And Many More Musicians, Too this headline should finish.
This was a great and totally serendipitous Sunday afternoon was back now in March of 2009 at my good friend's home in Bethesda, Maryland. I was invited by Lee and Leslie to hear the Music Teaching Project ( Ken Kimery( drums ) , Jamie Broumas ( Jazz female vocalist ), Michael Bowie ( Bass ) and Robert Redd ( Piano ) with special guests like Marshall Keys ( Sax ), Gene Bertoncini ( Guitar ), Bruce Ewan ( Harmonica ), Bart Stringham ( Guitar ), Marija ( Guitar ) and many more that I do not have all the names for : pity.
This blog entry is on the Jazz harmonica player Bruce Ewan that I have now seen perform twice : once here in these images above in March of 2009 and just recently this past Sunday, March 27th, 2011 : both times at the home of Lee and Leslie.
I am glad that I have these pictures from 2009 as I was unable to take any this time as my memory card was full by the time that Bruce played. Oops - better plan better next time is all I can say. My loss as well as the world's. I did, however, sit on the living room floor feet away from Bruce this past Sunday and I did sketch quickly him blowing his whole existence into the harmonica he cupped tightly in the palms of his hands that wrapped around it so tightly and left him just enough room to squeeze his mouth onto the rim and find a place to make the necessary contact of flesh on steel- warmth on cold metal. I got a great view and one that I will not soon forget as the memory was as well as tattooed or branded onto my memory and brain in a sizzling heat and intensity.
Bruce's whole existence at that moment and time was focused on that small bit of space that comprised his two hands cupping tightly his harmonica and his mouth and body leaning/bending down into it - pushing, pressing - huffing, blowing and pressing himself through his lips into the small spaces like regular missing teeth of the harmonica. He was caught and wrapped and so much of that moment and space and time that it was great to watch and to sketch quickly as I did recently with my three blue pens. I gave him one of the sketches. He wanted to take it home and show / share it with his wife. I will photograph and post the rest of his pictures here shortly as I have time. I also drew the other Jazz musicians play as well and will do the same for them.
Being an artist all of this really spoke to me and wrapped me up completely into my special place in relation to his space and place. Too bad I did not have a camera to use. Oh well, that will have to wait until next year. This seems to be an ongoing project of mine and I am both inspired and thrilled to be witness to all this live Jazz magic. I also love being so close to it all. I am really afforded as an artist an incredibly intimate and up-close view and experience of these few precious moments. Glad I brought my sketch pad. Next year I will bring two of them as I easily filled this first one as all the musicians played.
Bruce caught me completely off guard both times. The energy and the power and the force and the intensity of it all whipped and beat and rushed and crashed around and through and over and upon me and all my senses. There was no defense - just submit and enjoy and be held captive and enthralled for these beautiful and loud and impassioned moments of magical harmonica music and playing.
I love that this picture is out-of-focus as well as some of the others : and that some have a deep matted red and a gray tinge, too : adds depth and warmth and a simmering heat of sorts - gravitas as well perhaps?!?
I told Bruce this past Sunday how I loved the harmonica playing of both Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. he picked up immediately on Stevie Wonder and added his comments. I then mentioned John Mayall and the two songs I love of his : " Room To Move " and " California " and Bruce added that he was of the 60's and without his influence bands like The Rolling Stones would not have been able to make their music - that they and many others all drew from the work of John Mayall in the 60's.
I leave you with these two pictures here of Bruce Ewan playing his harmonica back in March of 2009 at Lee and Leslie's home in Bethesda, Maryland. Too bad I don't have the ones , too recently of his bending down and leaning into his harmonica as I witnessed this past Sunday, March, 27th, 2011. Oh well, as I said : this is very much for me a wonderful labor of love and a work-in-progress. Cheers. Close your eyes and imagine this last scene and listen carefully for the sound, too of his harmonica. Let this inspire you all to go see Bruce live. Google his name and see where he is playing. He told me that there is some great footage of him playing in Argentina. I'm off to check that out now. TONY
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