I never really heard Bruce Willis play harp, and happened on this You Tube video of him sharing the stage with two of the great ones (a humbling experience to say the least). Here, he gets the chance of a lifetime and as far as I see, he does pretty good.
If I recall correctly, Bruce Willis has been a harp player since at least high school. His senior quote had something to do with Whammer Jammer. He's probably a bigger fan boy than most of us, and I think he did a decent job up there.
It would be to easy to blow spit balls at Costner and Willis or Keanu Reeves or Kevin Bacon, whoever, just because they are movie stars. I wished Willis played decent bass, I'd hire him to get us some gigs! LOL!
Here's the upside to Costner and Willis, they employ some great musicians (Teddy "Kid" Morgan -ex R.Misco, and Doug Hambliim) who deserve the exposure. Brother Ray Charles said "there are 5 of me in every town I go to." That's a lot of unemployed and under appreciated musicians my friends.
The get paid big bucks for them gigs, and people eat it up, it's bs, but what can ya do?
I would vote Muddy the King before BB.
Muddy Waters was one of the greatest bluesmen to ever live. He was the total package, but didn't have the technical skill of Albert. Most of his guitar work is fairly easy to learn. Look at any guitar tab book of Muddy, and Albert. Albert's phrasing, drop tunings, and bends were ridiculous!
Last Edited by on May 23, 2010 10:44 PM
I agree JDH, but the general public takes it seriously, and it's probably pissed off a few great players.
I can hear them now. "Who the fuck does he think he is calling himself the King of the blues"!! "I'll cut his head off, and send him running home to Mama"!!
I'd have both Muddy and BB up there, but I could never choose one outright king. I love Muddy and BB for different reasons. They're both the king of their own style of blues.
Oul Willis isn't a bad player, got a real grip on that 6 draw.
@ harpoholic I don't even try to have favorites anymore, there's so many great musicians for just as many different reasons. But in the 70's when I would tell these folks of the 'general public' that I played blues, most often heard comment: Oh, yeah, like BB King. Which always brought about an explanation from me that BB was only one style of blues ...yada ...yada....usually these people didn't care and believed the blues to be something sad. Many of them were Country music fans, often the most depressing genre of all. But I do think that when blues was at a low point commercially BB King was the name most people knew as the blues, right or wrong. ---------- (:o
Last Edited by on May 25, 2010 7:03 AM
I think most people don't appreciate the fact that without BB there would be no Freddie and no Albert. All great guitarists, but BB was the first guitar cat to be bending whole steps. Nobody was bending whole steps before 1949. And let's not forget his influential vibrato.
Without those bends and that vibrato we wouldn't be plagued with millions and millions of wannabee rock guitar gods. But that's not his fault.
People think of Albert as being this bedrock figure for rock because his signature licks are so easily identifiable. Even a musical dolt can hear an Albert lick in a blues or rock context. Actually Albert had way more range than you would imagine if all you've ever copped is the stuff that SRV and EC copped from Albert. Listen to his Wednesday and Thursday Night in San Francisco LPs... But, yeah, guys can point to the obvious "sticking out like dog's balls" Albert cliches. Why? Because they're obvious. But also because they aren't as COMMON as you might imagine. But those whole step bends... they're everywhere.
People don't realise that BB has the bigger influence because his influence has so permeated the form that people don't hear it - it's become ambient or part of the language - they cannot imagine or conceive of music without it. It's like a wood for the trees or a chicken and egg issue. It's like speaking English and not being able to explain grammar. Most of us can't. We just don't see it or hear it anymore.
Anyway, I'm not in to "music as sport". I love all of these older cats.
One of the main reasons guitar players in the 30's-40's was because the strings were too thick and heavy to get beyond a 1/2 step bend, so they came up with hammer ons, pull offs, vibrato, etc:
Are 2 whole steps everywhere?
Albert was the Master of 2 whole step bends. In most every song he ever did, he would use at least four different steps in the same bend. He'd start at a whole step up to a step and a half up to a two whole step back down to a whole step back up to a step and a half, and so one. In the same bend!
So what if Bruce Willis is using his name to open doors for gigs. If I could do the same I would.
As Ev630 has so eloquently stated. BB King is/was the main inspiration for so many blues guitarists.
I also remember Buddy Guy stating to Jools Holland that he thinks all guitar players should stand up whenever the name BB King was mentioned. As he believes that BB King is one of the most influential blues guitarists ever. Now you have to remember that Buddy Guy has been around a long time and has played with so many great players. For him to make such a statement about BB King speaks volumes about BB's talent.
