This knocked me out: "But one read and a few listens later I was just floored by his infectious and socially off-key performances, put across with a persona that seemed to reject the shallow way in which so many musicians try to ingratiate themselves with audience, in favor of what sounds like just plain raw entertainment of the most happily, casually subversive kind."
And this bears repeating until it's memorized: "Meaning (pardon me), that they had the classic literary understanding of how artistic detachment (not the same thing as irony, though they often intersect) could serve as an antidote to the smothering ego and the curse of self-obsession."
I read Greil Marcus, so I actually „knew“ more about him before I heard him. When I finally got the Chance to hear his Stuff in „My Record Store of Choice“ I didn’t buy it. Reading about him sounded better in my Brain than actually hearing his Music.
I got more out of Cajun, Zideco and Tex Mex of the 30ties.
Hokum and Jug Band Music and the String Band Stuff as well as Guitar Rag (aka Country Rock) of Blind Blake rocked me more.
But now I will give him another Try.
Between reading Greil Marcus and hearing him about 3 to 4 Years passed by, that might have screwed up my Expectations to high.
There is a (Hand) Harmonica Guy from Muotatal in Schwyz, Switzerland I was listening to back then who rocked me more (I am quite weak when it comes to European Music, but that Guy was the only one who could keep up with the Tex Mex Guys).
I can listen to Minstrelsy Music as I can listen to Merle Haggard or Chic Corea or Ike Turner. If it is great or significant Art I want to know about it.
When I finally got to hear Harmonica Frank I was already gone through my Reborn Dylan Shock.
When I am listening Salsa I do not understand the Words, it has to work as Music.
40 Years or so after listening to Harmonica Frank the last Time I can hear an Influence on Country Joe Mc Donald and that he played the Harmonica and the Guitar more than competently, his Vocals are okay to.
As mentioned: The Book Mystery Train by Greil Marcus set my Expectations so high up he couldn’t win.
Age also has the Effect of „soften“ my Criticism, which allows for more Fun.
So he sounds much better to me now since I am a Rocking Chair Man too.
His risqué Lyrics are no Problem with me.
I once undergone a David Allen Coe Concert (about the worst Country Concert I ever saw, but I listen to his best Song if sung by Tanya Tucker) and Harmonica Franks Vocals appeal much more to me.
And both Sun and Chess released his Stuff, which counts quite a bit, at least in my Book.
you may not really understand the tradition that he comes from. This is a very hybrid entertainment style, and unless you have really listened to people out of the medicine show and minstrel tradition, it is not going to sound like "serious" music. But that's the point, it's a whole other side of the down-home coin.
A fluid foreign language, against the standard of a native speaker, is unusual. You make a good point about familiarity with another tradition vs understanding
This knocked me out: "But one read and a few listens later I was just floored by his infectious and socially off-key performances, put across with a persona that seemed to reject the shallow way in which so many musicians try to ingratiate themselves with audience, in favor of what sounds like just plain raw entertainment of the most happily, casually subversive kind."
And this bears repeating until it's memorized: "Meaning (pardon me), that they had the classic literary understanding of how artistic detachment (not the same thing as irony, though they often intersect) could serve as an antidote to the smothering ego and the curse of self-obsession."
I read Greil Marcus, so I actually „knew“ more about him before I heard him. When I finally got the Chance to hear his Stuff in „My Record Store of Choice“ I didn’t buy it. Reading about him sounded better in my Brain than actually hearing his Music.
I got more out of Cajun, Zideco and Tex Mex of the 30ties.
Hokum and Jug Band Music and the String Band Stuff as well as Guitar Rag (aka Country Rock) of Blind Blake rocked me more.
But now I will give him another Try.
Between reading Greil Marcus and hearing him about 3 to 4 Years passed by, that might have screwed up my Expectations to high.
There is a (Hand) Harmonica Guy from Muotatal in Schwyz, Switzerland I was listening to back then who rocked me more (I am quite weak when it comes to European Music, but that Guy was the only one who could keep up with the Tex Mex Guys).
I can listen to Minstrelsy Music as I can listen to Merle Haggard or Chic Corea or Ike Turner. If it is great or significant Art I want to know about it.
be aware that many people disagree with me about Harmonica Frank, so I can take it.
I will listen to him again. YouTube makes it easy.
My Point is Music, not Words per se.
When I finally got to hear Harmonica Frank I was already gone through my Reborn Dylan Shock.
When I am listening Salsa I do not understand the Words, it has to work as Music.
40 Years or so after listening to Harmonica Frank the last Time I can hear an Influence on Country Joe Mc Donald and that he played the Harmonica and the Guitar more than competently, his Vocals are okay to.
As mentioned: The Book Mystery Train by Greil Marcus set my Expectations so high up he couldn’t win.
Age also has the Effect of „soften“ my Criticism, which allows for more Fun.
So he sounds much better to me now since I am a Rocking Chair Man too.
His risqué Lyrics are no Problem with me.
I once undergone a David Allen Coe Concert (about the worst Country Concert I ever saw, but I listen to his best Song if sung by Tanya Tucker) and Harmonica Franks Vocals appeal much more to me.
And both Sun and Chess released his Stuff, which counts quite a bit, at least in my Book.
His eclecticism is reminiscent of saxophone Al
I hear a little Elvis, especially when he goes in the low register
I know about Harmonica Frank since my Teenage Years, since I read „Mystery Train“.
When I finally got hold on his Records (not that easy in Switzerland) I was quite underwhelmed.
I don’t think that he could have ever turned us Post War 2 Kids from Europe over too US American Music.
He‘s got nothing thrilling to my Ears. For this no Beethoven would roll over to tell Tschaikowsky the News.
We got „Ländler“ Music in Europe from that Time that rocked more than that Roll Chair Daddy.
you may not really understand the tradition that he comes from. This is a very hybrid entertainment style, and unless you have really listened to people out of the medicine show and minstrel tradition, it is not going to sound like "serious" music. But that's the point, it's a whole other side of the down-home coin.
A fluid foreign language, against the standard of a native speaker, is unusual. You make a good point about familiarity with another tradition vs understanding