I had not heard of this guy before my Crescent City contact sent me a link to a video featuring Andy J. Forest and Steve Marriner. They're both fine players, pros, but Steve has a more solid sound that just works better for me. Then again, some might say that Andy is more sly, more of trickster, like a screwball pitcher who can still get 'em out. Watch this video and tell me what you think.
I'll also note that I've put him in the Honorable Mention list on the basis of this one video......
For those who don't know, Steve is the shorter harp player on the right.
Last Edited by on Apr 28, 2010 6:00 PM
Wow I loved the way they played off each other. I saw Steve and his band,MonkeyJunk,at the finals in Memphis,2 years ago. I was mightily impressed. He's the real deal.Talked to him after at the Rhum Boogie jam. He was aware of Adam and MBH.
Last Edited by on Apr 28, 2010 7:59 PM
I saw Steve Marriner and Monkey Junk last night in Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada, in a double bill with local blues act Daddy Long Legs. Steve definitely has the chops on harp and is multi-talented (as a band leader generally is) carrying the vocals and playing bass and rhythm guitar. The show didn't feature his harp playing so much, but what I heard was excellent. He started off playing harp on a rack, using the vocal mic. I generally preferred his harp playing through the vocal mic. He also used an Astatic T3 for amplified playing through his Fender amp. Unfortunately he was being overpowered by the lead guitar player most of the time, except later in the show when he turned up and his amplified tone cut through. For me the highlight of the show was when he brought up Daddy Long Legs' harp player, Chris "Jr." Malleck, for a cover of Muddy's "Close to You", where they traded some nice harp licks, similar to the clip above. Anyway, it was an enjoyable show. Go see Monkey Junk if you get a chance.
Been digging Steve ever since I bought a CD on which he was a sideman - for some young Canadian guitar slinger. Wilson guested on the CD. About 2004 or so, from memory. He was the BEST thing on the CD.
Marriner is one of the newer guys whose phrasing is heavily influenced by Wilson, along with Ronnie Shellist. Good stuff!
Todd: I think that the word "sly" doesn't begin to do justice to Andy J. He has ferocious chops. When he threw in the head of "The Baby Elephant Dance" at high speed was the moment I reared back and said "Whoa." That's wickedly arpeggiated little melody.
The harmonica allows for all kinds of great playing. Some of them involve "big tone," as conventionally understood, but others--Madcat, Terry McMillan, Junior Parker, Carlos del Junco--involve other things. The Andy J. that I saw clearly falls into this second category, and the moment I can accumulate enough brain cells, I'm putting him in my Honorable Mention category. He makes his own distinctive contribution to the instrument and he's not a guy I would ever want to confront in a one-on-one harp battle.
I'll warn everybody right now: beware of the New Orleans harp guys. They're the nicest bunch of guys you'll want to meet, but there are a lot of 'em and they can all blow your socks off. Johnny Sansone's blow off was amazing, and that's without Sunpie Barnes and J'Monque'D. I suspect that New Orleans could holds its own against any town in America on that kind of stage, including Chicago, L.A., Austin, Portland, and Seattle.
Last Edited by on May 01, 2010 5:55 AM
P.S.: When you write the review, please be kind to the webmaster. I'll be the first to acknowledge that my set was rough around the edges, but I'll also note in my own defense that the soundman/owner was unable to give me a workable harp sound out of the monitor. Live and learn.
I agree with Nasty. I think Andy J. was the most entertaining by far of the two. I think non harp players would think that too. He was holding back...more experienced at this type of jam. He played enough that Steve was just trying to keep up... but not too much...he was the polite guest as Nasty said.
Yes indeed. Andy's also a very humble, unassuming guy, but when he takes the stage, he makes his presence known. The man is a dynamo, and a truly unique player. ---------- Todd L Greene. V.P.
I've been familiar with Steve Marriner for awhile. He played some great stuff with the JW Jones blues band on their first album or two. Jones' played the swingin' West Coast style of blues and is a heck of a guitar player, but he ditched the blues harp on his last few releases--much to my disappointment.
Steve Rotunda video. He teases the crowd, holds back, poses...but never delivers the goods. Hang on that one stupid lick for both of his solos and acts like a clown when the guitar player was soloing. Guitar player was a much better soloist and that's an awesome looking SG he has.
