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Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 12:19:32 EDT
From: PL5~ol.com
Subject: Re: Big Walter Horton & Easy

- --part1_117.15185e1.28789094_boundary

In a message dated 7/7/01 3:11:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
ironm~ronmancurtis.com writes:

> Blues is about expression. Expression is of the moment, and for the
> moment. The moment is always different, so the song should likewise
> be different each time we do it.
>
> All the old time blues artists I've ever gigged with (John Lee
> Hooker, Big Jay McNeely, Josh White Sr, etc.) or known have held this
> view of blues.
>
> William Clarke chewed out guitarist Alex Shulz *on stage* for playing
> the same solo three days in a row.
>
> Miles Davis and Charlie Mingus were likewise noted for being
> extremely intolerant of cover musicians in their bands. In fact,
> Mingus once actually *stopped* a song (at a gig) and chewed out the
> tenor player who was repeating a solo that had gotten a great
> audience response the night before. He once told an audience member
> who kept requesting Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller "If you want to
> hear records of Louis and Fats, we can all go over to my place. I
> have plenty of their records".
>
> Both Miles and Charlie played blues as well as jazz. Miles once
> said, "If you don't know blues, you don't know ". Walter
> Trout replaced his keyboard player because he tended to play the same
> stuff every night. If you listen to Muddy, you'll likewise notice
> this variety.
>
> Although I've never stopped a song in progress (not that I haven't
> been tempted), I still come from this school of thought, and will
> reflect it in my instruction. Play YOUR soul, not someone elses.
>
> Hope that answers your question.
>
>
> -- IronMan Mike Curtis SOUTHLAND BLUES MAGAZINE
> Blues Guide Editor, BLUES MUSICIAN columnist
> Pro West Coast Blues to chase your blues away! Hear Mikes #1 (for the past
> YEAR!)
> Jump Blues PLAY THEM BLUES! http://www.mp3.com/IronmanCurtis
>
>
>

I totally agree, its one thing to pay homage ,but another is to continually
ape those who are now long dead and gone. I am a firm believer that a
musician MUST find his own voice, and sound for that matter. I have seen
some
in here rag on Ironman for not having a big bottom tone, but this I know at
least he is attempting to do something different. Here is a quote from Adam
Gussow which I think nails it:

"The first generation of younger white harp players who came along Estrin is
part of that generation and Piazza too, they were so reverential toward the
older black musicians they were playing with. They HAD to be. But sometimes
they couldn't see past their spiritual fathers. You can't see past George
"Harmonica" Smith because hes just so damn good. But you need to take risks.
At a certain point you almost need to kill off the father. Now, if he's a
black father and he's in your mind and you love him, thats a tough thing to
do. But you almost have to say: "George Harmonica Smith is good but his
stuff
is old fashioned, Im going to do the new thing, the next thing." That was
really what I was trying to promote people to do. Dont just recycle it. Dont
just caricature it. Dont just be content to work through the variations on
it, but really make it new"

I encourage everybody to read the entire interview on Planet Harmonica , its
a good one.
Andrew

- --part1_117.15185e1.28789094_boundary

In a message dated 7/7/01
3:11:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

ironm~ronmancurtis.com writes:





Blues is about
expression.  Expression is of the moment, and for the

moment.  The moment is always different, so the song should
likewise

be different each time we do it.  



All the old time blues artists I've ever gigged with (John Lee

Hooker, Big Jay McNeely, Josh White Sr, etc.) or known have held this

view of blues.



William Clarke chewed out guitarist Alex Shulz *on stage* for playing

the same solo three days in a row.  



Miles Davis and Charlie Mingus were likewise noted for being

extremely intolerant of cover musicians in their bands.  In fact,

Mingus once actually *stopped* a song (at a gig) and chewed out the

tenor player who was repeating a solo that had gotten a great

audience response the night before.  He once told an audience
member

who kept requesting Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller "If you want to

hear records of Louis and Fats, we can all go over to my place.  I

have plenty of their records".  



Both Miles and Charlie played blues as well as jazz.  Miles once

said, "If you don't know blues, you don't know <censored>".
 Walter

Trout replaced his keyboard player because he tended to play the same

stuff every night.  If you listen to Muddy, you'll likewise notice

this variety.



Although I've never stopped a song in progress (not that I haven't

been tempted), I still come from this school of thought, and will

reflect it in my instruction.  Play YOUR soul, not someone elses.



Hope that answers your question.





-- IronMan Mike Curtis SOUTHLAND BLUES MAGAZINE

Blues Guide Editor, BLUES MUSICIAN columnist

Pro West Coast Blues to chase your blues away! Hear Mikes #1 (for the
past

YEAR!)

Jump Blues PLAY THEM BLUES! http://www.mp3.com/IronmanCurtis

LANG="0">





FACE="Arial" LANG="0">

I totally agree, its one thing to pay homage ,but another is to
continually

ape those who are now long dead and gone. I am a firm believer that a

musician MUST find his own voice, and sound for that matter. I have seen
some

in here rag on Ironman for not having a big bottom tone, but this I know
at

least he is attempting to do something different. Here is a quote from
Adam

Gussow which I think nails it:



"The first generation of younger white harp players who came along
Estrin is

part of that generation and Piazza too, they were so reverential toward
the

older black musicians they were playing with. They HAD to be. But
sometimes

they couldn't see past their spiritual fathers. You can't see past
George

"Harmonica" Smith because hes just so damn good. But you need to take
risks.

At a certain point you almost need to kill off the father. Now, if he's
a

black father and he's in your mind and you love him, thats a tough thing
to

do. But you almost have to say: "George Harmonica Smith is good but his
stuff

is old fashioned, Im going to do the new thing, the next thing." That
was

really what I was trying to promote people to do. Dont just recycle it.
Dont

just caricature it. Dont just be content to work through the variations
on

it, but really make it new"





I encourage everybody to read the entire interview on Planet Harmonica ,
its

a good one.

 Andrew







- --part1_117.15185e1.28789094_boundary--