Oh, That Bias Thing

First of all, there's no such thing as the best in harps, either players or equipment or songs.

Instead, what we have are piles of personal favorites. So, when I look at harps and players it's not the same as you or you or you.

My personal favorite is Sonny Boy Williamson, aka Rice Miller. He is simply the coolest cat, period, and the choice reflects my own likes -- listen to Trust My Baby and tell me it's not brilliant, of course, and I'll raise all kinda of hell.

Part of it comes from a general dislike of most amplified harp players, which is to say 90% of the honkers and raspers that masquerade as harp players these days from garage bands on up.  As a former group leader, I had one guy in my band over the years who was simply the best -- Frank Zona. He was also (and is now primarily) a sax player, something I don't hold against him because he comes at it all as a blues player, not a jazzamoto.  I did have one guy who must have had a blood transfusion from David Sanborn and always sounded out of tune to me as he waggled his backside to impress the ladies.

The difference is critical. Blues is played from the heart (or waist) down and jazz from the neck up.

Sonny Boy Williamson 2 (to be correct) had a bag of tricks/skills that made his playing the best for me. It wasn't just buying a harp and blowing it through a Shure Green Bullet. His hands and technique gave the most distinct voice to a harp I have ever heard.  With it came the freedom to create, not the drive to conform.

Next time I'll step on toes about the harps themselves and what I like and don't like.

Don't start me to talking. I'll tell everything I know.