I'll agree with Elizabeth that this video doesn't really do the band justice; the sound levels are so crushingly high that we're mostly getting distortion. Still, I agree with the characterization of the band: just about the best damn four-piece jam band in the business.
About Jason: to call what he's doing a result of him having "stolen a lot of Howard Levy's technique" is silly. Jason is an overblower. So am I. When Carlos del Junco and I were recording overblow-filled solos....
.....on our first discs back in the early 1990s, no other amplified blues harp guys, to my knowledge, were doing this. Howard, of course, was the grand-daddy. He's the guy Carlos and I learned from. Jason heard me playing with Satan and Adam during that period and began adding overblows to his mix. Jason has always been extremely forthright about who and where he accumulated his bag of tricks. He hasn't stolen a damned thing, nor have I. We've taken what was out there and....
....adapted it in a way that served our own musical visions. I love Howard's HARMONICA JAZZ album; I listened to it about 20 times, didn't copy a single specific lick from it, and then lost it. But it changed my life because it blew the roof off of what was possible on the diatonic harmonica. I used overblows to adapt a lot of r&b sax licks to the harp; I also invented a lot of my own licks. Jason borrowed a few of those. But then he want on--as geniuses do--and created his own...
....musical vocabulary. That's what he's deploying here. OBAMAJUSTSAYNO, I'm afraid that your characterization of Jason's playing is based on a profound lack of specific knowledge about how he actually evolved his style. EVERY contemporary harp player who uses overblows--including Jason, Carlos, Chris Michalek, and me--stands in Howard's shadow, and we all acknowledge our debt to him. But he's not the final word in what can be done with overblows. He's Howard Levy. JR is JR.
Adam Thanks so much for having my back here! I could have only dreamed to hear you say such things a mere 12 years ago. Your the best and I love you for who you are what you say and how bold of a human you are we are all in your debt and Howards...you rock!
You have a comprehension problem. I said "Howard Levy is 'not an influence on Jason's music'. His 'MUSIC'. Jason's style/music isn't close to HL's. You clearly haven't seen/heard JR in person, or else you'd know NB is no jam band. Every harp player who's heard him agrees on Jason's innovative playing. I've seen and heard Howard in person for lengthy shows too. He's a brilliant innovator/overblower. That you think they'd dislike each other only proves your inanity. Oh, and you're a moronic pig.
excuse Me??? you clearly misunderstood what the idiot said about me, implying I'm having relations with the band between breaks.. Or are you just too anxious to dump on me to actually have read the post? Further: my name isn't Lizzie. Now butt out of my life.
thanks for this Brad, although this video doesn't do New Blood full justice, having seen them so many times in person. Look at some of Snarkus' videos. Harpin' Help at Mexicali shows the interaction with Shawn to great effect. As for the guy who thinks Jason 'stole' from Howard..not remotely. Jason's background/influences are all available on his website/myspace page. Howard Levy is an overblow innovator, but not an influence on Jason's music. See this brilliant band in person before judging.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
You have no ear madam if you cant connect the dots!...lol...I've been hearing Jason for 5 years now, and he and Howard have a dislike for one another. You madam know nothing of Levy's influence of his style he's had on other musicians. This is a good band not brilliant. Brilliant bands break new ground, this one has the Derek Trucks playbook and other jam bands in their pocket. But i am guessing your mouth is used on loan during the bands breaks? lmao....please dont type with your mouth full
Howard and I barely know each other and we get along real good the few times we have ever have hung out. I think howard is amazing but can't even bein to grasp most of his approach for him even to be an influence. Any one who can hear any Howard in my playing is only paying me a compliment. Don't spread nasty rumors that arn't true, nor Howard or I would like that. I have written many great articles about how wonderful he is.
On the band note: I don't care if you like it or not. We don't cover any Derek Trucks songs and only do one cover that I know he has done and have been doing as long or longer (1998).
Jason you should know by now theres a percentage of assholes out there, that their whole purpose in life is to knock someone. I for one think you're one of the special new musicians out there as Trucks is. You've found a way of purposely trying not to sound like anyone. Sure as any player we mix our influence's but you've done something unique, and i respect that! Like the guy i do gigs with Ernie Lancaster; he's one that i hear something different each time we play, and thats being a MUSICIAN!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Not too bad. I believe the guitar player was named one of the best UP AND COMING, not Best in the country! Huge difference. As for the harp player, he seems to have stolen alot of Howard Levy's technique, he created back in the late 70's. Levy is in a class by himself, having one grammy's, and on over 200 recordings! As for jam bands, Aquarian Rescue Unit, Phish, ABB, String Cheese Quartet, Wide Spread Panic, to name a few are way ahead of this band!
The idea that Jason has stolen Levy's technique is absurd. I'm assuming your refering too the use of overblows, so is it your belief that nobody else should be allowed to use OB's because they didn't invent them? Because that's ridiculous, perhaps nobody should be using bends in there music either. In fact maybe Levy shouldn't be using overblows either, as far as I know Blues Birdhead was the first to record OB's, & that was long before Levy's time.
Levy has recorded or toured with Kenny Loggins, Donald Fagen, Bobby McFerrin, Sandip Burman, Dolly Parton, Dennis DeYoung, and Paquito D'Rivera, Inovators have this type of resumme. Jason doesn't. In 1988, Levy co-founded the Flecktones, leaving the group in 1993. He has appeared on over 200 albums <<<<Another fact Jason cant claim!! INOVATION not Cookie cutters make the man!
