Hey Yall! This is a quick 18 minute kind of crash course on getting around first position with a traditional (Circa 50'/60's) feel. Just the bottom and top octave only. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all of your support, I really have enjoyed meeting some of the members here on the road lately! Grateful! Jason
But nothing beats this one where Big Walter navigates the middle octave so beautifully and carefully! "Trust my Baby" by Rice Miller and Kim Wilson's cover too is a really heavy, heavy 1st position standard for most of us too but this Big Walter here blows my mind still and is the song that really got me interested in playing the harmonica.
www.mooncat.org
Last Edited by Moon Cat on Feb 24, 2020 10:09 PM
That’s awesome Mooncat, I am excited to watch these. Thank you.
That cut of Trouble in Mind is something else. Bruce Iglaur wrote about it in his recent biography too. It’s one of those magic moments that was fortunately captured on tape.
Super Bee: Thank you Sir! YES! That cut is absolute magic! I would love to read Bruce's words on that. I will have to get5 the book. The song literally changed the course of my life for better or for worse. Thanks for digging this stuff! www.mooncat.org
I think it’s probably ok to share this small quote from the book. Bruce had this to say: “The session’s most magical moment came during a break on the second night. Sitting together in a corner of the studio, Walter and Eddie began playing the old folk blues standard “Trouble in Mind,” performing it with beautiful delicacy. At Stu Black’s suggestion, we recorded the song just as they had played it, with only the two of them. In two takes we captured a magnificent musical love affair between two old friends. I ended the record with that performance because nothing else could follow it. It will stand as one of the most memorable recordings of Walter’s career and of Alligator’s legacy.”
— Bitten by the Blues: The Alligator Records Story (Chicago Visions and Revisions) by Bruce Iglauer, Patrick A. Roberts http://amzn.asia/2p6UPYf
Jason, I've always loved how Big Walter played Trouble In Mind in 1st position but being that I used to see and hang out with him a lot during the 70's, the ironic thing was that he never played in that way on any of the many gigs I saw him played and it was always in E with the A in 2nd position.
Jimmy Reed was also a hugely influential 1st position player. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Big Walter's "Trouble in Mind" really grabbed me early in my journey. At the time,it drove me nuts because I only knew cross harp and couldn't figure out what the heck he was doing.Much to learn from that version. Here's another SBW2 first position tune that's always been a favorite:
Thankyou Jason, this is such a great tutorial and the subsequent examples too. I have the "Dirty Memory" cd, I play it often and love it! 1ST position stuff, particularly at the high end is the weakest of all my humble playing so this is just so great. Thanks Tuckster that SBW11 track is cool as!
Last Edited by Stokes Bay Slim on Feb 27, 2020 2:55 AM
Thanks everyone and cool tunes! Iceman reminded me here that the 3 draw bent a 1/2 step, on the I chord, is a important note in traditional blues or blues in general being the b7. In my lesson I just give yall the 3 draw natural which is a major 7 on the I chord and not really the best note to play there. Of course, on the IV chord it's (3 draw) a bV so it works real good there but not so great on the first chord in a blues. Thanks Larry and all Yall! Jason ---------- www.mooncat.org
I don’t know how well Taj Mahal is regarded here for his harp, but I found his 1st position work on this was quite instructive when I started out playing 1st