Maybe it is better to understand than copy. Sorry this to me is nothing but wanking. Doesn't do a thing for me. I'm just not wired for this kind of music, I guess.
@jim - I'm fairly new to the forum, but I can't say I've ever seen anything normal from Buddah. Provocative - yes, defensive - yes, but normal? That's what makes him a 'Forum Treasure' and means he should be revered and respected at all times. Any accusations of Buddah being normal are not helpful in this regard.
As always, I have no idea what is going on with a thread started by Buddah, but the Smile Happy post has started my day in a relaxed mood - I'm just off to do battle in the UK traffic and am taking a Special 20 for company!
This is my favorite version of this song (Gypsy Man). Embedding is disabled. Lee Oskar rules! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fha7oDC6yQ ---------- http://www.youtube.com/user/wheelharp
I like the first two minutes of his solo. He's a minimalist, using space as a way of compensating for the fact that he doesn't actually have a lot of variation in his trick bag. Just the blues scale with added ninths and 11ths. He makes a lot out of a little. No chords, no octaves, no tongue work, no warbles. But after a couple of minutes, when he's cycled through all his stuff--and he DID have my attention--he starts to cycle through the same set of....well, licks, tricks, whatever you want to call them. The second time around, I felt my interest waning.
I saw Oskar once in an LA club back in 1987 and he was note-perfect, inventive, a dangerous player with a crack band.
I think my response falls somewhere between Buddha's and Greg's. I don't see him as a wanker, I appreciate his minimalism, I would certainly point students towards this video as an example of how to take your time while soloing over a one-chord vamp--BUT he eventually loses my interest.
Music apart, I've always found interesting how LO is fighting for attention on stage.
For the public, harp playing must be one of the most boring things to watch to, contrary to, say, guitar or drums where there is action to keep your visual interest.
He may be acting (i.e. overacting indeed) but still he found a way to bring that little unspectacular instrument right in front of the stage.
Any other examples of harp players making a show of their playing ?
@saregapadanisa- I don't want to highjack the thread but I was thinking along the same lines. I DON'T care for the players that high step, bob up and down and sort of go over the top with their showmanship. I know that showmanship is very important. I just gravitate to the players that play rich and get my attention with that. And I also know that the regular attendee may not get that.
Both of you are way out of line. Your responses are inappropriate and not necessary for this thread
Translated: Strawwoodclaw = Fuck me Jack Leonid = LEE OSKAR SUCKS ASS AND CANNOT PLAY FOR SHIT ---------- "Music in the soul can be heard by the universe." - Lao Tzu
My response is sincere, may be I should have put it differently. One thing is for sure he does suck almost as much as his harmonicas do and "World is a Ghetto" is probably the worst album I have ever bought. Annoying and wanking are only words which come to my mind when I think about it.
Leonic, You can express your opinion but not in this way. You must realise that many people around the world read your comments and may be insulted by your words (and I'm not only talking about LO). Have a look at the forum creed. Also if this kind of slander isn't explicitly forbidden, you may want to rethink if it's in the spirit of what this forum was set up for.
Repeated posts like the morse one may get you banned.. just saying.
I like LO harmonicas but his playing isn't really my cup of tea. I like Low Rider, but I haven't liked anything else I've heard in my (limited) listening, but that's just my tastes. I do wish Tombo distributed other harps in the U.S.
Looks like I might get kicked off the forum after just like 5 posts or something, but I gotta say it--Leonid, if you think the World Is A Ghetto is the worst album you ever bought then maybe you should put the harp down and use your mouth for something else, like sucking cock...you can start with mine!
OK Buddah, the band is pretty tight, and Lee's playing blends in very well, but what do YOU think of the (a) the band and (b) Lee's playing.
@Zack - forget about Sandy, what this thread needs is Frank trying to swap some Big River cover plates (modified by drilling holes through them to increase the volume) for (lets say) a Crossover in the key of A. Frank - gone but not forgotten! My regret is I only caught him at the end of his reign.
@ZackPomerlau The thread is not about me or my playing. If cannot play guitar like MAB doesn't mean I have to love his music. However, you gave me an opportunity to brag about myself. Here you go... This year I became the harmonica player of the year in UK. I have won the national contest.
I'm not the self-pitying type, but my idea of a great Thanksgiving morning is not waking to find stuff like this
Marinharpist: you're gone. You blew it, so to speak. 'Bye.
Leonid: This is your one warning. Somebody who wins competitions should have enough self-respect not to trash-talk.
Buddha: Your initial reaction to the insult-by-morse-code posts was both moderate and justified.
Zack: "Leonid, what were your big songs again?" is a violation of the forum creed. Not a big one, just a small, deliberate, and real violation: taking a conversation from the realm of opinion into the realm of personal insult. You've been warned, too.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. This thread is locked.