|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Blues Violin
Blues Violin
Page:
1
CarolynViolin
1 post
Nov 05, 2008
10:57 AM
|
Hi everyone. Hi Adam. Lol, I'm not a harmonica player. I'm a professional violinist, but I do have an interest in this stuff. Let me explain. I was trained classically. Then I branched out because when I became professional, I was also being called to play the popular "strolling" stuff by ear. And then a few years ago, I became even more versatile and self-taught myself how to improvise to the blues, but I can also improvise to other styles as well, including jazz and country. Improvising did not come easy to me at first, and that's because I was so used to playing in orchestras with music on the stand. Classical music. Classical musicians tend to be a little inhibited. Well, playing popular freed me a little bit, but improvising was like a whole new world. It was sort of like walking off the edge of a cliff at first with no firm footing underneath. Once I freed myself though, it all became a piece of cake, and now I can sit down with any group of musicians and just take off and do my own thing. And it's very interesting because being able to improvise improved my playing even more in the classical and popular "strolling" styles. In order to learn improvising, I worked with cds by Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, Robert Johnson, Robert Lockwood, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Maria Muldaur, etc. And as they say, practice makes perfect, and it all came to me in time. Clapton is easiest, I think. Lol, he keeps a steady beat, whereas Robert Johnson is so erratic with delta blues. Delta blues is not impossible. Lol, it's just a lot more challenging. One of the things that I love about improvising is that you can do your own thing completely. You make it your own, and as long as you stay within the key structure and it makes musical sense, it all works. The big thing in blues, of course, is the slide, and I had to spend a lot of time perfecting the slide technique. Also I experimented a lot with riffs and licks. Improvising is also very nice because you are free of looking at music on the stand, and not having the music allows you to really feel and get into it much more. I have been fortunate enough to perform blues publically at a restaurant in Baltimore with "Montana," who is a very good friend of mine. We did an evening of delta blues. Montana plays fantastic guitar and harmonica. Violin and guitar sound great with blues, but there is something even more magical about the combination of violin and harmonica, and people just love it. By the way, Adam, I listened to quite a few of your harmonica "lesson" videos in youtube, and I think you do a fantastic job. Carolyn
Last Edited by on Nov 06, 2008 8:42 AM
|
Oisin
39 posts
Nov 06, 2008
3:35 AM
|
Carolyn,
we have a guy who comes to our Blue Jam called "Mad Mike" who is also a classically trained violin player. When I fist saw him take the stage I thought "What the hell is this guy gonna do...?" but he blew us all away with his playing and he's now someone we all look forward to hearing. He really enhances any song that he plays on and if I ever got a blues group together I would like to have a violin player in it. I think it's an instument that really suits blues if played well.
Coming from Ireland I was brought up on "fiddle music" and had never heard it played on anything other than classical so hearing it on a blues track was a real eye-opener.
How about letting us hear some of your stuff on Youtube?
Oisin
|
CarolynViolin
4 posts
Nov 06, 2008
8:21 AM
|
Hi Oisin,
Good to hear from you. Montana told me the same thing. He said that people were blown away with the violin/harmonica combination. Yes, violin is absolutely perfect for blues, as I've discovered. You can really make the violin wail and cry out, and that's what the blues is all about. I would be delighted to share a sample of my playing with a video or some song samples in youtube. It will take me a little time to get them done, but once I do, I'll let everyone know. Meanwhile, I appreciate your interest and support. And good luck with everything, Oisin. I hope you get a blues group together, and I agree that a violinist would enhance each and every song. By the way, if you want to hear what Montana has done with the blues, go to cdbaby. Put in "Montana" for artist name and "Crossroad" for album title. Then scroll down to the "Standing at the Crossroads" cd. He did some of Robert Johnson's stuff on that cd. He also did a "Remixed" cd, which is more jazz, and then he did an "In Amsterdam" cd. The Amsterdam cd is fantastic! Montana and I are going to record a cd together. We haven't started on it yet, but it will include blues, and I think it may just be the two of us - guitar and violin and also harmonica. Carolyn
|
MrVerylongusername
22 posts
Nov 07, 2008
6:06 AM
|
Carolyn, have you heard the stuff Corky Siegal has done with harmonica and classical strings? I think you might like it. Here's a link to Corky's own site with Amazon downloads:
http://www.chamberblues.com/downloads.html
Last Edited by on Nov 07, 2008 6:08 AM
|
CarolynViolin
6 posts
Nov 07, 2008
7:05 AM
|
Myverylongusername, Thanks for the link to Corky's site. Yes, I'm very familiar with his stuff. He's great! I love what he does. One video that I absolutely love is "Crazy Harmonic Violin Jam" in youtube. Randy Sabien plays along with him. And they circulate throughout the audience and groove and really get into the music. Again, that's what the blues is all about. You have to feel it and get into it completely. And if you can do that, then it will all come out in your playing. Lol, it's really very amusing when Corky and Randy step up on stage and then they both go down on the floor while still playing. It's kind of a nice twist and the audience eats it up. Carolyn
|
CarolynViolin
7 posts
Nov 07, 2008
7:10 AM
|
Myverylongusername, yes, I also the stuff that Corky does with chamber blues and the classical-type stuff. He's very versatile. Again, thanks so much for sending me the link. Carolyn
|
Anonymous
Guest
Nov 11, 2008
11:02 AM
|
Carolyn, you must be aware of Don 'Sugarcane'Harris or JeanLucPonty or MichalUrbaniak?! Having learned classical violin for some years myself and never really getting anywhere with it, I loved at least listening to these guys for hours and hours...very inspiring.
