Roy Ale
13 posts
Feb 28, 2025
4:29 PM
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I have been sitting in with a Jazz band . Is it a must to have chromatic harps to play with a Jazz band ? i do not have any chromatic harps . I can draw bend and blow bend very well and most of the time over blow .
Last Edited by Roy Ale on Mar 03, 2025 7:16 AM
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Gnarly
Alternatetuning
3174 posts
Mar 03, 2025
10:03 AM
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I would say yes, just because many times the bridge modulates to different tonal centers.
But PT Gazelle, for example, or Howard Levy, have no trouble negotiating changes with a diatonic instrument.
So let's say Rhythm changes--Bb. Can you play the bridge (goes from D7 to G7 to C7 to F7) on a diatonic?
Then there's Giant Steps . . .
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LFLISBOA
152 posts
Mar 04, 2025
3:40 AM
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Many blues oriented jazz tunes can be playied on diatonic, check some records of Jerry Portnoy, Charlie Musselwhite, Carlos Del Junco, Richard Hunter or Lee Oskar. If you want to play something more sophisticated as Gnarly mentioned, The chromatic would be a better choice, to my ears it sound better than OB.
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Gnarly
Alternatetuning
3175 posts
Mar 04, 2025
6:05 AM
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Just watched a great video of Tom Ball playing don’t get around much anymore on diatonic harmonica.
Without a band!
So it can be done, but it’s probably easier using a chromatic.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Mar 04, 2025 6:06 AM
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shakeylee
767 posts
Mar 04, 2025
1:31 PM
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Don’t get around much anymore, the Duke Ellington song, sounds great when Adam Gussow plays it on diatonic
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www.shakeylee.com
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Roy Ale
16 posts
Mar 04, 2025
1:32 PM
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I have every key in Diatonic harps. This Jazz group plays in a lot of odd ball keys like A Flat minor . So i am not keen on owning every key in a chromatic just to sometimes sit in with a jazz band . So will most likely shy away from the Jazz thing . I am only able to sometimes Over Blow.
For the songs i have played to so far 3rd and 12th has worked fairly well .
New question is there a position that works well for Jazz ?
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Gnarly
Alternatetuning
3177 posts
Mar 04, 2025
5:06 PM
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12th is good—but the real solution is chromatic—it’s good in flat keys.
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Roy Ale
17 posts
Mar 05, 2025
6:34 AM
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OK good to know , thankyou all for your input. Royale
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