Re: Sony boy Wiliamson


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Posted by Tuten (209.246.86.98) on July 29, 2000 at 18:05:26:

In Reply to: Sony boy Wiliamson posted by Patrick Roos on July 17, 2000 at 09:07:01:


I'd like to be able to answer your question more accurately, cept' I dunno which 'Sonnyboy' you're
askin' bout- John Lee (no.1), or Rice MIller(Sonnyboy No.2). Rice MIller was often photographed with a chromatic harp in his hand,
but rarely ever played one. Actually, yes, he did play a twelve-hole Marine Band, which is lower pitched, but otherwise made heavy use of the high end of the 10 hole harp.
John Lee on the other hand pretty much stuck to the 10 hole harp , though again, there ar 12 hole harp blues he did play, which ones exactly I couldn't say offhand.
As far as keys go (and I think that's what your
question really is), John Lee Williamson almost always played in the key of C, much like Howlin Wolf. I can't recall ever playing a tune of his that was in any other key than C in fact.
Now Rice Miller, he was a completely different
sort of harp player, and I'm gonna make some extensive comments about him here; First of all, before you go tryin to synch with him you really really really need to study Little Walter FIRST.
Why? Well both were masters in their own right, except that Walter's bends are a bit more 'accomplishable' than Miller's,and also, Little Walter was only very rarely a 1st or 3rd position player- Unlike Rce Miller, who had a very tight bend, a HOT tremelo warble (which is part of his signature), and also, had the uncanny ability to bend BLOW NOTES. I think he was the only one who could do it, next to Walter Horton.
You'll find Rice Miller hitting notes at times that, although you'll know you're in the right key, you just cannot find that note! If you've ever heard songs like 'Fattenin' Frogs For Snakes'
or 'Down Child'(Chess, not Rhino), you see what I mean. Gettin his style down is a lotta hard work.
Miller's key of playing was diverse. The easier tunes are in Bb or D, but the more difficult ones,
such as 'I Don't Know', or 'Younger Days',as well
'I Wonder Why'; 'Cool Disposition', and 'Sad to be Alone'(Has the hottest Dixie Beat I ever Heard!), are in C or A. I suspect Miller of playing in sharps somewhere, and F, but that the mystery of Miller- You have to listen and try to play everything he did in every key to really know.



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