BB King is to blues guitar what George Smith was to harmonica. Almost every blues guitar player around today would cite him as a substantial influence.
@Zhin: LMAO about your dad's comments. My 18 year old nephew heard me play for the first time recently and said, "...cool! Can you play "Piano Man"? That would be soo cool if you could play "Piano Man" Uncle Jay!"...I wanted to jam my harp into his eye.
---------- "Take out your false teeth, momma, I want to suck on your gums."-P. Wolf
If you haven't listened to BB's 50's and early 60's stuff you really should treat yourself, he became more homogenized after he crossed over. I've always believed it was BB first in blues with crossing over to a large white audience, that alone changed the course of blues music for most of us. For backing harmonica players, the Robert Lockwood jr, Luther Tucker, Louis and Dave Meyer, Jimmy Rodgers/Muddy Waters approach is my preference for guitar styles, and I generally prefer the ensemble approach over the single string sax line guitar thing. But I do like it all.
@harpoholic, you can get those big bends with lower tunings, (Albert King) and there were players that moved strings down and added a banjo string for a high E before ernie ball came along. ---------- (:o
JDH, I realize that, because I've studied Albert's and BB's style for guitar. He was usually tuned down a whole step or 1-1/2 steps down. I find it alot easier to play BB's stuff over Albert's, whether I tune down or transpose it to another key
My point was, very few could control bends with the soul of Albert. SRV comes to mind.
@harpoholic, Albert actually may have tuned even lower than that at times, Steve Cropper, who played with Albert on many recordings says AK used an odd Em tuning- C-B-E-G-B-E, and many say he used a C tuning, C-F-C-F-A-D. I've tried both, but just couldn't get it it! LOL! Little Jimmy King was able to play Albert's style very well, the last time I saw Albert LJK was playing with him, it was pretty cool when they'd swap back and forth. The tough thing about getting BB's style is his vibrato, Peter Green (back 40 years) probably coming the closeset I've heard.
Have you ever seen pics of Segal's guitar collection? He has Albert's original V, among many other amazing guitars. ---------- (:o
Last Edited by on May 25, 2010 12:06 PM
"Albert was the Master of 2 whole step bends. In most every song he ever did, he would use at least four different steps in the same bend. He'd start at a whole step up to a step and a half up to a two whole step back down to a whole step back up to a step and a half, and so one. In the same bend!
So there!"
I've got two words for you: Buddy and Guy. So I'll see your Albert and raise it.
And don't forget that Otis Rush had some wild bedning shit going on because he was an upside down leftie just like Albert.
---------- I think Bruce promotes the harp well. there loads of videos on youtube of him playing and talking about the harp. Just because he's famous doesn't mean he cant play harp as a hobby. Famous people hang and play with famous people,its just the circles they move in. Apparently Bruce is pretty pasionate about the harp so i say more power to him,not only is he a good actor but he plays harp aswell,that can only be a good thing. Way to go Bruce!!!!
One more movie star turned player is Gary Sinese. He heads up the Lt. Dan Band, a cover band doing Motown and some rock. When he's not doing tv and movies, the band heads for the Sandbox and does the USO tour for the troops. Been doing it for years now. He also does shows for the DAV (Disabled American Vets) organization.
I'd call his performance exceedingly amateur. He has no tone, because he has a completely silly grip. His chosen notes were very safe and had pitch problems - his solo was really weak. But I'll tell you what. If I had a chance to play with B.B. King, I sure as hell would take it. ---------- /Greg
Seems like no so far remembers the old Return of Bruno albums Willis made. It has a lot of rehashed release versions and some of the songs are quite nice, such as Down in Hollywood.
Regarding Bruce Willis' harp playing and playing with BB King, more power to him. Who wouldn't love a chance to perform on the same stage at the same time as BB King?
Clearly, he doesn't need the money, so he's doing it for fun. He's a hobbyist. Many of us are hobbyist players.
Regarding Albert King: One of the best musical performances that I ever saw was an evening with Albert King, Bobby Bland and BB King in a theater. Albert opened the show, followed by BB (with Wayne Bennett) and BB.
Based on the crowd reaction that night, Albert he stole the show. When he started to play, "I'll Play The Blues For You", the other guys might as well have stayed home. It took Bobby Bland a couple of tunes to get the audience back. Everyone was talking about Albert.
