kudzurunner
191 posts
Dec 09, 2008
11:43 AM
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Many years ago, a young Japanese harp player who'd been working the streets of Paris with Danny Fitzgerald and the Lost Wandering Jazz and Blues Band came to New York and played a couple of pick-up gigs downtown. I taped a few songs and the tape has always been something I've treasured.
His name is Chikara Tsuzuki. Recently, my buddy Ron Sunshine sent me a couple of incredible tracks that he recorded in Paris in 1990 or so. This guy is one of the greats. He's very fast, extremely melodic. He doesn't waste notes. He leaves space. He's not really a blues player. He's a jazz player. His touch is very light and quick. He doesn't really nail the blues pitches; he doesn't dig down. But what he does do is incredible, once he gets going.
He's got a few clips on YouTube. They don't quite do his genius justice, but they give you the idea. He's a player whose name should be widely known.
Back then, he was NOT using overblows. I haven't listened closely to his recent stuff, so I can't say whether he's overblowing now or not. What amazed me back then was actually the fact that he WASN'T overblowing, yet was playing amazing solos--using first position and octave leaps--that seemed to lack nothing.
Here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihP-19ooiWs&feature=related
He's got more videos. Please post URLs if you find something else worth sharing.
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2008 11:45 AM
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kudzurunner
192 posts
Dec 09, 2008
11:52 AM
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Here's a link for CD baby. You can download the first 30 seconds of every cut on the album to iTunes. Great stuff. The fourth track has some diatonic magic going on--the stuff that I remember. No overblows, as far as I can tell (on a quick listen), and all the more incredible for that.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ctsuzuki2
Last Edited by on Dec 09, 2008 11:53 AM
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Aussiesucker
101 posts
Dec 09, 2008
12:39 PM
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This guy sounds good. I like his style of playing & can relate. I note he also plays chromatic harp on another YT video. Thanks Adam for bringing Chikara to our attention.
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Miles Dewar
116 posts
Dec 09, 2008
12:44 PM
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Awesome playing. I like the quick light sugar blue stuff. He makes me feel like im strolling down the street on a sunny day, the birds are singing, everyones smiling and flowers are blooming. Love that song. Very bright......Go Bears!!!
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---Be Positive---
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gene
88 posts
Dec 09, 2008
1:24 PM
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I've seen that term once before, don't know what it means and don't want to remain illiterate:
What the heck's a "pick-up gig?"
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DutchBones
54 posts
Dec 09, 2008
3:56 PM
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"What the heck's a "pick-up gig?"
That's when you play in the back of a pick-up truck!
Sorry Gene, I couldn't resist.... frankly I don't know... shame on me...
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bluemoose
24 posts
Dec 09, 2008
4:28 PM
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Hi:
Wow! First 20 seconds or so I'm thinkin', this ain't nothing special and then....holy crap!
(I think a pick-up gig is you play with what ever other musicians you can round or pick up on the spot to do the gig.)
moose.
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