This to me is what blues harmonica is all about. The deceptive simplicity of it draws the listener in and makes your whole body swing and sway. It speaks to to your very soul and makes you feel alive. Simply put it is a thing of pure beauty.
It personifies what I like about traditional blues and reminds me why I'm not a fan of the modern overblow style blues. I have simply never heard a single tune that uses overblows that can convey all the feeling that this tune does. If I ever do then maybe I'll become a fan of the modern styles of harmonica, but until then....
what do 'modern' in modern blues and overblows have to do with each other? why is the consensus believes that the modern in MBH means you have to overblow? i dont get it. it could just as easily mean a blues that's played by artists today regardless of what techniques they use. THATS modern...
if dennis were using a diatonic and decided to throw in a tasteful overblow, how would that change the rhythmic soulful qualities of the piece?
I get both of you. Pound for pound D probably has the best tone in the business and his phrasing is respectful of all before yet organically creative imo. But if he threw in an overblow or draw it would not diminish anything because he would carry his verve into it. Dave's a friend who I (well before I got busy with my own thing) get to play with with some frequency and his other half: Gina is a smoking singer who I really love playing with. The 3 of them have a move-around-the- pieces band thing which by now is familial. Add to that Dave (Can you tell his deity is Duke Robilard) and Gina's youth and it's quite an auspicious talent! Thanks for the video post K. My best ---------- Myspace: dennis moriarty
This is what I mean and I am totally in sync with you Paul. He is a Blues Harp Player Modern or traditional I dont care its how I react to this music and how it makes me feel inside.
The overblowers just dont do it for me in the same way this does.
Great Post. I am now officially chilled out for the rest of the day.
/Great Post. I am now officially chilled out for the rest of the day./
Yep, I hear that...
@Kyzer Sosa:
/if dennis were using a diatonic and decided to throw in a tasteful overblow/
Like the one around 0:54?
@All:
Does the overblow fit? I think so...
And...
OFF-TOPIC
Dennis taught at Blues Week a couple of years ago. We were talking about practising. I asked him how much practice would be a good idea. He looked at me with gleam in his eye and said
"how good do you want to be?"
One of the best questions anyone's ever asked me.
(If you're reading, Dennis, thank you for that.)
xxx
EDIT: forgot to quote Kyzer. Duh.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2010 2:45 AM
I took the video of Dennis and Dave-it's from the Garden State Harmonica Club Festival. Dennis was playing the same room with Phil Caltabelotta,The Harmonitones and Chris Bauer. The average age in the room was 60+. I doubt they even knew what an overblow was-but they got a standing ovation. Notice the absence of a drummer-try it sometime. From another thread: definition of a pro-Dennis Gruenling.
Last Edited by on Jun 15, 2010 9:34 AM
Kyser- I used to think Adam meant "modern" meant OB's.When he said he considered Paul DeLay a "modern",I was relieved. Paul didn't OB,although he did a whole lot of unique things. I think I've finally got a handle of what Adam's getting at. My problem with OB's are when they are used completely out of context. "Look ma,I can overblow"! It also bugs me when a solo is out of context with the song being played.
Tuckster, that kind of playing is going more for the technique rather than expressing the mood of the tune and just throwing everything you know how to play may be good for ego stroking but it doesn't necessarily make one a good musician and when what you do is not working with the groove, it's fighting it and it doesn't work, regardless of whether you use bends or overblows. I don't like it when hear a bend or an overblow that's way out of tune in terms of articulation and intonation. Too many players often don't understand how grooves work and just blurt out anything with little real regard for it and that gets on my nerves more than bends or overblows ever will. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
