Good Stuff. I agree that Jason is sounding as good as ever to me as well! Although I don't know that I've ever heard Jason sound really bad, but there are times where he sounds better or worse (as with all of us).
In my opinion Jason has an extraordinary gift of being able to combine an extreme level of technical ability to an extreme level of musicality. Most people are very lucky to have either an extreme level of musicality or technical ability, but to have both is a very very rare thing (in my opinion).
Saw him last night in Pittsburgh, my wife and I enjoyed the show. He was playing hard, and sounded great. I enjoyed both the effects, and the acoustic playing. It was a really diverse and exciting show. Great job.
if you want to learn directly from Jason, along with Mitch Kashmar, Richard Sleigh, PT Gazell, Buzz Krantz, and myself, come to the Harmonica Collective in Indy, April 28- May 2. =========== Winslow
I hear a mediocre Meters type groove- some marginal singing- A guy wandering around while the rest of the band is playing and then about 5 minutes in some real good harp
A guy as good as Jason is - it could be more focused and with better material
Thats just me- Its basically a world class player in a bar band
Apart from the point that I enjoyed the groove of the tune i'd have to agree with Goldbrick in that it wasn't coming over as Jason being fully involved..the vocals were dial in and wandering off the stage is not a good look for the audience, as well as being a bit of a downer for the band I'd think.
Last Edited by indigo on Feb 08, 2015 7:48 PM
Thanks to all you who came out and have supported me in this long strenuous, eye opening and humbling "comeback". I appreciate it very much!
I'm not one to defend myself or write angry things on internet threads. Before winning the meaningful and existentially meaningless: BMA/ Handy for best harmonica (beating Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, Billy Branch and Hummel), then tonight winning a Grammy (Johnny Winter record) I have naturally grown use to MUCH more bad press than good about me but what upset me here enough to break my "No defend" rule wasn't isn't really just about me. 20 years on the road will give you some thick skin. I've been called A LOT of things in forums, magazines, newspapers and youtube over the years. Ive been celebrated beyond my abilities and condemned far worse than anyone deserves all for trying to wander my way through life same as all of you just in a more public job. I have respected that public element and almost never respond to negative, inflammatory, untrue accusations, assumptions or simple ignorant name calling. Everything from: "Genius, prodigy, gifted and God-like:" to "Faggot, thief, addict and Devil Worshipper" has been said about me and please y'all KEEP TALKING both sell records and tickets…This isn't about me it's about my band and the Internet, improvised music and what comes before and after gigs on the road. Pay attention don't do this often.
Explaining youtube, improvising, a single song, styles, and general circumstances here is dumb and a lot less pro than walking off stage to get liquid but let me anyway since the band was called "mediocre" and other insults were implied about them and me as well while I'm breaking my rule... Firstly there are hours worth of video up OF THIS GIG on youtube. Did you last two dudes watch any of those? All the songs are very different from this song in groove, style, key etc... naturally. We had to learn all these songs separately from each other (DIFFERENT STATES) and you are hearing the first performance of some of these EVER with this particular band from New Orleans. Youtube and cell phones with questionable audio prevent us from controlling this... We call it "trying stuff out". Sometimes we even change songs after they ARE perfect just to see what they might sound like….Sometimes it works sometimes not…We also call it improvising, jamming, and experimenting amoung other things like fun. There is a total 3 1/2 hours worth of material learned and performed basically for the first time with each other this night on youtube. Very little of that material is simply straight blues (Shuffle, 1,4,5, slow, rhumba etc) and all of it was performed bravely, mostly really well and hell yeah we WERE scared in NYC!!! I'm not showing up to New York to a club packed with MY fans and NOT doing at least SOME of their favorite songs and some NEW ones! Regardless of circumstances... I won't. I love those fans more than my comfort. I would feel MUCH safer doing simple blues standards but THAT is not professional for me or the club or my fans who rightfully expect to hear my songs and playing it safe THAT way is what a "BAR BAND" does/is not this video. There was no way we could of really rehearsed these tunes together the way we would of liked as I cannot leave Indiana unless I am being paid and cannot afford to either way…We did our best by booking one show (FOR NO GUARANTEED MONEY) before this, in a basically unannounced club in Indiana on my birthday where I got to know these guys again musically and personally, two whom I met the day before the video you see here. We then got n a van and put in work.
