Once upon a time I used to be pretty nimble playing the blues harmonica (blues harp / gob iron). I’ve played a few impromptu gigs, jammed backstage with bands at concerts, and randomly joined in with street blues performers who noticed I had a harp in my pocket (shut up….you KNOW what I mean).
I haven’t played/practised for quite some time, but hey, It’s a bit like riding a bike…. At first it is a struggle to get going, but after a while – and a fair bit of frustration – you get the hang of it… and then you get good…. You start to pull a few tricks and the more you do it, the better you get.
You never forget how to do it, but after a break from doing it, you do lose the subtleties and wobble a bit… You need to keep practising.
So yeah…. Several years down the line I’m talking to a friend who is starting to play and foolishly say I’d post a clip of me playing.
First the excuses….
Rusty from lack of playing, cheap microphone and a cold… Yet I promised a twitter friend @AliQuant, that I’d lay down some bits and pieces of me on my old blues harps… I had no idea what I was going to play, so this was all off of the cuff.
Hence…. “Rusty Gob Iron Blues“….. Not exactly fast and furious… but then again, I like my blues dirty.
I like the Delta Blues scene. Simple call back blues – Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson… A bit dirty, a bit gritty, but full of life.
This recording showed me that I have the right ideas still…. but Jeeeeeez, I need to practice and get it back together!
Sometimespace 