Eddy
|
Tuckster
38 posts
Nov 11, 2008
1:26 PM
|
Carolyn--here's a group I stumbled upon in my wanderings. Not all blues, but I think you'd like them: 2 violins and doublebass- http://www.myspace.com/timeforthree?source=enews
Last Edited by on Nov 11, 2008 1:26 PM
|
Genesis
Guest
Nov 11, 2008
9:58 PM
|
Carolyn,
Jason Ricci would probably love to meet you! As well as being a harp giant he is a huge violin freak. Which reminds me, how hard would the violin part from Sheherazde be on diatonic? Obviously would be overblow heavy. The intonation would be the biggest hurdle. But I have always thought the harmonica and violin sounded a lot alike.
|
Genesis
Guest
Nov 11, 2008
9:59 PM
|
Almost forgot,
Papa john Creach? RIP.
|
bluesstruggler
1 post
Nov 12, 2008
9:42 AM
|
Hi Carolyn, there is some really great blues stuff out there played by the violin. One of my favorite's is by Sonny Terry and Brownie Mcghee when these guys were toghther it was magic. One tune they did had a violin in it. It was called "Bring it on home to me" In the song Brownie calls out to "Sugarcane" and tells him to bring her back... Great Stuff.I can email you a copy of the song if you would like...
|
CarolynViolin
12 posts
Nov 13, 2008
10:53 AM
|
Hi guys! Wow, this is so wonderful to see all this interest in "blues" violin.
Anonymous, yes I am very familiar with the stuff that's been done by Sugarcane Harris, Ponty and Urbaniak. They are all very inspirational for me, however my greatest inspiration still comes from the one and only Eric Clapton. He was the one I started with, and he makes a fabulous teacher.
Tuckster, thanks a lot for sending the web address for that group. I will definitely check it out. It should be interesting with two blues violinists.
Genesis, I checked out Jason Ricci, and all I can say is wow. He is incredible! One of the very best, if not the best, that I've seen and heard. I am going to comment on some of his youtube videos and send him a message, and hopefully we can connect with each other. I would also love to meet him! Perhaps also play or sit in with him. Very interesting to know that he has a huge violin interest! Well, Sheherazade would be challenging on harp, but I am sure Jason could handle it brilliantly. Yes, now that you mention it, violin and harmonica sound a lot alike. Especially when playing the blues! They are also so wonderful together. In blues, they complement each other so beautifully! Thanks also for mentioning Papa John Creach. I'm familiar with him as well.
Bluesstruggler, Thanks for that information on Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. They are wonderful, aren't they! It's very interesting to hear how they take tunes like "Key to the Highway," which Eric Clapton does of course, and then they make it their own and interpret in their own way. I love their version and I also love Eric's! Yes, I would love to hear that rendition of "Bring It on Home to Me." Please email it. Thanks a lot!
Again, guys, thanks for all of these great messages and all of the interest in "blues" violin! I am enjoying the discussion!
Carolyn
Last Edited by on Nov 13, 2008 11:11 AM
|
CarolynViolin
13 posts
Nov 13, 2008
10:54 AM
|
Hi Bluesstruggler,
You can email me that song at Scarmons2@aol.com. Thanks again. I really appreciate it!
Carolyn
|
Post a Message
|