As far as me walking off stage please listen up: The club is Terra Blues it's in New York City, we drove 14 hours straight to the gig, loaded in while double parked on Bleeker. Hauled ALL the gear up a flight of stairs, down a long skinny hallway, into a hallway/green room with NO HEAT on the coldest day of the year in NYC. We loaded on to a tiny stage after the opener with only 30 minutes allowed to tweak our amps, check drums, bass, TWO guitars, 5 vocals and harp and then start immediately all in front of the audience in a half hour. This is how the club expects us to do it…is that professional? Not really but pretty normal actually. The video above was our second song not of the night … pretty much EVER on a real show. NO ONE in the band was given water, coke, tea or anything by the club and there was NO time to get anything anyway…I NEEDED something so I ran back (Not wandered) to the green room to get anything (someone's OLD cup of cold coffee) so that I could help my "dialed in" vocals (which maybe improved after the drink) that were tired from discussing this material for 14 hours in a Van up to New York... Please try for just a moment (before effortlessly typing in insults about hard working people) that circumstances in this world where EVERYTHING is recorded are not always perfect and sometimes being PRO is simply showing up and suiting up regardless of those unfortunate circumstances, not complaining and doing the goddamn best you can. It's New York City, the first gig under my name after almost a three year absence, 60% original material, a brand new band from New Orleans, a rental van, and an audience that expects you to be as great that night as the last gig you did with a band that played together at least a thousand times before they saw it…It's a bit of pressure… We handled it got paid, sold the place out and learned from our errors. I am NOT making excuses here, I am telling you how this often is and why things can be hard. I am damn proud of this touring, original, band and the ENTIRE show is on youtube for anyone to see that hit IS that.…OF COURSE their are areas that need work and by gig three in Pittsburgh shows we made a TON of them... Before posting publicly on this forum or any forum that you think this band is mediocre or my behavior unprofessional at least extend to us the courtesy of watching at least one other video from the same damn show….This is how we make our LIVING and although I probably should not empower you at all with this response or this info: your posts do actually matter not to me but to people who might judge these guys from your words...I would post the song we did after this, a cover of "Double Trouble" but my computer is infected with a virus and won't allow it. This band which includes some of the best musicians New Orleans has to offer, who have all had extended and celebrated careers spanning decades on their own and with some of the greatest musicians doing this music alive and dead.
We are improvising musicians, that is the nature of this music. The dawn of instant and frequent video from ANYONE has made it impossible to present a constant professional image in music, comedy or performance art of any kind. Stand up comedians are always angry that they cannot try new , less evolved material without it being videotaped…It's a great and tough thing about this day and age.
You guys don't have to go do three hundred days days of one nighters a year for ten years, win meaningless awards, live the blues, be pros or any of that BS to get EVERYTHING I said up there but you could try and be "Pro Humans" and think/empathize/consider a bit before you write bad things publicly about a hard working band you watched one song of... You don't have to like it all or any of it because no matter how rehersed, how funky, or anything I am, this band gets: WE will NEVER please everyone…FACT… Say what you want but don't call this band a "Bar Band" it's not and if you still think it is show me a bar band doing this song better for basically the first time under half these stressful of conditions. Almost everyone here is cool, it surprises me still how little some of you actually REALLY know about music, this business and WHAT us REAL players actually go through to bring it to you. Thank you Gary, Joe and everyone else including Jinx who wrote the only good critique for all your support, mindfulness and consideration. Good night I have to get with my Girlfriend and cat neither of whom has seen me in a week.
