From: Ken Deifik Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 17:16:22 -0800 Subject: Barn Burner
I'd like to thank Michael Polesky here, just as Vern did. As wonderful as his post-Spah party was last year, this one was even moreso: A Barn Burner and a Life Giver!
I got to hear a few cuts from the recording Mike made in December, and I was knocked out. I've been a fan of his playing since the first time I heard him, and I'm very happy that he's documented his style for us all, and I hope he makes the music available for sale. He's got a feel that is all his own, with left turns coming at the most surprising places, and yet the music never has an intellectual or dry feeling to it. (On the other hand, the musical intelligence is everywhere to be heard.) He has his own swing and surprise, and more people should know about his work.
Mr. Huang, maker of my beloved Star Performers, gave a wonderful performance, playing as beautifully as one would expect. He played a Bach concerto, accompanied by a CD. A technical glitsch stopped the performance for about a minute, during which time he dealt with the problem and charmed the audience at the same time. I got to thank him for designing the only harp I play.
Though it obviously grew into something much larger, the original germ of the evening was my notion that the chromatic players in the LA area needed to have a good introduction to the Rennaisance harmonica. Bobbie and Doug were both in town for this presentation and for the Namm show. I got to spend quality time with them on Wednesday, showing them around LA with Mike P. Having spent some wonderful hours with the Rennaissance, it was a pleasure to get to know the designers. These people are just as awesome as their posts would have you imagine. (If they ever apply their wizardry to diatonics, there will be no reason to play anything else.)
Doug's demonstration of the Rennaisance at the party was a real revelation. He talked about the design goals that gave rise to the project, and then showed how they'd all been reached. I've already posted my own reactions to the dynamic subtleties allowed by this harmonica, but Doug's wonderful demonstration of the dynamic possibilities was pretty amazing. His control of dynamics is a thing to behold, and a goal for people like myself to shoot for. No other harmonica would allow the sheer variety of dynamics he was able to produce.
He was accompanied by a keyboardist playing an electric instrument. The keyboard was quite loud, and Doug had no trouble achieving proper balance for the harmonica without any mic-ing, and was able to tailor his dynamic range to the situation so that quieter parts could be played loudly enough to be heard and yet still give the impression of quiet. A wonderful musician. Serious chromatic players should be very interested in the Renaissance.
I wish you could have heard Danny's group, and especially his own bass harmonica playing (though all those guys are fantastic virtuousi.) What struck me was how on one piece he sounded like a string bass, and on the next like an electric bass, and on the next like a bass harmonica. He plays with great taste and swing, and his time is just impeccable.
Super jam: Iron Man playing his Next Time You See Me with Harmonica John on co-lead harp.
Charlie Musslewhite came with the Hering execs. He did not play, but he was a beautiful presence at the gathering. As you probably know, Charlie has a new signature chromatic made by Hering. He showed it around. Wish I could've heard him play it.
I was priveleged to have a long chat with Tommy Morgan. He told me that he still practices his sight reading on days when he isn't recording or performing. That is clearly what it takes to read as well as he does. He's a really down-to-earth man with seemingly no ego trip about his astonishing accomplishments, which includes some amazingly beautiful playing on 500 sound tracks. (!)
Hopefully other attendees will add their impressions. I will tell you, however, that for me, the best thing of all was being able to spend some real time with so many of our Harp-l brothers and sisters. Thank you again, Mike.
