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From: "Dennis Gruenling"
Date: 18 Apr 2000 16:56:21 -0000
Subject: BUCKEYE Fest / Junior

I just wanted to drop a note to say how much I enjoyed going to the BUCKEYE
Harmonica Festival this year. It was great enough to hang with Joe Filisko,
Richard Sleigh, Allen Holmes and others, but to also get away from the
responsibilities of home..! :)

Really, it was nice to talk about more "Renny" developments with Doug Tate,
to chat all night about life and all of its beautiful complications with
Raymond McLain (who was performing with Mike Stevens), to hear more of
Richard Sleigh's intimate late-night performances on harp & guitar which
inspire me so much, the list goes on.....

I did miss Winslow and Chris Michalek, however, but Chris I will be seeing
at his own Harmonica Summit 2000 in Minneapolis in June. I KNOW that one
will also be a big blast!!

Now, I usually stay quiet on harp-l for a few reasons:

1) I don't like to open my mouth unless I feel what I have to say is
important

2) These "debates" on harp-l easily get out of hand, and away from the
"learning" perspective into the "personal taste/opinion" perpsective...

3) Things can be taken the wrong way so eassily over the internet.

4) I don't really have the time !!!

...you get the idea...however, I was curious as to whether Stoney's comments
about Little Walter and Junior Wells were meant for harp-l or not. If they
were not, than please forgive me for rambling on. If they were, (and this is
all done with deepest respect for Stoney and others who might agree with him
- I choose not to argue, just to present facts IMHO -lol), he would have to
answer for such opinionated comments like:

>"Is there a Junior style? NO.
>He had a few good takes, but that is about it."

Is he saying that all the early sides from 1953 up through the '60's "HooDoo
Man Blues" are "a few good takes" ??

>"You can recognize Junior when you hear him playing, >mostly because it is
bad playing. But you don't hear >somebody playing and say, "She's playing
in the 'Junior' >style. You might recognize that they are playing and
>copying a Junior tune, but that is quite different that a >Junior style."

Actually, if you ever listen to the records (in particular his older sides I
am talking about) you DO hear a Junior style, my friend. And YES, you DO say
that He/She is playing in a Junior style. At least I have, along with our
local blues crowds, and I have seen it & heard it with other players,
besides doing it myself. Steve Guyger does it great, as does Jim Liban
(sp?), and a few others.

Junior is not my favorite player, but I do love his early recordings, and he
most certainly has his own style. I do hold Little Walter in higher esteem,
but Junior did contribute to the blues harmonica picture, regardless of
whether it is the way either of us choose to play it.

Also, if you listen to Snooky Pryor's recording of "Boogie" from 1948
(pre-1952 Juke), you will hear a pre-cursor of the Little Walter number. It
is silly however to debate this topic and expect it to be black & white
since that intro theme is such a cliche horn line...

Upon reading back this post I can hardly believe I wrote so much! I just
hope this does not start another thread that won't end!

All the best to each of you !
- -Dennis Gruenling


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