Last Edited by Moon Cat on Feb 08, 2015 11:54 PM
You know better then most of us, putting yourself out there can be a crazy crazy endeavor. Stepping into the attention zone is risky. Funny enough, the very same night you played Terra Blues, I was playing in Central Park. A couple people gave me some tips, things were sweet. But later, a group of derelicts began hurling chunks of ice at me! And you know how could it was, that shit was hard as rock.
If it was all roses, it wouldn't be so precious. Hang in there man.
----------
Last Edited by JInx on Feb 08, 2015 11:27 PM
Well done Jason winning that Grammy with Johnny Winter. He must have had huge respect for your musicianship. You have kept a tradition of great harp players playing with JW (still) alive and well. Congrats.
Many on this forum don't know what it's like to be a gigging / touring musician. It's one thing to sit at home playing along with YouTube videos whilst posting on this forum. Another thing completely doing what you're doing. What some don't get is that the EASIEST and most enjoyable bit is the time on stage! The hours in the van, the crappy food / accommodation and disrespect for the musicians is what can get to you. Particularly if you are in the road for any length of time.
In the good old bad old days, we all played good and bad gigs. The difference was that our less than stellar performances didn't immediately appear on the internet to be analysed by all and sundry. The greater your reputation, the more you have to deal with it.
Lots of anecdotes but I liked this one: We were unloading the gear in the pissing rain through the back entrance to get ready for a 4-hour gig having spent hours in the van when the waiter walked past and said "It's not all glamour!"
Glad your showed the other side of the coin.
Best R PS Personally, great to see you back on stage!
Great rendition of 'Scratch my Back' later in the set ! Killer harp and nicely done shifting between acoustic and electric ..
To Whom It May Concern: (you know who you are)
You too can be an armchair coach , lord know we got enough of them chiming in .. in this digital age.. Try getting off your couch and .. onto the field of play sometime .... and see what the real world is all about ... it will adjust your attitude in a hurry .. Or, mind your manners give some respect to those who have earned it ....
I guess the old adage "if you don't have something nice to say .. just don't say anything at all" falls on deaf ears ...
Friggin Whiners ....
Last Edited by mastercaster on Feb 09, 2015 2:47 AM
Well just for the record Mr Ricci, this was right up my street.
I think the funk thing is vastly underrated in the harmonica world. When you think about bands like War with Lee Oskar and Stevie Wonder, funk harmonica should be a legitimate genre and that compressed rhythmic vibe you've got going on is perfect for it.
I was at the Pittsburgh show at Moondogs with my son, his gf, my daughter and wife and they all loved the show even though they aren't big into harmonica. They loved it because it was a great show by a great band. It was not a bar band. I know, I am in one myself. When JR left the stage it was to let the soloists run the stage and show their stuff, which they did very well, and JR was groovin to the solos offstage. Of course the harp was worlds best, but there were no dialed in vocals from anybody. Everything appeared passionately done.
Its kinda cool to rile a Grammy winner ( not as scary tho as when I accidentally turned Linda Ronstadts mike too low for her liking at a show many years ago)
Part of being an artist is learning to accept comments with grace and not taking things personally.
If an item that might not be representative of your work is out there- just put up a better one- .
One doesnt need to be "better " than you to critique someone's work. Otherwise only James Cotton, Kim Wilson and a few others would be worthy of writing anything and your comment section would be very lonely
I am a mediocre musician and not really all that concerned about it- I still know what I see and hear having worked as a communication engineer for TV networks and radio stations.
You know you are a good player- maybe your band is great -
I was at the Pittsburgh show as well. The musicians are all world-class professionals. They make it work night in and night out and deliver a great show - no matter the conditions. Which in Pittsburgh are far from ideal - tiny stage, cramped club, amp issues. You don't have to love the band, or Jason's voice, but seriously get a filter. If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't say it online. You can criticize without being derogatory.
@Goldbrick - I think Jason would have been gracious and stayed out if you hadn't called the rest of the band a mediocre bar band - derogatory and inflammatory. So how about next time following your mommas advice and if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all. Or at least offer criticism without resorting to name calling.
