In Search of Tone
By Dr. Kay King
Webster’s defines tone as “any
sound considered with reference to its quality, pitch, strength, source,
etc; quality or character of sound”. For most harp players, the quest
for tone is tantamount to the search for the Holy Grail. The good ones
spend countless practice hours trying to seduce the tin sandwich into
giving up that tone, while the rest of the herd spend countless hours
discussing tone and declare as how Walter Jacobs surely must have taken
the secret to his grave.
No one has been more dedicated to
the search for “that tone” than Sonny Jr. After more than 25 years as a
performer and amp builder, the production of his tremendous new Four-Ten
amp is causing quite a stir in the harp community. One of the first to
own the amp was David Barrett of Harmonica Masterclass fame.
Dave, always at the forefront of
technical excellence and education in the harp community with his
Masterclass series and his instructional materials, wisely realized that
tone is of huge importance to the blues harmonica player and that there
is little information out there on the subject. Hence a special event
was offered on February 28, 2004, in San Jose, CA. The Harmonica
Masterclass Workshop and Sonny Jr. presented a one-day seminar and
concert featuring Sonny Jr. and his Four-Ten, David Barrett, Fritz
Hasenpusch, Mitch Kashmar, Gary Smith and Chris “Hammer” Smith. The
classes covered both the physical technique that is applied in the
production of good tone and the equipment that can help make you sound
good, both on stage and in the studio.
I personally could not imagine harp
players getting up early on a Saturday morning for Sonny Jr’s 0900
workshop.........and neither could he. Yet, there they were gathering
outside the door as early as 0730, eager to hear him share his insights
about his mentor, Sonny Terry, and the unique style that Sonny was known
for. Those of you who know how difficult Sonny’s style is to master will
appreciate a story that Sonny Jr. told. It seems that a fellow came over
to his house to try an amp and asked to hear a bit of Sonny Terry, after
which he proceeded to offer up a bad imitation of what he had just
heard. He then said, “You know, maybe I could take a lesson from you.
How long can it take to get his style...........maybe an hour?”
Sonny’s presentation on speakers
and tube values and substitutions had many in the room rapidly taking
notes. He had just demonstrated a tube change when I heard a fellow
behind me remark, “That alone was worth the $70”............referring to
the cost of the day’s seminar.
Fritz Hasenpusch has been
fascinated by mics most of his life, and his love of the subject was
obvious in his presentation of the history of mics and the collection
that he has amassed over the years. His custom paint designs reminded me
of something straight out of Orange County Choppers’ workshop.
The award for the person traveling
the greatest distance in search of tone was undoubtedly Erik Stigter of
Holland. I don’t know if I would have had the courage to walk his walk.
After seeing his job of 25 years evaporate, Erik decided it was time to
follow his dream of being a performing player. He packed his bags and
came to San Jose to attend the workshop and concert and to buy a Sonny
Jr. amp to take back to Holland. Thank you, Erik, for providing
inspiration for us all!
The sold-out evening concert
certainly provided the opportunity for a lot of friendly head-cutting.
It saw Sonny and long-time friend, Mitch Kashmar, reunited on stage
after 14 years. I have long been one of Mitch’s fans and feel that he is
deserving of far more recognition than he has received. He is a master
of the 7-blow and of tongue blocking, and plays the sweetest upper
register notes I think I have ever heard. His versatility on the
diatonic as well as the chromatic harp and his smooth vocal style were
showcased as he easily moved from Sonny Terry’s Mean Woman Blues duet
with Sonny to his own blend of blues and jazz.
Sonny Jr. performed a solo tribute
to his beloved mentor that brought the audience to its feet. No matter
how many times I hear him do this, it never sounds the same........and
never fails to move me.
As a transplant from the Bay Area,
I have fond memories of the many blues venues around the area during the
1980’s and 90’s. Who can forget when J.J.’s had three clubs, John Lee
Hooker was in residence at the Boom Boom Room, and Moe’s Alley in Santa
Cruz booked top name acts several nights a week? As such, it was a joy
to hear the godfather of West Coast blues again. There was no doubt that
Gary Smith is still at the top of his game. The dueling harps of Gary,
Dave, Mitch, Sonny Jr. and Chris Smith provided a fitting finale for the
evening.
Kudos to Dave Barrett, Dennis
Carelli, and the staff of the Masterclass series for their superb
organization of this event, and many thanks to the Dave Barrett Blues
Band with John Garcia, Kevin Coggins, Frank De Rose, and special guest,
Steve Freund, on guitar. Be sure to check out upcoming seminars and
events at
www.harmonicamasterclass.com |
