Philosofy
41 posts
Aug 22, 2008
6:37 AM
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Years ago somebody gave me Howard Levy's "New Directions for Harmonica" video, but I never watched it. I just found it in an old pile of stuff, and was wondering if it was worth getting the VCR out of mothballs for.
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Zhin
1 post
Sep 11, 2008
7:34 AM
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Oh my goodness it's worth buying the re-released DVD version!
Howard Levy is by far one of the most technically advanced players ever. He's apparently the pioneer of overblowing. Besides that he can practically play any genre with a great amount of competency. He's a scary good player.
Adam and even Jason Ricci have nothing but awesome things to say about Howard Levy by the way. That's how scary he is. :)
In that particular "New Directions For Harmonica, Expanding Your Technique" there are excellent talks about bending and overblowing... THE PROPER WAY. Not forcing it on the harp but to actually play it from the most subtle manner to the loudest.
There's even an ultrasound video showing a side profile of Howard and his tongue moving inside his mouth while he plays a full chromatic scale with bends on a few different key harps. Yeah, you better believe it. Some people may not benefit from it. But oh man, I sure as hell did. It answered all the questions I personally had about bending and overblows.
Let me know what you think after watching it. ;)
Last Edited by on Sep 11, 2008 7:40 AM
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oldwailer
183 posts
Sep 11, 2008
8:43 AM
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Watch out for this Levy guy--Charlie McCoy says, in the book "Harps, Harmonicas and Heavy Breathers," that Levy is way too scary to be from this planet. Charlie says he told him so when they met at a recording studio.
In the same book, Levy has an interview where he says he "thinks" on a G Diatonic. He can play in any key on the G, I believe.
That makes me think Charlie McCoy might be right--look out for these non-human players! ;)
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snakes
24 posts
Sep 11, 2008
4:51 PM
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Hey oldwailer - you did know that the book you refer to is written by a guy from our area named Kim Field. His band Kim Field and the Mighty Titans of Tone have out a new CD. If you get a chance you should check him out. He is left handed and learned to play the harp with the high register end on the left side. I spoke with him about this and he said it was a mistake he didn't notice until he had become proficient so he never switched to the correct way. Anyway it is a great book that has interviews with many harp greats. Kim said he had a great time and was glad to have the excuse to travel and meet the people that he interviewed for the book.
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oldwailer
185 posts
Sep 11, 2008
8:52 PM
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Hi Snakes,
Yes, I did know that Kim was from Seattle area--but I didn't know he was still active in this area with the Titans. I'll look for the CD, but, these days, if it ain't on I-tunes, I don't usually buy it.
Sonny Terry played upside down too (or backwards, depending on how you look at it)--so I guess Kim is in good company with his style.
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Philosofy
122 posts
Jan 20, 2009
7:33 PM
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I just got around to watching this video. WAAAAYYYYY too advanced for me!
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harmonicanick
116 posts
Jan 21, 2009
2:36 AM
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I have that video on the shelf (top)
Sometimes I glance up at in awe!
I quote from Inspiration Vol 1, 22 great Harmonica Performances Universal Jazz 064 371-2 selected by JJ Milteau:-
'Howard Levy is what Ridley Scott would call an alien (OW)
Initially trained as a pianist, he transposes the most complex jazz phrasing on the diatonic harp, overblowing notes so skillfully that he turns the Golden Melody simple into a fully chromatic instrument.
Track 17 taken from an album called 'Explosion' by Paquito D'Riveria 1986 Sony, who plays clarinet, but the track Lady and the Tramp features Levy in a frenetic exchange with the drummer Steve Gadd.'
Both Volumes of Inspiration are really good and are available from www.fnac.com the French media superstore
probably under JJ Milteau (one of my harp super heroes)
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2009 2:43 AM
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jbone
6 posts
Jan 21, 2009
3:52 AM
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Levy did an album with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones where Bela was doing jazz on a banjo, and Howard matched him note for note over the entire album. and the kicker is, the friend who gave me that album thought- and i did too- that Howard was playing a chromatic harp! it wasn't until i read Kim Field's book that i realized that Howard plays diatonic only!
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JarrowSlim
2 posts
Jan 21, 2009
6:39 AM
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Going to check out Mr Levy!
I really recommend "Harps, Harmonicas and Heavy Breathers" I've just started reading it, excellent.
I also look up on youtube players and bands in the book... Read book: look up band. It makes it a multimedia experience! Drinking beer with a list of Harpers to youtube is a good night!
x
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bluemoose
29 posts
Jan 21, 2009
10:38 AM
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Hi All:
Did Gindick's Jam camp in Gig Harbour outside Seattle last spring. Kim dropped by for an afternoon to talk about his book and play. He can play as good as he writes!
moose.
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