sake of posterity and contrast:
Last Edited by atty1chgo on Aug 31, 2013 9:34 AM
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Kingley
3084 posts
Aug 31, 2013
9:49 AM
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"I just can't listen to Sugar Blue for very long. Harmonica histrionics for their own sake quickly become boring."
John - I agree. Sugar Blue does nothing for me either. After one number I've heard enough. Yes he can play and I'm sure plenty of people adore his music. For me though I'd rather listen to other players.
"It is not a fair representation of ANY of the players abilities on their own"
tmf714 - Yes I agree.
"and the fans love it!!!"
Not me I'm afraid. Then again I don't like this kind of thing much regardless of who's playing.
Last Edited by Kingley on Aug 31, 2013 9:51 AM
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Chinaski
260 posts
Aug 31, 2013
9:55 AM
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As I said tmf, I fully understand the premise. And I'm sure many of the fans do love it.
But not this one either, I'm afraid.
Last Edited by Chinaski on Aug 31, 2013 10:01 AM
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Greg Heumann
2338 posts
Aug 31, 2013
10:08 AM
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I'm with Kingley
(And yes - Charlie is using a BlowsMeAway mic.)
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Aug 31, 2013 10:09 AM
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1847
1029 posts
Aug 31, 2013
10:10 AM
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is anybody else tired of these wank fests
i know i am.
i does not matter which song they choose to play
it is always ruined.
someone posted adam and dennis g trading fours
they were both locked in sync, knocking it out of the park
if you would of added even one more harmonica
i dont care WHO.... it would have ruined one of the best performances i have heard.
its about the song..... hey mom look.... no hands!
crash..bang...ouch!
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master po
i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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Chinaski
261 posts
Aug 31, 2013
10:14 AM
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'And yes - Charlie is using a BlowsMeAway mic'
Me too ;)
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tmf714
1916 posts
Aug 31, 2013
10:21 AM
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Done right-
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1847
1030 posts
Aug 31, 2013
10:57 AM
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too many cooks
spoil such a good thing
the circus starts at eight so dont be late
be so kind not to wake me
i think i'll just sit this one out.
"too rolling stoned"
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master po
i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
Last Edited by 1847 on Aug 31, 2013 11:00 AM
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Ray
451 posts
Aug 31, 2013
1:58 PM
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Chinaski, Thanks for sharing your vid. You guys sound excellent man.
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Chinaski
262 posts
Aug 31, 2013
2:15 PM
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Thanks very much, Ray. Glad you liked it. :)
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