In Which I Get All Lusty Over Harmonicae

And yet another music post. Sorry 'bout that, but this kinda blew me away.

I ran across this beautiful gob-iron rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot (That thud you just heard was half my more religious readers' jaws hitting their chests.) on You Tube, and wondered how he got that sound. Some of the bends seem, well, impossible on a normal blues-harp set-up. Have a listen; it really is lovely.

Read Full Post »

Snooky Pryor

I'm reminded that today is the anniversary of the birth of Snooky Pryor.

"Who?" I hear you all say?

"Bloody philistines!" I reply.

If legend has it right (and to be fair, I believe the legend may have been started by the man himself, so a small pinch of salt might be in order), Snooky was the person who invented the technique of cupping a microphone together with a harmonica in his hands; thus playing it, effectively, as an amplified instrument, instead of an acoustic instrument being amplified. If you see what I mean.

Read Full Post »

I’m Back (I Think)

I must admit it came as a bit of a shock to see that it's nigh-on a month since I posted anything. Ho-hum. Suffice to say I've been kinda busy. The only times I've touched the computer have been when I've wanted to watch programmes on iPlayer, which mostly makes programmes available for a week, which means any essential TV (currently Only Connect, University Challenge, Doctor Who, Horizon and Mastermind) has to be caught up with within that time-frame, or I either miss it or end up resorting to more … erm … extra-legal means of obtaining them. Other than that, it's been either work or sleep for the most part.

I really should have kept a check on my email though. Even after deleting items from blogs which tend to be purely of-the-minute topical (I read most of the blogs I subscribe to in Thunderbird), I'm still left with a bewildering five hundred-odd to at least glance at. Yes, I really should make more of an effort to organise my mail into folders, too, for ease of sorting in such situations. *sigh*

Read Full Post »