By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.8) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 11:22 am:

Another instrument and there various artists
that I am really into and again like
those Honker's mentioned previously
are hardly talked about are the
Harp players.

I was first really
in awe of this fine form of music from the records of Little Walter(a.k.a.Walter Jacobs)
and also by
Slim Harpo(a.k.a.James Moore)
and probably the first record that blew me away and still does to this day was by
Sonny Boy Williamson(2nd)a.k.a.
William Rice Miller
with the record
'Help Me'.

And after a while
I was introduced to the amazing work of
Little Walter.
All he has done of what I have heard have totally blown me away.
I f there is anybody better or even touches the class of Little Walter then please let me know.

I would really love to hear some really early artists names.
I am sure there are many people out there that can educate me further with there best harpists.

as always
appreciate all in-put.

How did/does Detroit rate
Regards
The Harp.


many thanks
mel.

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.26) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 11:49 am:

Mel, have you heard "Chairman of the Board" by
the Chairmen of the Board ? I think it's Harrison
Kennedy playing the "moothie" on that one - an
astonishing record to come from Invictus. I
couldn't believe it when I heard it.

I don't know if it's that great technically - I just know I love it.

By medusa9e (66.73.5.168) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 11:49 am:

Stu(finger tingling, harp playing, angel daddy)bass...LOL!!!

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 12:09 pm:

HEY MEL,HARPO MARX WAS PRETTY GOOD,HEHEHEHEHEHE!!

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.110) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 12:25 pm:

Nice one R&B,
I was slow with that one mate.
Davie
I have had that Chairman of the Board 45 now for years and every time I play it
it still hits the spot(andthensome)
great pick Davie.
mel.

By MEL&THENSOME (217.14.178.110) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 12:32 pm:

A stompin'
Little Walter
record that a mate of mine has and played me years ago now
and would tear the house down if it was played(if not already)at a RnB soul night or all-nighter is the bouncin'track titled
"crazy mixed up world".
if no one knows it
then check it out.
mel.

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 12:53 pm:

HEY "ANGEL" MED!!!...YEAH...I WAS GONNA TRY OUT THE OLD HARP...BUT NOT TO HARP ON THIS POINT...THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CURVATURE ON THE BRIDGE (WHAT BRIDGE) TO ALLOW MY BOW TO HIT ANY OF THE STRINGS CLEANLY...SO I'LL LEAVE ALL THE HARPING TO MY "ANGELS"!!!...PS...ASK BMILLER ABOUT MRS. JACKSONS (DAVIDS MOTHER) HARP!!!...AFTER SHE STOPPED PLAYING...SHE DISCOVERED THAT IT MADE A GREAT CLOTHESLINE!!!...STU(PLINK...PLINK...PLINK)BASS

By Gabriel (80.182.203.146) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 02:23 pm:

i love a lot this little instrument,good thread...

dont forget Toots Thielemans,its really hard to have the chance to listen to someone playing harp on jazz!!!

By Left Field (209.215.117.4) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 02:29 pm:

Has anyone out there read the Little Walter biography?

By Eli (141.151.87.158) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 04:29 pm:

Jimmy Reed comes to mind. Also Slim Harpo.
On Blue Magics Three Ring Circus, T. Life plays the one bar harp thing at the end of the instrumental break.
And..what about Stevie, huh??

By Left Field (209.215.117.4) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 04:32 pm:

There's also Slim Harpo's friend and fellow Baton Rougean, Raful Neal, father of Kenny Neal and many other musical offspring.

By Eli (141.151.87.158) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 04:41 pm:

The Harmonicats had a giant hit with Peg O' My Heart in the late forties which was one of the first record to use an echo chamber prominantly
on record and it was recorded at Universal in Chicago.

Also there were the Harmonica Rascals on the Arthur Godfrey show.

Now, if you are talking about the "other" kind of harp, ie. the "heavenly" sort, you have Andreas Vollenweider(sp) who is king.
Dorothy Ashby played the harp on Stevies If Its Magic.
In Philly, our harpist was the great Walter Pfeil.

By Mick D (217.44.216.103) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

Mel

You may want to check out the following:
Junior Wells, James Cotton, Snooky Pryor, Shakey Horton, Little Willie Foster, George Mayweather, Billy Boy Arnold, Carey Bell and Charlie Musslewhite.

All of these played in the Chicago style. Also you would do yourself no harm seeking out anything by Willie Carr and Sonny Terry aswell.

Regards

Mick D

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.94) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:16 am:

Mick D,
Many thanks for that,
I am familiar with all of your list apart from

Little Willie Foster.
George Maryweather.
Carey Bell and Charlie Musselwhite.

But will now be on my toes
looking out for them.

cheers Mick.
mel

By Jim G (12.47.224.12) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 07:17 am:

There was a guy in Detroit during the late 40s/early 50s named "The Angel".
He made a record with Lou Barnett and his Beboppers.
I have a pic of the Angel somewhere and can post it.
I don't know if he made any blues recordings.

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.82) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 08:23 am:

Steady Jim,
or were gonna get Stu and that flock of his
swooping down on here.

How far back can you actually go Jim
regards any artist's?

I Must mention a record I have
that I still get great vibes over
every time I spin it.

"Tore Up"
by
Harmonica Fat's.

What a sound to get everyone grooving and feeling great.

mel.

By gary (66.73.238.3) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 08:34 am:

A previous post mentioned Dorothy Ashby. She had a smokin' cut called "Afro Harp" in the late 60s or early 70s. I saw her perform back then, what a great talent. Does anyone know if she is still around?

