SuperBee
2475 posts
Mar 20, 2015
11:46 PM
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I had a call from a band asking me to sit in on a gig, and now they've asked me along to rehearse...
The only thing is, the repertoire. It's not complex and I know I could dig it out for myself in time but I know some people here will be able to point me right from the start.
Tunes include swing low sweet chariot, will the circle be unbroken, lay my burden down, deacon jones, st James infirmary, John the revelator, down by the riverside.
Just looking for some inspirational (you might say) examples
Thank you
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SuperBee
2476 posts
Mar 20, 2015
11:51 PM
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Also...this was a funny thing...I mentioned SBW 2 and the drummer said 'oh I played with him'
Turns out when was 17 he played in a band which backed SBW in London in '64.
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Pistolcat
762 posts
Mar 21, 2015
8:39 AM
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Nice songs! Play it big with lots of vibrato :). Here's a Saint James that I'm fond of. Filip Jers on harp. http://youtu.be/rJqT3-8Wl-Y
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
Last Edited by Pistolcat on Mar 21, 2015 8:40 AM
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KingoBad
1628 posts
Mar 21, 2015
12:41 PM
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How they play them will make a big difference.
My band would swing the hell out of most of those songs, including St. James Infirmary. I bop around in third pos. and have a lot of fun doing it.
My slide player keeps yelling that it is a dirge, and we just laugh at him...
As for "circle,". I would use all of my Todd Parrott stolen licks...
That one will be fast no matter what. I would also use a lot of Rhythmic chucking and be prepared to solo with the melody.
Sonny Terry does the best "down by the riverside". And you can catch some awesome harmony lines if you are going to sing backup. I like the vid where he and Brownie play with Pete Seger on Youtube,
My 2cents...
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Danny
Last Edited by KingoBad on Mar 21, 2015 12:44 PM
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2chops
367 posts
Mar 21, 2015
2:02 PM
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For Will the Circle... Todd Parrott has a cool version on his CD. There's a video of a guy on YT who had a nice version too. Todd L. Green I think his name is. He does a mix of piano and harp on it. If I can find it I'll embed it here.
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
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shakeylee
175 posts
Mar 21, 2015
2:52 PM
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that's the good music!! i love playing all that stuff!!
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www.shakeylee.com
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hvyj
2662 posts
Mar 22, 2015
12:51 AM
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A lot of spirituals can be played effectively on harp using the major pentatonic scale. Certainly wtcbu and lmbd are major pentatonic.
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SuperBee
2481 posts
Mar 22, 2015
2:13 AM
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thanks for the pointers folks,
Pistolcat, after reading your post i had a go at St James Infirmary today. i dug out Filip Jers version on YT which Hakan also has covered with a breakdown
but theres also something i found by JJ Milteau using 5th position. this is a little bouncier..or it will be when i learn it:
these embedded rather strangely. i've endeavoured to stop them starting automatically. unsuccessfully .
Last Edited by SuperBee on Mar 22, 2015 4:59 AM
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Pistolcat
764 posts
Mar 22, 2015
1:39 PM
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Nice playing, B! Very nice timbre on that three hole bends in the third position clip!
Here's me plying on my new chrom I bought of Filip Jers. Third pos http://youtu.be/g3TJR8PyUwE
And in fifth... http://youtu.be/v9fhsHn5-dc
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
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SuperBee
2486 posts
Mar 23, 2015
2:54 AM
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Thanks Pistolcat. I enjoyed your clips, some very nice passages in both. you are really developing your playing!
i wondered about playing this on my Chrom, seems an ideal number for the chromatic...but my lady says my chromatic playing lacks vitality. have to start developing it sometime. perhaps...
i'm wondering how useful a country-tuned harp might be in 5th...i can just about manage a 6OB reliably but the 5OB is not at all reliable yet
oh and i was going to ask about the backing track but i saw in your notes it is from jazzbacks. very good.
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Pistolcat
765 posts
Mar 23, 2015
6:12 AM
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Thanks, man. I'm starting to feel comfortable when picking up my harp, playing nowadays. The music I hear in my head is pretty close to what comes out of it... Jazzbacks has some very high quality BT:s (and some less so, but you can preview them all). Check out their "summertime".
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Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
Last Edited by Pistolcat on Mar 23, 2015 6:13 AM
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timeistight
1735 posts
Mar 23, 2015
8:34 AM
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Charlie McCoy likes to play minor in fifth on country-tuned harps. Fifth is the relative minor of second so you've got lots of patterns you can repurpose. Plus country tuning eliminates that pesky Phrygian minor second from fifth.
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"You can't just copy somebody. If you like someone's work, the important thing is to be exposed to everything that person has been exposed to."
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SuperBee
2487 posts
Mar 23, 2015
12:57 PM
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I have a couple CT harps. I've considered making more but held off because I didn't know whether I'd use them. But this might be the time to add a Bb to the set at least.
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