kudzurunner
4266 posts
Sep 20, 2013
1:19 PM
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Here's the performance of "Juke" that Aki Kumar threw down a couple of weeks ago at the blowoff in Campbell, California. I love the way he segues seamlessly, halfway through, from the prepared script to his own take on the Little Walter style. Great player--and fun to watch. Elegance personified, and energy in reserve:
Note: he's blowing through David Barrett's Masco head (behind him) and a big cabinet, the name of which escapes me. The thing about the cabinet is, it has two 12"s and they've got very heavy magnets. I've always found heavy magnet speakers to be very bad for harp, but that Masco head overdrives like butter--Dave talked about this--and no speaker breakup is needed to get the sound Aki's got here. This is some superb blues harmonica playing.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Sep 20, 2013 1:20 PM
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jbear
30 posts
Sep 20, 2013
1:30 PM
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That was so smooth! Perfect!
And I love seeing people dancing.
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John95683
110 posts
Sep 20, 2013
3:29 PM
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I was at that show on September 7, which followed the Gussow/Shellist Workshop held not far away. In addition to Aki Kumar, Ronnie Shellist, Dave Barrett, and Adam also played. The locals got a top of the line show from some of the best pros around for no cover.
All of the players were superb, but I thought Adam blew the house down with his great playing and foot drum. Power and precision at its finest.
The workshop itself was a great day put on by two terrific teachers.
Thank you very much, Adam and Ronnie.
Last Edited by John95683 on Sep 20, 2013 3:30 PM
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The Iceman
1177 posts
Sep 20, 2013
3:29 PM
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Dude is honey drippin' good.
I'd turn that guitar player down, though.
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The Iceman
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Greg Heumann
2374 posts
Sep 20, 2013
5:06 PM
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Nice......! FYI - Aki tongue blocks everything.... Pisses me off.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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Frank
2773 posts
Sep 20, 2013
6:26 PM
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Dave Barrett is the Darth Vader of Toungue Blocking and has bred many a player as well as seduced multitudes to the "darkside" of TBing :)
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Greg Heumann
2375 posts
Sep 20, 2013
8:44 PM
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Yep. I am a graduate of the Dave Barrett school of the blues. Except that I stopped taking lessons before the "TB everything" wisdom came about. Aki started taking lessons the same year I stopped so we overlapped a little. The difference is that Aki worked a lot harder than me, for a lot longer. Little whipper snapper.
I don't know if you guys saw the thread, but Rick Estrin and Kid Andersen decided to give Aki his Indian blues name on Facebook and what ensued was hysterical. Aki himself made a few contributions - don't worry - he is really funny himself and was not offended by this. My favorites:
Curry Bell
Bollywood Fats
Habib B King
Swami Boy Williamson aka Basmati Rice Miller
Buddha Guy
Vindalouis Meyers
Bindi Boy Arnold
Sitar Slim
Home Sikh James
Bombay Blue Bland
I'm cracking up all over again.....
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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 Sep 20, 2013 9:00 PM
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The Iceman
1178 posts
Sep 21, 2013
3:34 AM
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now that's some funny sh*t!
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The Iceman
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hooktool
86 posts
Sep 21, 2013
5:43 AM
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Those are hilarious!. He looks like a harmonica player-smooth, too.
John
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Rubes
758 posts
Sep 21, 2013
6:05 AM
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I got kinda hypnotised increasingly throughout that clip...it contained all the very basic ingredients for a classic performance! And what a great band...(you could be a tad harsh Iceman, guitar man was pretty subdued i thought)...minimalist and deadly!!!
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Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
Dads in Space at Reverbnation
Benny and Rubes at Reverbnation
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kudzurunner
4267 posts
Sep 21, 2013
7:17 AM
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Many years ago I thought I should work up a class or lecture on "the dance of blues harmonica." There are many fine players in the world, but some just look more elegant, more balanced, more purposeful when they play. They have a body language, a body-consciousness, that seems to be taken from modern dance, martial arts, or some other practice that teaches power, elegance, balance, and grace. Kim Wilson is one such player; he's the guy I always referrenced. Aki is another. Nat Riddles very much had the moves. (Let's not forget that David Barrett has a black belt in karate.)
There was a player back in New York named Speedo Jones. He did NOT have elegant moves. He was from the throw-yourself-into-it school of aggressive harp playing; the let-it-all-hang-out school. Carlos del Junco has elegant moves; Jason and I do not--not really. Aki just has that...thing. Rick Estrin has it, too; he actually has a whole lot of head-motion of the sort that Aki has. The swing is located there, I think. Or that's where it registers, although it's coming from lower down.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Sep 21, 2013 7:21 AM
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Frank
2777 posts
Sep 21, 2013
7:50 AM
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Rick estrin mentions in his teaching Video that when he was up-an- coming...he had a certain mentor that turned the light on as far as stepping up the "performer" end of doing a show.
Wonder who Aki, if any... has studied to craft his stage presence after?
