Hell yes! While it's obvious why he isn't in Adam's top 20 (Not exactly original sounding, me thinks). I still enjoy all the playing Ive heard from him.
Check out Eric Clapton's CD - from the cradle
Couldn't find another video quickly on youtube as an example. Portnoy's solo 3:18-4:00. That's a pretty darn big audience.
---------- ~Ryan Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Last Edited by on Nov 11, 2009 5:40 PM
I think Portnoy is an awesome player. I also think he's especially brilliant at accompanying people. The way he comps and fills and plays off and with others is simply perfect. Really. -Bob
Jerry is just Mr. Harmonica. There is a reason why he is Clapton's go-to harp guy.
I've heard many other great harp players, and there are only two I know of that NEVER hit a bad note when I was there: Jerry Portnoy and Westside Andy.
Portnoy has made an harmonica instruction cd called 'Harmonica Masterclass' which are good for beginner/intermediate players. There are some some blues jam tracks at the end.
In my opinion Gussow's you tube lessons are more informative and easier to get along with.
Jerry has great tone, superb timing and phrasing and knows exactly when not to play. He is a true master of the Chicago blues style. He is also a great guy as well.
While I have gotten a great deal from Adam and MBH, I credit Portnoy with turning me on to tongue blocking for which I am eternally grateful. First, his Masterclass set was my early choice for instructional media, and while a bunch was/is over my head, it was a solid cross section of harp techniques and topics including blocking. Second, was a conversation I had during a lesson with Cheryl Arena who lives here in the Dallas area. Early in her career, she was going to take lessons form Portnoy. He asked if she was tongue blocking, and when she replied no, he said come back when you are.
I find tongue blocking just makes harp playing more fun. I do about half-and-half pucker vs. block and I love to try a piece with different combinations in different parts of a tune. Usually a cool hybrid comes out that makes a piece more fun, sometimes more accurate, or simply better sounding.
If i had one piece of advice to a newbie, it would be to learn how to block as early as you can. I will never be a blocking purist though as there is magic in the pucker stuff as well.
Clapton was a big Little Walter fan. I think I read that SBWII pulled a knife on EC when EC suggested he wasn't the "real Sonny Boy" when the Yardbirds backed him in the 60's. That JP was Muddy's harp player for a time probably gives him much credibility in Clapton's eyes, as I've also heard that EC doesn't like harp that much at all to begin with.
Of course, I could be wrong, and probably am.
PS, I learned tongue blocking from Annie Raines, who was a student of Portnoy. I use it about 95% now.
I've known both Jerry and Annie personally for many years. Annie before she could really play and Jerry since his days with Muddy.
As far as EC not liking harp, can't say that is totally true or not, but there are a lot of musicians who play other instruments who don't like harp because too many harp players have the following bad traits in common:
a. lousy time b. can't keep the groove happening c. play over everything d. lack any basic knowledge of the most basic music theory (notice I did not say sight reading) e. don't know when to shut the damned harp up entirely f. just too often riff over everything and it too often sounds totally inappropriate g. flat out lack of real musicianship
Yes, I know it sounds harsh, but unfortunately, they're very negative sterotypes that harp players sfar too often live up to and either don't know it or flat don't give a damn, and they tend to give the instrument a bad name.
---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Bob, I agree with you, but can't that be said of guitarists and drummers too? I leave out bass players because none of the bass players I've met exhibit these traits. Is the guitarist/harp player relationship like the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry? (I'm in Boston too)
If it's in the open jams, that's something that can clearly be said of damned near everyone, but I'm coming from more of a real pro perspective. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
hi all! I have'nt been on the forum for a wjile , say this thread , nothing but good to say about Jerry Portnoy , the first time i heard of him was listening to the Muddy waters live album with him and johnny winter guaesting along with bob margolin, I learnt a lot of harp licks of this album and when and where not to play . i think with the guitarist harp player relationship is sometimes similar to the frontman thing where the emphasis or focal point isn't the guitarist , so sometimes a bit of animosity creeps in . i've been on the recieving end of bad amps at jam nights that crucify any decent harp or guitar tone , and sometimes there is other harp players who sqwk their way through a song and some who can really play , my view is you have to start somewhere but when it sounds painful the audiance will usually give a hint and drift away and find a quiet corner! i could go on and on but i'll leave it open for now .
he sounds great in the muddy waters clip. Totally nails the part. In the clapton video his solo is the kind of thing that makes people hate harmonica. Yuck ---------- http://www.youtube.com/user/asilve3
I live in Mass. Jerry Portnoy is living on Cape Cod and I had the opportunity to see him several times last summer. He and Ricky King Russell were playing Sunday afternoons in Hyannis at a place on Main Street. Free afternoon blues. Great stuff.
