I've been following the discussions on this forum for a long time, and finally I feel like introducing myself and sharing some thoughts.
I'm J-Sin from Finland. I play the diatonic harmonica chromatically. For the last few years I've been playing and performing Arabian and Turkish music mixed with funky blues, klezmer, tango, techno etc. My "Anatolian RiotBlues" duo Ataturk Band that started out as a streetplaying act has now toured Finland for 2 years and is about to release a hysterical album filled with blues-drenched Oriental ReedBeat.
Here's my personal site. Feel free to listen to my tracks and add me as a friend. http://www.myspace.com/triplejaysinister
The first song "Totafot" is in Db played on a C harmonica. This piece got me the third prize in World Harmonica Contest (open category) last fall.
Here's an interview about it: http://www.blueswebzine.com/interviews/jantso_jokelin_jay_sinister_triple_jay_interview.html
Are there any other harpists here experimenting with Arabian/Turkish maqamat, or world music in general? Would be thrilled to hear your thoughts & tunes.
Very cool. I have a chromatic harmonica. I haven't got the muscle memory down for it yet but sometimes I play it with all blow notes and use the slide to get a scale that sounds a little like Klezmer or Turkish music but I don't know enough to do a lot with it.
you have a nice start... be careful about when you don't know what to play. This is music is very precise and you aren't always...but it's a nice start.
The 420 Bus Jam is not good playing at all.
Work on your tone too.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2010 12:55 PM
Hi J-Sin, may I extend a warm welcome to the MBH forum. I have seen you before on YouTube and was fascinated by your playing and video. It's always good to get a new slant on harp playing. I hope you don't mind if I put the "Ataturk Band" video here?
J-Sin. I quite like that (the video that tooka posted). You guys are different. But different in a good way. To me, this is a very good direction to be headed with the harmonica. I'm very glad to have you on the board! ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
Just starting to go into stuff like this. However it's just about a week that I got all chromatic notes on my harp. And I'll still need some time to get them all consistently,... once I've got the technique down I'll start diving into the music.
Btw. what harps do you play (besides GM)? only harponline prducts? and what addons? (hope you don't mind me asking)
---------- germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2010 2:00 PM
@Buddha: Thank you for your opinion. What do you mean by "this music"? We're not playing traditional Middle-Eastern music here, it would be blasphemy to name it that. It's our kind of music, just has lots of influences from East and West alike. Arabian music is sophisticated, we are vulgar and bad (like Jesse James).
"Be careful about when you don't know what to play" -- now what kind of advice is that? I'm aware of my shortcomings, but how exactly should I be careful when I play? I don't understand.
But I agree, Bus Jam is not too good playing, partly because of the out-of-the-box 14-hole SBS I had acquired about a week before (one of the shittiest harps I've had), partly because it's just hectic improvisation basically, and partly because the general atmosphere on this tour was not too... sober. I kept this jam recording online though, as my tourmates like to listen to it, and me too.
I'm a folklorist by nature and education, and I'm always doing field recordings with modest devices. The quality is not always perfect, but I appreciate so many other things in live playing. For example the audio track in our video that TookaTooka posted here (don't mind at all, thanks mate!) was recorded in this amazing abandoned building in my home town with small battery-fueled streetplaying amps and a Zoom H2 recorder. Quality: not perfect. The atmosphere, the echo and the dialogue with the video: sounds & looks nice to me.
Ataturk Band has a slight shade of punk in it. We just like to play everywhere really, without strict compositions, and often faster than we actually can... We're realeasing an album soon btw, stay tuned.
About the scales. What I like to do is I listen to traditional Arabian/Turkish/klezmer players of ney flute, saz, oud, clarinet, fiddle etc and try to copy the scale and possible modulations. Then I usually woodshed, try to examine the pitch and get it to sound good. Then I start making licks based on that scale. I usually use a C harp to do this, so in a way I force myself to play in "odd" positions, in whatever key the track is in. I could list all the scales I've learnt this way, but I suggest you go and figure them out yourself -- it's more useful to you and it's all out there. This site might help anyone interested: http://www.maqamworld.com/ Study the maqam index on the left.
GermanHarpist: I like GM the most and do my own addons (little bit of gapping and embossing). I have custom wooden combs in some of them, as I like my harps airtight. Otherwise I've managed with factory harps this far, I like Seydel Blues Favorite and the new Marine Band Crossover.
I think it's vital for every harp player to play a lot with bulk harps. It's good for the endurance of your face. As Jason Rosenblatt (terrific player of Turkish music) wisely put it: "Whatever happened to the days when you could just gap a $25 Golden Melody and get a great airtight instrument with sustainable OB-ODs?"
Still thinking of getting a custom soon, though :P
Peace,
J-Sin
---------- Reed to the Beat! http://www.myspace.com/triplejaysinister
Yup, the GM really sounds like a good choice. I had one in C for a while, but didn't like it too much and gave it to someone as a gift eventually. However that's when I still only played blues. I'll have to get another one soon to see how it works... with melodies. ;)
---------- germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2010 5:10 PM
Welcome to the board J-sin! It's nice to get a fellow finn on board.. :)
Actually Adam already gave a little kick for your music couple of weeks ago so I think many of us have seen the video already: http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/546239.htm
I personally like the Totafot a lot. I don't like to listen middle-eastern music singed, but as an instrumental it is very nice. You have a nice rhythms also in that.
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 3:36 AM
J-Sin...while I am not familiar with this type of music I do find it enjoyable.....the video is great....thanks for helping me expand my boundries....and welcome to the gang LOL ! ---------- Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
yea ill say it again your music is awsome,very proficent,I could hear a world sound,i dont know what to call it.and a blues feel also that combined made a very interesting style,I would love to be able to be that much out of the box,and be able to perform such artistic,work.you offer something to the forum that is totaly different and cool,you have definatly paid your dues to develop the style of music you have,i cant believe anyone would say anything negative about it.but everyone has the right to like or dislike what ever they see fit.but i look forward to hearing more thanks for the enjoyment and opening up my mind to something different.