In the end, Rick mentions - the final product has to be a little move or two that is ALL yours and keeps the groove solid :)
Last Edited by Frank on Sep 21, 2013 7:56 AM
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John95683
111 posts
Sep 21, 2013
9:17 AM
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You know you've arrived if Rick Estrin gives you a nickname.
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Frank
2779 posts
Sep 21, 2013
9:29 AM
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Jamir Harman
Roja Estrin
Last Edited by Frank on Sep 21, 2013 9:31 AM
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Frank
2780 posts
Sep 21, 2013
9:34 AM
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Try this again - they gots gobbled up...
Raja Estrin
Jamir Harman
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Thievin' Heathen
249 posts
Sep 21, 2013
9:39 AM
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Just an observation but.., The recording device seems to be completely omitting some of the base line. The harp sounds good, but I bet there's even more there than we are hearing. I'm sorry I could not make it out to CA.
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Kingley
3154 posts
Sep 21, 2013
10:10 AM
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Aki knows just how to get the job done. I like the way he plays a lot. He's done his homework and learned his craft. Now that hard work is starting to pay dividends.
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walterharp
1170 posts
Sep 21, 2013
10:18 AM
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Adam, I sense your view towards Kumar's playing is evolving...
perhaps the playing is too
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Frank
2785 posts
Sep 21, 2013
11:14 AM
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Performers, those who can create a "stage presence" of some sort have always intrigued me ...I think Adams lecture together with snippets of video would be an very enjoyable class...I imagine that it's not easy being Cool or Hip or Groovy when performing and for us average players portraying that kind of persona on stage can be difficult to do or frightening for what ever reason....but being a cool-cat seems to be a necessary ingredient to give an audience a sense of being entertained...what say you?
Last Edited by Frank on Sep 21, 2013 11:15 AM
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kudzurunner
4268 posts
Sep 21, 2013
11:55 AM
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Walter, I don't believe my view of Aki has changed at all. I raved about him here after sharing a stage with him in September 2012. I loved what he did here, a year later. His playing--and he has to be seen live--has many virtues, including, as I noted here, a virtue close to my heart, the desire to update, modernize, make it new. He and David Barrett, as I noted here last week, improvised a twin-lead duet that was brilliant and new.
Perhaps you're confusing Aki Kumar with Bharath Rajakumar? My comments about the latter player concerned his 100% replication of Little Walter's songbook. Aki's got the chops for that, but he's not a replicator.
If we try hard, everybody, we can keep this thread as positive as the spirit in which I began it. :)
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Sep 21, 2013 3:53 PM
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Frank
2786 posts
Sep 21, 2013
12:30 PM
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"He and David Barrett, as I noted here last week, improvised a twin-lead duet that was brilliant and new."
Is that performance mentioned above on the net to be viewed?
David Barretts instrumental writing skills are off the charts...He could probably make a living just creating harp instrumental masterpieces and selling them to Pro Artists :)
Last Edited by Frank on Sep 21, 2013 12:32 PM
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Chinn
97 posts
Sep 21, 2013
4:49 PM
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My 18 mo old son really got into that video. I can always tell that a performer has that special 'something' when he dances to something!
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kudzurunner
4270 posts
Sep 21, 2013
5:30 PM
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Frank, it's not online yet, but I hope that the videographer will post it. He's sending me the raw files for my entire set in a week or so, so I'll post something from that.....
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Frank
2788 posts
Sep 21, 2013
6:21 PM
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That's great news, thanks for the update Sir...Looking forward to seeing some of your performances from that night and hoping to see you do your show live too one day...Everyone who mentions seeing you in person have left great reviews about your powerhouse harp playing, I doubt video is telling the true story of what you're puttin down :)
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walterharp
1172 posts
Sep 21, 2013
6:47 PM
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shoot Adam, you are right. That is totally embarrassing...
thanks for putting up the video, it is great.
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Frank
2789 posts
Sep 21, 2013
7:06 PM
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I did get to see you and Mr. Satan in Cleveland Ohio in the 90's, drove from Pittsburgh and was not disappointed, you guys were nuts good. Here is a photo that has survived from that night :)
Last Edited by Frank on Sep 21, 2013 7:11 PM
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kudzurunner
4271 posts
Sep 21, 2013
7:24 PM
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Aha. That was probably the night we played Fatfish Blue. My 1948 National is right behind me.
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kudzurunner
4272 posts
Sep 21, 2013
7:26 PM
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Here's a clip from an upstate NYC gig of that period. Please note that the harp player isn't playing very much. I'm just tagging along.
http://www.iheartmusicvideos.com/czqAZMusicrm7yDE/Satan-and-Adam,-%22Feel-So-Bad%22-%28mid-1990s%29.html
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blueswannabe
279 posts
Sep 22, 2013
3:36 PM
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Was that masco amp he's playing modified by skip,Simmons. Ali is one of my favorite players. He's got the little Walter sound down. Thanks.mike
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