Jason and his band are all good musicians. Funk is not their forte - yet. Funk in the above clip is missing that third dimension that makes it jump out and engage you.
As the band gels, so will all their grooves. Works in progress are fun to watch develop. ---------- The Iceman
Thanks for reminding us, Jason, just how brutal the road life can be. And thanks for reminding us of how unwise (to use a polite word) it is for people to judge a band's performance, and yours, on the basis of one YouTube clip taken from the second song of the night by a recently-assembled band playing its first gig of a tour.
The idea of "opening out of town" has a long history. That's because the reviewers were always sharpening their knives in New York. Even the best actors and musicians need tuneups, often a handful of shows, in order to get everything right and create the feeling that Iceman is sure that he doesn't hear here.
What's changed in our own time is that YouTube lets those who weren't actually in the New York audience and didn't hear the full show sit in the reviewer's seat, and publicly post their review. I think working musicians like you guys deserve better.
I'm always amused by the people who tell me that the harp in videos of my live performances wasn't loud enough, or was overpowering. It never occurs to them that mike (i.e., camera) placement makes a difference. They're much too trusting of what they believe the evidence of their senses--i.e., what the video--is showing them. They need to exercise a little more skepticism.
Anybody who believes they can say anything about your evening's performance based on a YouTube clip of the second song of the night really needs to get out more--and work more as a gigging musician. Remarkable things happen after bands get warmed up.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Feb 09, 2015 9:09 AM
What was Jobs' response to God after He addressed Jobs' complaints? Silence. He sat in awe and humility.
Last Edited by rbeetsme on Feb 09, 2015 9:10 AM
"What was Jobs' response to God after He addressed Jobs' complaints? Silence. He sat in awe and humility."
This is a hilarious comparison since God basically destroyed Job's life for the hell of it/to prove a point.
But yeah, I enjoyed a lot of the video in the post, and I really liked the video of "Get Up, Stand Up" from the same show. I'm not going to weigh in on whether or not folks are entitled to judge a live show based on youtube footage. I think it's possible to determine from a youtube clip whether or not you yourself want to see a given artist live or not, but to assess the performance on a more general level? That might be a slippery slope. It really depends -- for example, there were a few clips of this particular show that were filmed with a better camera, and, unsurprisingly, Jason's singing sounds better on those videos. So who knows, really?
---------- Check out my music at http://bmeyerson11.bandcamp.com/
So familiar... Playing hardly rehearsed song or even with hardly rehearsed band (because it's job - gig is booked!), possible having flu or just tired don't have time to rest after a long road, odd onstage monitoring, drunken soundguy... someone film it and post it to youtube. Listening and crying, understanding that you can do a tripple best job. ---------- Excuse my bad English. My videos.
Last Edited by boris_plotnikov on Feb 09, 2015 2:05 PM
I'm not going to judge either the performance or the critique as I think Jason's organically inventive playing is as awesome as free speech but....I will reveal that I nearly never put up anything on these forums because the responses -if critical- can cut to the soul. I play for the general audience and am lucky enough to connect with them emotionally through the poverty of my talents.....When harp players are in the audience I tighten my anus!! A few days ago I put a video up of one of my bands on my FB page and the response from a harp player was "never ever turn your back on the audience" in capital letters. It's not the wrong or right of the comment that stung it was the exploitation of that one factor independent of the soul of the song In Capital Letters. That was the entirety of the comment. If he was next to me I would have hit him and he wouldn't have gotten up. ---------- Facebook
I'm with CarlA. If I were put on a desert island and allowed the catalog of only one harmonica player I would not hesitate to say Jason.
I tell my guys..."When everyone is confident in what the other musicians are going to do, when the song and it's dynamics are imbedded to each, when you know the mix is good, when you "connect" and everyone is feeling right....THAT is when great things start to happen that make the music fantastic. Still, it can be very good before then.
