Schooled at The Post

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

I went to the regular Sunday night music class hosted by the Hurricanes at the Hitching post... I'd heard they had a "new" harmonica cat, and I wondered how I measured up... harmonica players, especially blues guys, tend to be somewhat competitive (not in a mean way, but competitive, nonetheless) and we're always "headcutting," which means competing. I've played with lots of other harpooners, and I can modestly say I can hold my own quite well.
Barney handed me my ass in a paper bag.
He's got about 22 years more experience than me, and it shows. I put my heart into it, for sure, and I always sound clean and focused. I sound like a white guy. Barney's playing's GREASY, dark, and authentic. He made a rig he's never used before sound better than everything I've tried in 10 years of trying. Excellent vibrato, top-notch rhythm playing, he uses the cup to great effect, sings REALLY soulfully, and is an ornery sh*t, too.
Well, back to the drawing board!---------->JMS

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

Music is not a calculation. Barney is totally from the soul man. You can practice and practice and practice, but if you aren't playing from where it counts, you will never get it right! And I've seen both of you guys play and Johnny, you are awesome and you play from inside as well! Barney has a TON of soul! Never let it discourage you though! That's what is so great about music, let it inspire and encourage you! Any given night you can go check someone out and there's always a chance that you will be floored by someone! I love stories like this!

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

Barney is a real cool cat. I sold him a couple of harps down at the Shop. He makes me laughs. What a character!

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

"Sang" it with me: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family..." During the only break last night, I was able to say that much to Barney before LOL. Later, I gave him a hug before I left.

Being a Lady, I can't repeat what he said!

"Character", that describes him...
it's the MUSIC that moves me, I can't help it!

Btw, can someone explain exactly what a "Jellyroll" is when one is dancing? He kept telling those of us on the dance floor to do it, but I don't have a clue...there are numerous parts one moves and "rolls"!

Felix, Bobby and Jeff were amazing as always and with Barney and songsmith, it was one of those nights we who experienced it will never forget. "School?" Songsmith, didn't Felix say you really ARE one of the Hurricanes?

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

My wife thinks the Hurricanes are the best band I was never in! I've logged as much stage time with them as with several bands I've been an official member of, and I've never played a job with them I didn't enjoy tremendously. Barney is a real plus, though. I made it clear when we finished that I'm totally going to rip-off about a dozen of his licks. Learn, I mean learn.

Man, the harp duel was just KILLER. I thought I was going to pass out before it was over, though... that's right about when I realized I should be carrying his harps for him, instead of cutting heads with him. If I went to McDonalds, walked back to the fryer, sat down in front of it, and tipped it over on myself, I still couldn't play as greasy as Barney. He makes bacon jealous. You hear a few notes, and you're in a early-sixties Chicago blues club, and I'm talkin' Southside.
FatVin, you'd love this cat. Authentic for sure... his personal rig pooped the bed, so he played through a rig Felix put together, a Maestro tube combo, and an old Shure Sphere-O-Dyne mic... I played through it myself, but couldn't get his sound. Up close, it was edgy and bright, but back where I was sitting, it was dark-sounding and complex... not too much overdrive or sting... like coffee with cream.
Anyone who hasn't been out to catch him really should.------->JMS

Post by **Jim Price** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

I knew the karma wasn't adding up, and I shoulda been at the Post!

I couldn't come up with a good Halloween outfit this year, and I usually target Pellegrine's annual Halloween bash as the place where I unveil whatever Halloween creation I come up with every year. Although I struggled last minute to get an outfit together, it just wasn't happening, so I deferred to my second option, a store-bought devil mask, and headed to Pelly's anyway. Where I promptly locked my car keys in my car, and had to have somebody drive me home to grab my extra car key.

And I could have been witnessing harmonica duels between Barney and Songsmith at the Post! Ouch! ***JP kicks self violently in posterior***

esa · Post by **esa** » Monday Oct 31, 2005

Yes, he plays a kick ass harp. Some of the acts he's opened up for....yeash! I had the pleasure of sitting, drinking a beer with the man, and talking about music. He is good. But don't fear JMS! He is not you. You are the best musician you can be. I am the best musician I can be. I was messing around with my fiddle tonight, scraping out some tunes. Scraping is a kind word. I can find a tune by ear...but if you ask me to strum in time... Alas, I have my fathers' ear for music, but my mothers hand for rhythm. I play well enough to amuse myself and that's good enough for me...sorta. The same thing with the harps...I've had them for two years... messed around with them for a while...but once no one wants you to play anymore, you kinda go back into that funk. I heard him play and went, "My God...I want to do that..." I doubt I'll ever get that way. He's been playing for forever....and honestly, my dedication isn't that deep to some things right now....

In other words (and forgive the rambling please)...we all measure ourselves to someone else who we think is greater....but in someone elses eyes, that person may "suck" and you are the greater musician.

You're JMS...and you're awesome.
Especially when you drink.
Er.
Especially when you play the harp and lap fiddle...and the....

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Tuesday Nov 01, 2005

I was still wondering, so I went searching..."WELL"!

If you enjoy Blues/Jazz, you might get a kick out of the site I found the definition on. There was more, but what I have below is enough.

http://www.apassion4jazz.net

"Jelly Roll" is Black Slang from the nineteenth century (1800s) with various related meanings, i.e. female genitals, sexual intercourse, a loving woman, a man obsessed with finding same. "What you want?" she asked softly. "Jelly Roll?'" (Thomas Wolfe, "Look Homeward Angel", 1929).
"Jelly Roll" appears in many blues songs, such as "I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None o' My Jelly Roll," "Nobody in Town Can Bake a Jelly Roll Like Mine," and "Jelly Roll Blues," the last by Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe "Jelly Roll" Morton (1885-1941).

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Nov 01, 2005

I think that every musician has that moment when they see a killer local player and it makes them just say, "Whoa, I'll never be able to do that!"

I had that moment when I walked into the Clearfield C.A.S.T. for an open mic jam. There was this Jazz cat playing some stuff that would make Gary Willis smile. I remember he had this six string Carvin. He was grooving, soloing, slapping, playing double-stops, ect. I had my fretless and I felt like a chump because I couldn't play any of the killer Fusion stuff that he was doing.

I'm still nowhere near the player that he is, but I'm still trying to learn as much as I can about my chosen instrument.

red · Post by **red** » Tuesday Nov 01, 2005

Don't sell yourself short songsmith! Your the best harpoonist I've had the pleasure of playing with!