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.115) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:33 pm:

I dont know how,
but I didnt mention the
superb
Walter Horton.
forgive me Lord.
mel.

By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 01:23 pm:

GARY: DON'T KNOW DORORTH ASHBY'S CURRENT STATUS...BUT SHE HAS INDEED BEEN A DETROIT "INSTITUTION"...FINE HARPIST...AND INSTRUMENTAL IN TEACHING MANY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN DETROIT MANY MANY THINGS ABOUT THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF MUSICAL STYLES AND INTRODUCING THE HARP TO MANY PEOPLE IN GENERAL!!!...STUBASS

By Allen (24.165.82.46) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 02:47 pm:

I haven't heard anything about Ms Ashby in quite a while. But then the Los Angeles session scene hasn't been what it was for a long time as well. Ms Ashby played on some of the Teena Marie records I worked on in the early eighties. She was in constant demand back then.

Allen

By StingBeeLee (155.139.50.14) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 03:17 pm:

Dorothy Ashby passed away in 1986. Both Detroit papers (Free Press and the News) had extensive obits on her.
I don't know if the online services of these papers go back to 1986. She was probably known as the greatest harpist out of Detroit and the most well known jazz harpist.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 03:21 pm:

Sorry to see that Ms. Ashby passed. she was used quite a bit at Motown.

By Jim G (12.47.224.12) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 03:22 pm:

Dorothy Ashby (1932 - 1986) spent much of her life in California.
She attended Wayne State University and made quite a name for herself in Detroit.
I've seen a pic of her playing at the Garfield Hotel, early 1950s.

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 05:13 pm:

Little Sonny (Aaron Willis) is probably the dean of the Detroit harp men.

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.94) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 05:45 pm:

Fury13,
I have the 45 of
"wade in the water"
by Little Sonny,
which I have had for over 20 years.
And it still hits the spot.

I also really like his superb cut on the Wheelsville Label(no.103)titled
"lets have a good time"

but cant recall at present if a Harp is prominent on this 45.
Not that it matters.
Cheers
mel.

By C. Bell/Eric (67.25.219.240) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 06:20 pm:

Robert Richard played harp on a lot of (J-V-B)Joe Von Battle recordings in the late 40's and early 50's. Eddie Burns played harp for John Lee Hooker and he also played guitar. Sonny Boy Williamson (#2?) played harp on a few Baby Boy Warren records that were on the J-V-B and Drummond labels. Little Sonny also had a record on J-V-B.

By stephanie (66.54.1.38) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 06:55 pm:

I think Harpo Marx was a good harp player!!!
Stephanie

By RJ Spangler (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 07:32 pm:

Some of you are talking about the Harp...ala Harpo Marx...and some are talking about the blues harp...ala Little Walter! Very odd! I am into Walter, Cotton, Little Sony, Sonyboy Williamson (2), Big Walter, Geo. "Harmonica" Smith and some of the new guys like Piazza, Harmon, Hummel, etc. My pal Garfield did two records playing harp with Luther Allison for Motown by the way! I also dig Stevie Wonder and Toots and that jazzy harp too. As far as the other harp..you guys are right...Dorothy Ashby, then no one else is cool.

-RJ

By Caleb (171.75.83.125) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 08:18 pm:

Mike Campbell

By Eli (151.197.180.108) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:40 pm:

John Lennon on Loveme do.
The harp on Oh Girl
Definitely not the one on Whats loves got to do with cuz it is a Yamaha DX7!!!!

By publicimageltd. (67.192.61.241) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:49 pm:

J. Geil"s Band "Full House" which was recorded live at the old Cinderella Ballroom. One of the reasons it is their best album was because Magic Dick rips it up on the harp

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Friday, May 23, 2003 - 08:14 am:

Does anybody know who plays the harp on the
Marvelettes' "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" ?

Bobby, how do you get your mouth round a
Yamaha DX7 ? THAT I'd like to see !

Davie

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Friday, May 23, 2003 - 09:26 am:

I've just been visiting the official Motown
board and surprise, surprise, there's a thread
about "Hunter .." It's NOT a harmonica but some
early type of synthesiser - well, well, well,
you learn something new every day .....

Davie

By Eli (151.197.170.60) on Friday, May 23, 2003 - 09:45 am:

Davie,
That sound is just a stock patch on the original DX7 synthesizer. Synths are known to emulate just about any kind of sound you can think of, especialy the newer ones.
I use a Triton Studio as my main workstation and put in the right hands it is incredible.

By dave (216.157.203.143) on Friday, May 23, 2003 - 10:40 am:

There's lots of great harp players in many styles.
Lazy Lester, who has been playing a down-home swamp blues kind of style since the '40's lives in Pontiac and released a new CD a few years ago on Alligator.
Peter "Madcat" Ruth, who lives in Ann Arbor, grew up and learned harp in the Chicago area (Big Walter Horton was one of his teachers). He is a fantastic harp player in many styles. If you want blues, check out the Madcat & Kane CD's. He toured with Dave Brubeck (Chris, Dave's son, grew up with Madcat and they have been in various bands together since high school) and plays some mean jazz. His website is
http://www.madcatmusic.com
dave

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Friday, May 23, 2003 - 12:38 pm:

Thanks Bobby - I always tend to think of synthesisers as used for additional freaky sounds
- I forget that they were originally used as
substitutes for string sections etc. ( that's what
comes of not listening to old Moody Blues albums)

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too great -
hang on in there, it'll get better.

Davie