Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 08:56:25 -0800 From: "IronMan Mike Curtis" Subject: Re: Alanis Morrisette?
First, does Alanis play harmonica on more than the one tune?
Secondly, I don't see that it's doing any harm. The folks that listen to her probably also have heard Popper. No he's not Little Walter, but LW wasn't Popper, either, nor was he SBWII, Big Walter, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, etc. Each of these players has one thing in common. A UNIQUE and readily identifiable sound. How many times have you heard a recording for the first time with one of these guys playing harp on it - and you just KNEW who was playing harp?
People are being exposed to skilled harmonica.
I don't know anyone who thinks Alanis is a "skilled" harmonica player.
But that's part of the charm of diatonic. It's the easiest instrument to play, and yet it's at the same time arguably the hardest to play REALLY well; let's say at the exact same (or higher) technical level of a John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Mark Knopfler, Chet Atkins, Bill Evans, etc., in all keys (without changing harmonicas - after all, these guys don't change instruments, n'est-ce pas ;-), fully and fluidly chromatic, with a perfect note consistency, etc. (I'm not saying that there isn't good music produced in spite of "limitations" - there certainly is - I'm just comparing apples to apples - it is indeed possible to play diatonic harp chromatically, and to get the notes at least sounding quite close in timbre - which leads me to believe that it can be done better with more work.)
Getting chromaticity and consistent tone on most any other instrument is trivial. Even beginning saxophonists can play chromatic scales. On diatonic, it requires much more effort, just for the basics. In the time it takes a sax student to learn the chromatic scale, the diatonic student is probably learning stuff more along the lines of chord chugs, bending, and just getting the 3D to play on key :-)
I like harmonica, good or "bad". In fact, I've started a lot of acoustic guitarists on racked harp. "Oh, but I can't play harmonica". "Well, neither can Dylan/Alanis/Neil//Springsteen/etc. But you don't need to actually PLAY it. Just move your head around and blow and draw on it when you need something to fill in between verses." In each and every case, this has worked - and both they and their audiences have enjoyed it.
And that's what music is about. It's not a contest (unless Glenn is involved - although that would be a different kind of non musical "contest" :-) It's entertainment. It doesn't matter whether it's good, bad, or??? Do YOU like it? Then for you it's great.
I do some tunes I think are masterpieces; and a lot that are simplistic and about as challenging as breathing (well, outside of LA ;-) I do these because people like them.
I think it's the same with harmonica. Sure I love to hear someone really skilled. My friends Charlie Musselwhite and Jimmy Z are always a treat for these ears. But I can still enjoy Dylan, Neil Young, etc.
If we want to advance the "cause" of harmonica playing, I think there may be better ways to do it than to complain about some girls record on a harp list :-) I know people who give away "sample" tapes, CDs, etc., with good harp (or blues, etc.) to anyone expressing interest. (BTW if anyone wants to include any of my stuff on some tapes, etc., to be given away for this purpose or similar, drop me a note - I suspect others may feel similar, but always ask to make sure.)
- -IronMan Mike Curtis http://www.IronmanCurtis.com Jam w/ IronMan & Band Tue 8pm-mid - Starboard Attitude 202 The Pier, Redondo CA See Mik~Santa Monica 3rd St Promenade - email for times Songs, reviews, pix, Web Vide~http://www.mp3.com/IronmanCurtis
