Really nice work Jason. I've always preferred listening to you play in an acoustic/off mic setting. To my ear it allows your playing to breathe more and highlights a lot of the finer details within it. To a much higher degree than amplified playing does. Plus of course acoustic harp is just so damn cool sounding when played that well.
Last Edited by Kingley on Dec 18, 2016 1:28 PM
Jason, for my money that is one of the very best performances of yours that I've seen on video.
What's notable is that you barely touched a harp before the 10-minute point, after the opening stuff, except for the fills. Your singing has always oscillated between two distinct poles: rock/punk/alt on the one hand and blues on the other hand. I'm a guy who appreciates a good (or great) blues singer, but I'm not really a Lou Reed / Jagger guy. In this video, you were a blues singer and barely touched the rock side ("Broken Toy") of what you do. You sang straight blues. I like that. You went into the blues zone and worked it for a long, long stretch. Keep doing that.
You also did something that some good blues singers (like Buddy Guy) do, which is conjure with the ghosts of the blues past. Often when people do this, I don't quite feel it. It seems forced, or even stagey. But in this case, it felt like the right thing to do--bringing Junior Kimbrough's place and time and spirit to life--and it just worked.
I listened to this whole video. I didn't watch it. I just listened. That stopped me from saying, "Hey: two contemporary white guy players and a contemporary young blood black guy player are jamming!" Even though we're taught to think in those ways. But it's not the right way to appreciate blues. So I just looked away from the screen and listened. What I heard was a solid groove from start to finish. I heard a whole lot of flowing, in-the-moment, work-with-the-groove melodic stuff. It sounded like a juke joint performance designed to keep people dancing.
Which is what it's supposed to be, ultimately. If you can't keep 'em dancing, you don't deserve the gig.
When you finally soloed, it was great, every note made sense, but you weren't trying to say "Look at me." That's never been a problem of yours--although you do like to play a lot of notes. (It's sometimes been a problem of mine, and I'm not alone in this.) The groove should always rule. Whatever variations you can work on your own melodies WITHIN the groove are just fine--that's a general principle for harp players--but they can't yank the groove off the rails. Here you had two great guitar guys laying it down. And you honored the groove and the feeling.
That's a great video.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Dec 18, 2016 4:31 PM
Man THANKS Adam that almost made me cry big brother. Ive never thought of you as a "look at me guy" ever. Means a lot though that you said that! Your fan always...J ---------- www.mooncat.org
I also love to hear Jason play acoustic. When he plays acoustic you can really hear the precision and articulation of the notes even during fast runs. Lots of notes and fast, but they all make sense. Nice stuff!
Count me as another fan who prefers your acoustic work over your rocked- and pedaled-out 4X10 sound, Jason.
I should freely admit that I refer acoustic harmonica in general. I just like the pure sound of an un-amplified harmonica in the hands of a skilled player. I feel that, in combination with hand effects, such a player is able to extract more dynamic range and nuance of tone that are obscured by a tightly cupped mic', an amplifier that is chosen for its compression and a chain of electronics that are designed to mask or alter the instrument's native sound. I like plain old acoustic harmonica just fine, thank you.
So I regard it as a special treat when you go back to your roots and play "naked," without the aid of electronics. That's why I treasure your with J.J. Appleton. Seeing you perform in that embodiment was a stop me dead in my tracks experience. "Dirty Memory" is still on my daily play list.
What I really appreciated here, though, was that you were applying your considerable acoustic skills to a song that I've never heard done acoustically. I recall you stating that the reason you embarked on your project with J.J. was to "stretch your wings" a bit (my paraphrasing). Where you remained true to the acoustic duo (and sometimes trio) with that project, now you seem to be further stretching by stepping out of the usual acoustic duo/trio genre by using two guitars instead of a guitar and a bass and playing a song that is traditionally played by a full amplified band.
Beyond your cosmic harmonica playing skills, musicianship and giving personality, that's what I appreciate most about you, Jason. You refuse to allow boundaries that constrain other people to doing things the same old way but maybe adding their own personal "twist." I love the way you are constantly re-inventing yourself and breaking the mold both musically and personally.
It's so refreshing and inspiring to see someone who forges their own way through life. It invites others to free themselves from the chains that bind them.
Thank You, Moon Cat!
Michelle
---------- SilverWing Leather - Custom leather creations for musicians and other eccentrics.
I'd like to see a whole set/evening performance done with this approach (except the last encore song in which you can do too loud too many). ---------- The Iceman
The best line of the night was, "Somebody play somthin'" ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Dec 20, 2016 1:30 PM
I wish my English was better to make a big full of sense post like Adam did :) So my three words: that was cool! :) ---------- Konstantin Kolesnichenko(Ukraine) http://kolesnichenko-harmonica.com/