It's like Newlyweds..the sex is great from day one, but if all parties devote to the union it just gets better and better.
@bigd Lol! If someone posted that type of comment on your FB page about turning your back to the audience, he would have been petrified by my recent actions last week. Walked up to the bar in the middle of a song, ordered a water, tipped the bartender, and had some conversations with the patrons all while still comping and playing my solos. The audience loved it. Good times.
Everyone is human, and I too have dealt with critique of my work that I try extremely hard to do at the highest possible level. When you're giving it all you've got, and you really care, harsh criticisms sting. I'm glad Jason shared what he did with us and wish him luck in his efforts to rebuild.
To me, criticisms are valuable...even harsh ones. They are observations made by your peers.
Rather than getting defensive, I would have said "Thanks. Band is a work in progress. Check back often for current videos and watch the band gel" thereby drawing the critic in and having them experience the growth in real time.
"Peers" does not mean any and all who care to comment. It means equals, those who know and understand what the person being judged is going through. Few here are at Jason's level of professional accomplishment or rely on gigging as much for their livelihood. And constant scrutiny and publicization is a real problem for performers these days. You need the elbow room to be bad in front of audiences as you develop your material and your presentation. =========== Winslow
I agree with Winslow. It is not constructive to use critiques from someone just because they have heard your performance and have an opinion. I believe peers are also equals with a shared respect for each other and each other's art. The respect doesn't have to rise to the level of admiration, just respect as an artist and individual. These people understand you, and what you are trying to communicate through your art. Evaluating your music based on the opinion of someone who doesn't care and respect you, is detrimental and unhealthy. Don't let how you feel about your art be influenced by someone whom has no right to live in your head.
I've seen Jason play live a couple times and I agree with the comment about technical ability and musicality. I would add that I came away happy from both gigs 'cuz Jason's enthusiasm and joy while performing are infectious. I would also say that I have a boxed set of Jimi Hendrix CDs in a purple case with a booklet, and if I had to judge Hendrix by 2/3 of those tunes in that set, I might think he had a mediocre bar band.
Based on my post, looks like this discussion has focused on definition of the word "peer" (of which I consider myself to be in regards to pro players).
Perhaps a better choice of words from me to convey my thoughts would have been "contemporaries". ---------- The Iceman
I just listened to a bunch of that Terra Blues set and from my point of view, that is some hot stuff going on there. The whole thing is a master class in harmonica. You can't improvise like that, for that long, without massive skills, musical knowledge and discipline. Hat's off to Jason and the band. I gotta go practice.
One thing that gives The Bad Kind a "bar band" vibe, is the lack of interesting song arrangement. Dynamic arrangements are IMO, a key element needed to elevate a band above typical bar band mediocrity. Plodding through 13 minutes of slow blues solo after solo is a tough demand on the audience.
" JInx 973 posts Feb 12, 2015 11:10 AM One thing that gives The Bad Kind a "bar band" vibe, is the lack of interesting song arrangement. Dynamic arrangements are IMO, a key element needed to elevate a band above typical bar band mediocrity. Plodding through 13 minutes of slow blues solo after solo is a tough demand on the audience. "
"Plodding" is not a term I would use to describe JR playing. "Musical poetry" would be more suitable, and like most of the famed poets, that shit is deep!
When did "bar band" become a pejorative? For me, it only describes the venues a band finds itself working in t make music and , with luck, a living. Like anything else, the level of musicianship varies band to band. What I heard here was a a loose blues jam that featured musicians coming together on the one; the highlights, for me, are Jason's harmonica solos, which I could listen to for hours, one after another, with this band as his support. While not as tight as one might want, this is not "plodding", and is, like Mooncat said, a band that was trying things out, experimenting, willing to make mistakes , to try things. I watched the Youtubes of this gig and thought it a mixed bag, but I would have thought the cost of admission to this gig was money well spent. ---------- Ted Burke __________________ ted-burke.com tburke4@san.rr.com
I wonder if Miles, Mingus, Bird, Coleman Hawkins, et al, would have been critiqued heavily if their weekend/weeknight jam sessions in the clubs of NYC with their "bar bands" were "filmed" and posted online in the You Tube Era. I think it's a privilege to pay watch musicians with monster chops figure stuff out together under less than ideal conditions. There is clearly an attempt to satisfy the audience here to a large extent, along with some experimentation and feeling things out. EXACTLY what I would expect to see if I saw a sign that said "Jason Ricci at Terra Blues 9 PM".
