By magicman
Look harp! F-sharps, “liars”, dulcet tones and an asses jawbone make up the first LP from AutoHarp since their 2016 sophomore outing Koto Kora?, a wonderful exploration of plucking stroking and loving. Their first LP, ARP Si Chord, stunned earlookers with its blatant refusal to boogie, illegal in some states unless accompanied by the pedal steal. The new album seeks to undermine the Blade wherever possible and introduces notions of the Chalice early on with some “Aeoiuealion” wind chimes. The theme carries through many continents and cultures. It is noted for example that a jew’s jaw jives Jill jealous. Interferes with her chalice work. Stroking, not hammering. Plucking harmonics, mate.
By the time we get to Phoenix we might have spotted a lesser spotted Angel or two according to the Greek Harpics of Mythology.* Understandable if you believe that sort of guff. AutoHarp have truly cleansed the Palatine Regions** with this curvy string-driven thing. Swing not bling indeed. (It therefore means “a thing” … apparently).
My harp overfloweth. The music speaketh for itself as it hath always done, with echoes of folklore, wah-wah mouth interiors and warbling. The foot pedal is rarely mentioned but it is a simple cheat: It changes key for you. I take my hat off to the incontrovertible genius of this invention, and the many and varied approaches to what I shall simply call “The Harp”.
Notwithstanding repeated and urgent appeals on behalf of the audience, I am, yours ever,
– A pheasant plucker’s mate.
By the way, the mention of Mockingbird by Inez Foxx reminds cloth-eared readers of HARPer Lee’s early cocktail album Tequila Mockingbird, wherein we learn that Atticus Finch, distant relation to non-A-listed harpist Catrin (and played by ornithologist Greg Peck in the hologram) could himself play the jaw harp.*** And which among us can claim noteworthy denials to the contrary?
Well played one. Well played all.
*copyright Ginger Geezer
**Appalachia is a mountainous region of eastern USA
***delving into the reasons for nomenclature will start World War 3
Aeolian to Appalachian A-List Playlist:
Sarah Deere-Jones - Harp & Aeolian Harp (harp, Aeolian harp)
Alice Coltrane - Blue Nile (harp)
Lila Downs - La Iguana (Mexican harp)
Zeena Parkins - Firebrat (electro-harp)
Joanna Newsom - On A Good Day (harp)
Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine (harp)
Dorothy Ashby - Why Did You Leave Me (harp)
Agnes Obel - Beast (harp)
Sona Jobarteh - Jarabi (kora)
Cat Power - Sea Of Love (autoharp)
Claude Debussy - Danses Sacrees & Danse Profane ft. Vera Badings (harp)
Joni Mitchell - All I Want (Appalachian dulcimer)
Inez & Charles Foxx - Mockingbird (jaw harp)
Big Soundboard B-List Playlist:
Stevie Wonder - If It’s Magic ft. Dorothy Ashby (harp)
Edmar Castaneda - Cuarto de Colores (colombian harp)
Harpo Marx - Blue Moon (harp)
DnA: Delyth & Angharad Jenkins - Brandy Cove (harp)
Andreas Vollenweider - Huiziopochtli (electro-harp)
Ketama, Toumani Diabate, Jose Soto - Pozo del deseo (kora)
Catatonia - Bulimic Beats (harp)
Philip Glass - Glassworks 1 (Opening) ft. Lavinia Meijer (harp)
Lucinda Belle Orchestra – Northern Lights (harp)
The Carter Family - Keep On The Sunny Side (autoharp)
Kasumi Watanabe - Sakura (koto)
John Zorn/The Gnostic Trio - Dance of Sappho ft Carol Emanuel (harp)
Dizzee Rascal with Florence & The Machine - You Got The Dirtee Love (harp)
Guru’s Wildcard Picks:
Alex Martinez shows us the Joropo music of Venezuela
Teddy Pendergrass gets a harp sprinkle Every Single Time he Turns Off The Lights
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Pluck up courage: songs and music with harps, lyres and zithers. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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