[78-L] 78rpm Podcast.

[Steven C. Barr]

From: "Cary Ginell" <soundthink at live.com>
> Johnson and Broonzy were two of the few blues musicians who were conscious 
> of trying to expand their base; Johnson with "Tomorrow Night" - a great 
> crossover R&B hit, and Broonzy joining Josh White in the urban folk scene. 
> But there were many more country and blues musicians who had the talent to 
> appeal to other markets, but chose not to or didn't get the same breaks. I 
> can name dozens of country guitarists who not only could equal their jazz 
> counterparts in harmonic complexity, but who actually influenced them as 
> well. When Earl speaks so disparagingly of country music, his 
> point-of-view is probably limited to what little he heard from Nashville 
> or what passes for country music today. It shows to me an obvious 
> unwillingness to even listen to anything he is not familiar with.
>
> As for "limiting their talents for a market," B.B. King made the market 
> come to him, without him changing his style at all.
>
> Cary Ginell
>
As a blues performer and songwriter, I am FULLY aware that my "musical 
world"
is effectively limited to one simple chord structure...but I don't mind at 
all! When
I play (harmonica), I am trying to musically "tell a story" through the 
music I
play (a LOT of current blues players seem NOT to know this?!). If you listen
to a B. B. King guitar solo you will hear him doing the same thing (albeit
much better?!)!

This is done through the sequences of notes I play, as well as subtle 
variations
in timing...! I don't need complex musical works to do this (which probably
are NOT playable on a simple diatonic harmonica in any case...?!) I would
guess that a fair amount of classical music is also uncomplicated musically
(although not as simple as "12-bar" blues?)

Finally, note that many Ellington tunes are based on this same simple
12-bar structure!

As for "hillbilly," it also uses simple structures (including that same
"12-bar" sequence!). Unlike blues (and much "pop") its important
feature is its lyrics (also true in blues?!)! It is basically based on
Anglo-Celtic folk music!

Steven C. Barr