Littoral
1349 posts
Jan 23, 2016
5:58 AM
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I've been working A LOT on Old Time tunes which, gladly, isn't bluegrass - especially after reading this short story I found from PT Gazell off of a non-active forum.
Wow.
"As most of you know I tend not to post to much... but having followed this thread over the last two days I feel I should weigh in with my own personal experience. I attended Bill Monroe's Beanblossom festival for the first time in 1974. Being 21 and bullet proof meant that no matter what kind of dirty looks I got I was going to play. Now suffice it to say that I knew the songs, and I mean the melodies, not just jamming over changes. There were a lot of people there that were glad to have me play and a lot that simply shut me out. One particular jam that was really cooking had drawn quit a crowd...I believe we were playing Salt Creek...I had just finished my turn when I felt a presence in back of me. I turned around to find Bill Monroe starring right at me. He waited till the song was over and then said directly to me..."Son, that's some mighty fine playing, but that ain't no Bluegrass instrument." Well, that pretty well summed up my career in Bluegrass...despite releasing a Harmonica Bluegrass record on Sugar Hill and many summers of festivals and clubs...I finally gave up the quest and went to Nashville to make money playing Country. Now, do I think harmonica fits in bluegrass...yes...does the rest of the world...well despite the fact that I went the extra mile to play the songs correctly, I've found Smo-Joes comment to be true more times than I care to remember."
PT Gazell
Last Edited by Littoral on Jan 23, 2016 5:58 AM
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Sarge
528 posts
Jan 23, 2016
8:48 AM
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Yep, old time is different from bluegrass even if it's the same song being played.
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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Goldbrick
1277 posts
Jan 23, 2016
12:25 PM
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Real Bluegrass is very rigid in its instrumentation
Even the dobro is not accepted in some circles
No harp and no percussion instruments either
Guys who add extra instruments usually call themselves Nu Grass or something to that effect
Its just one of those " traditional" things.
Lots og guys like randy Scruggs will play straight bluegrass with one group and have a looser group playing similar but not strict versions
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Harmonicatunes
151 posts
Jan 23, 2016
4:19 PM
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I've heard that story too, and from PT himself. Nothing like having the founder of bluegrass tell you that your instrument was not part of his music.
Still, many thought that the dobro was similarly unsuited to bluegrass, Jerry Douglas and others before him put that to rest.
PT doesn't play bluegrass these days, as far as I know. Check out his music though, he's different and exceptionally good.
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at some of his jams back in the 70's. A while back I did a (mostly)bluegrass harmonica album, I chose to lead it off with "Billy in the Lowground", which PT included on his album "Pace Yourself". Moreover, I did it at his pace, 142 beats per minute.
The result: a pale imitation I fear. He is still the man. Check him out. Pace Yourself is available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/ptgazell
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Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
everyone plays...
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Goldbrick
1279 posts
Jan 23, 2016
5:21 PM
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The legend is that a dobro player once stole away Monroe's girlfriend and after that he never hired or trusted dobro players saying it didnt belong in bluegrass
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Harp Study
172 posts
Jan 23, 2016
6:44 PM
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In my opinion PT's "Pace Yourself" album is one of the best bluegrass harp albums I've found and I'm very interested in this type of music. I just enjoy playing it and I feel the harp can perform as a legitimate rhythm instrument in this type of music (very similar to a mandolin chop); as well as improvising with the melody.
I don't think PT plays bluegrass anymore, but like mentioned above his later albums are great and he has a very different/distinct sound that is great.
It is also worth mentioning that he does skype lessons and is a real nice guy; as well as a great teacher. I've only had one lesson so far, but I intend to take more for sure.
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Tuckster
1498 posts
Jan 24, 2016
2:45 PM
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Wow Those guys PT played with must be some serious traditionalists!I've been to a few local bluegrass get-togethers. most of them are pretty receptive to harp if you can play decently. I also only play on songs I know well and shut up when it's over my head.Mostly fiddle lines work well for alot of it.
I love "Pace Yourself". "Flintstone's Theme" is off the hook!
You also should check out David Naditch(sp?). He plays bluegrass chromatic. "Wildwood Flower" on chromatic!
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dougharps
1126 posts
Jan 24, 2016
4:29 PM
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It is not a question of the music. It all comes down to the hearts and minds of the musicians.
Play what thou wilt...
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Jan 24, 2016 4:32 PM
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Gnarly
1620 posts
Jan 24, 2016
5:35 PM
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PT is a master harmonica player.
I really love the way he plays jazz, but he could play any kind of music he wanted to.
I imagine that if Bill Monroe heard Howard Levy playing with the Flecktones, on one of their more roots oriented tunes like say, Tell it to the Guv'nor, he wouldn't have thought that was bluegrass harmonica either.
Music doesn't depend on labels, they are applied after it comes into being. Calling his music bluegrass was the way Bill Monroe commercially marketed the old time music he was playing – – kind of like calling rhythm and blues rock 'n' roll.
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