given my listening to this video and others from this night as well as some that jason has posted of his work recently, i would say not only is jason back, but he is better than ever! he is more comfortable in his own skin, able to take a step back when he needs to, even more comfortable with the organic sound of the harp, but even more willing to throw effects in there too. he was off touring but obviously did not put the harp down, but continued to grow as a musician and we are fortunate he is out and about again to show of the new as well as bring back some of the old.
Down here in New Orleans, Even touring bands are bar bands. And thats good, at least for us. I feel sorry for communities that do not have great bands that you can see in a bar. And you know what, they pay their dues here just like the rest of of.
Now, I know all the people in Jason's new band from here, especially John and Andy, and they are both great musicians and definitely can play anything, any time. Jason played some of those same grooves when he was down here. There is another band down here that Jason used to play with too, and it was the great Pat Ramsey's. They play in a bar, everywednesday night, and If I have a harmonica player from anywhere come and visit New Orleans, and they are Pat Ramsey fans, I always take them to the Band Street Bar and Grill to see Major Bacon, and they always get to play, and they are always great.
So give the band a break. You know you love them. ----------
Why do we have to think they are great? Comparing them to Miles, Mingus, Parker etc?! Come on, give me a break. You're making it too hard for him to live up to it all. ----------
Last Edited by JInx on Feb 13, 2015 12:44 PM
"I wonder if Miles, Mingus, Bird, Coleman Hawkins, et al, would have been critiqued heavily if their weekend/weeknight jam sessions in the clubs of NYC with their "bar bands" were "filmed" and posted online in the You Tube Era."
This is not a good comparison. Those guys' after hours jam sessions were usually hotter than their regular gigs, as they went all out challenging each other. The back up bands would also be the best working players who knew how to play as a unit, as this level at that time was about as good as it got.
This was a whole different era for music than what exists now.
I am anxious to see the development over time of Jason's latest band.
With regards to comparing Jason with the glorious likes of Mingus, Bird, Hawkins, Coltrane, et al, it's a comfortable fit, I think. Jason's technical skills and imagination are on a par with the abilities of many of the heavy hitters from the jazz canon, and his imagination as an improvisor certainly is rich enough to make the comparison a natural one. Jason is in a different tradition, though, a combination of progressive and jazz rock and blues rock, with noticible traces of what came after the original electric period Miles Davis bands had gone off on their respective careers as solo artists. It makes better sense to place JR with the company of Chick Corea, Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs. He is at his most intensely inventive in playing that brilliantly blended style. Jason, though, is a musician who brings it all together who is versatile. Bring it to him and he can play it with grit, originality, passion. ---------- Ted Burke __________________ ted-burke.com tburke4@san.rr.com
Iceman writes: "Based on my post, looks like this discussion has focused on definition of the word "peer" (of which I consider myself to be in regards to pro players)."
Actually, Iceman, you're not.
Do you manage to book, travel to, and play 200-300 gigs a year while keeping a band together under tight economic circumstances?
Do you have a body of commercially available recorded work?
Do you depend on gigs or royalties for your livelihood?
You may believe that you play as well as a pro, but that does not make you the peer of a working pro. You don't have to face the artistic and economic choices a working pro faces or function in public under pressure, day in and day out. Unless you do, you don't have a good understanding of the sensitivities a pro feels.
Most pros stay the hell away from forums like this, partly because they don't want to be subjected to abuse and ignorance. Jason was one of the very few who had the generosity and enthusiasm to participate. =========== Winslow
