After a recent show, a harmonica player asked me, “How do you achieve so much freedom with your instrument?’ Intriguing question, I thought. Especially since refining my musical identity is something that I’ve been struggling with for years. The fact that he asked the question suggested that he saw a glimpse of my effort.
That conversation reinforced the spirit that I hope to achieve with this website and it sparked the idea of including a sort of “artistic statement” or “philosophy”. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that a 10-hole diatonic harmonica –a free reed instrument –would be so confining yet freeing at the same time. After tossing around the idea of “free,” “reed”, “freedom” and of course my own name, the obvious expression was “FREeD up!”
Once this section is complete, you’ll be able to check out quotes from celebrities and fans who have a new appreciation for the harmonica in the FReEd Minds section. Decide whether to REED it or Not after watching clips of some otherwise innovative musicians. And of course, put your FrEEDBack in the comment section.
–FY
- “I didn’t know you could do that with that,” – Stephen Hill, BET
- “I didn’t even know I liked the harmonica until I heard this guy.” Dave Chappelle
- “He brought fire to the stage,” Valery Zeitoun, Universal France
- “Turn the harmonica up in the house.” Prince
- “If you didn’t have so much control over your body, you would disintegrate from the joy of playing.”
- “He’s too good to ignore.” – Charlie Fishman, former manager, Dizzy Gillespie, Director of DC Jazz Festival
Video coming soon.
