Great video Howard, I am enjoying a lot watching all the new material you put online. I couldn't help myself laughing out loud on 3:50 when it seems like you stopped yourself from playing a Db because it was an ob. That note was begging to be played, haha. I hope you and your family are great. Best Regards.
@@thcerveirathcerveira4964 Ha! You have eagle ears! That's exactly what happened. We're doing ok, and I hope that you and yours are staying safe and healthy!
@@HowardLevyland As soon as this thing ends I hope you resume performing live around the world, hopefully in Brasil as well. Stay healthy and safe as well, and keep making your wonderful and inspiring music. All the best.
I have to agree. First time I saw him live, I couldn't really see what he was doing. I was sure he was on a chromatic harp, doing all those bebop 16th note runs. My jaw dropped when I saw he was playing a diatonic. I didn't think you could play like that on a diatonic harp. I play harp myself, but I never tried to learn how to overblow. I took up trumpet instead.
This is so cool. I love those changes. The blues go to university. !!! When I hear Howard playing over those changes, I know I’m not going to reach his mastery of the harp. Part of me wants to just throw up my hands and quit right now, and, yet, the better part of me decides to keep practicing and learning theory, and growing - because playing harp does bring me joy. Thanks, Mr. Levy.
For anyone who is learning harmonica but is discouraged because they don't understand the technical jargon, don't be discouraged. I can play that. Not as well as Howard does, but I can play along, and I can even play that ending. It sounds very familiar and quite normal to me. It is not difficult to play, but I had no idea it is called "ending on a flatted fifth". Although it is interesting to hear that, I don't really care what it is called. The truth is, I have not the foggiest notion what a flatted fifth is. Here is a great tip that was taught me by the legendary bass player Peter Ind about 40 years ago. First sing it and then try to play it. Whatever instrument you play, if you can hear it in your head well enough to sing it, however badly you sing, you are more than half way there. What it is called becomes less important. Many of the finest blues harmonica players in the world could not read music or any kind of chart and would not have been able to name one of the technical terms that are mentioned in tutorials. They employed the techniques as naturally as just breathing, but they learned them by trial and error. If the technical stuff gives you a headache, I recommend you do the same. Don't give up. Howard clearly knows what he is talking about, but if you don't, don't worry about it. I don't either, but I can play it. Good luck.
Thank you sir, IF you had exposure, IF you had motivators, IF you had financial backing, IF you had enough talent to get into Julian, IF your mind could connect. Otherwise just play what you want.
Thanks for making me discover my favorite song Mellow Bird Blues/Blues for Alice. To be able to do this on the harmonica was simply inconceivable not so long ago, yet it works so well! Howard Levy folks, for those of you who don't know. A lot of harps would have ended up in the trash without you.
I like the solo without overblows and overdraws best! There's more space in it and the tones are more natural..... I'm just entering the jazz world. Managed to play the head of Street Life on a low Eb. But now the solo ..... I think it's in F minor, anybody with suggestions?
Thanks for watching! To answer your question- I use whatever position fits the tune best. For example, to play "Ornithology", I use a Bb harp, even though the tune starts in G major.
"Bebop..." that one style seemingly most inaccessible to mortals! I love the clarity and 'relative' simplicity of your explanation, but am left with a nagging question: would you characterize your playing through this progression as mostly straight or cross harp (or both, as I'm thinking about it)? Thanks so much!
Allen, glad you enjoyed the video- the tune is a blues in F, with many chord changes that require you to go into different keys. I'm basically playing in cross harp (2nd pos.), but following the changes really closely.