Post 2 Imagine if Levy had thought like you & decided he didn't want to "steal" anyone elses technique, he wouldn't have pioneered the use of overblows and the harmonica wouldn't be the same as what it is today. If you really listened to both Jason's and Howard's music you'd realise they are completely different from each other.Overblows are just a way of producing a note, its not just one person's special exclusive technique, and it's what they do with those notes that make JR & HL so unique.
another idiot taking comments out of context! Your assuming of what i was thinking or comparing is so incorrect. He was the first to use the overblow and overdraw techniques for chromatic playing on the diatonic harmonica in the 1970s. <<< Thats where your comment about him not being the first makes you look so freaking stupid!
POST #1
I'll agree with Elizabeth that this video doesn't really do the band justice; the sound levels are so crushingly high that we're mostly getting distortion. Still, I agree with the characterization of the band: just about the best damn four-piece jam band in the business.
About Jason: to call what he's doing a result of him having "stolen a lot of Howard Levy's technique" is silly. Jason is an overblower. So am I. When Carlos del Junco and I were recording overblow-filled solos....
KudzuRunner 3 years ago
POST #2
.....on our first discs back in the early 1990s, no other amplified blues harp guys, to my knowledge, were doing this. Howard, of course, was the grand-daddy. He's the guy Carlos and I learned from. Jason heard me playing with Satan and Adam during that period and began adding overblows to his mix. Jason has always been extremely forthright about who and where he accumulated his bag of tricks. He hasn't stolen a damned thing, nor have I. We've taken what was out there and....
KudzuRunner 3 years ago
POST #3
....adapted it in a way that served our own musical visions. I love Howard's HARMONICA JAZZ album; I listened to it about 20 times, didn't copy a single specific lick from it, and then lost it. But it changed my life because it blew the roof off of what was possible on the diatonic harmonica. I used overblows to adapt a lot of r&b sax licks to the harp; I also invented a lot of my own licks. Jason borrowed a few of those. But then he want on--as geniuses do--and created his own...
KudzuRunner 3 years ago
Comment removed
KudzuRunner 3 years ago
POST #4
POST #4
....musical vocabulary. That's what he's deploying here. OBAMAJUSTSAYNO, I'm afraid that your characterization of Jason's playing is based on a profound lack of specific knowledge about how he actually evolved his style. EVERY contemporary harp player who uses overblows--including Jason, Carlos, Chris Michalek, and me--stands in Howard's shadow, and we all acknowledge our debt to him. But he's not the final word in what can be done with overblows. He's Howard Levy. JR is JR.
KudzuRunner 3 years ago 2
Adam Thanks so much for having my back here! I could have only dreamed to hear you say such things a mere 12 years ago. Your the best and I love you for who you are what you say and how bold of a human you are we are all in your debt and Howards...you rock!
J
jasonricci 3 years ago
You have a comprehension problem. I said "Howard Levy is 'not an influence on Jason's music'. His 'MUSIC'. Jason's style/music isn't close to HL's. You clearly haven't seen/heard JR in person, or else you'd know NB is no jam band. Every harp player who's heard him agrees on Jason's innovative playing. I've seen and heard Howard in person for lengthy shows too. He's a brilliant innovator/overblower. That you think they'd dislike each other only proves your inanity. Oh, and you're a moronic pig.
ElizabethGS 3 years ago
Lizzie, Lizzie,
Look what you've done,
You've marred something here,
And now it's not fun.
suzyqblues 3 years ago
excuse Me??? you clearly misunderstood what the idiot said about me, implying I'm having relations with the band between breaks.. Or are you just too anxious to dump on me to actually have read the post? Further: my name isn't Lizzie. Now butt out of my life.
ElizabethGS 3 years ago
thanks for this Brad, although this video doesn't do New Blood full justice, having seen them so many times in person. Look at some of Snarkus' videos. Harpin' Help at Mexicali shows the interaction with Shawn to great effect. As for the guy who thinks Jason 'stole' from Howard..not remotely. Jason's background/influences are all available on his website/myspace page. Howard Levy is an overblow innovator, but not an influence on Jason's music. See this brilliant band in person before judging.
ElizabethGS 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
You have no ear madam if you cant connect the dots!...lol...I've been hearing Jason for 5 years now, and he and Howard have a dislike for one another. You madam know nothing of Levy's influence of his style he's had on other musicians. This is a good band not brilliant. Brilliant bands break new ground, this one has the Derek Trucks playbook and other jam bands in their pocket. But i am guessing your mouth is used on loan during the bands breaks? lmao....please dont type with your mouth full
OBAMAJUSTSAYNO 3 years ago
I would like to hear your band.
elkriverharmonicas 3 years ago 3
Howard and I barely know each other and we get along real good the few times we have ever have hung out. I think howard is amazing but can't even bein to grasp most of his approach for him even to be an influence. Any one who can hear any Howard in my playing is only paying me a compliment. Don't spread nasty rumors that arn't true, nor Howard or I would like that. I have written many great articles about how wonderful he is.
jasonricci 3 years ago 2
On the band note: I don't care if you like it or not. We don't cover any Derek Trucks songs and only do one cover that I know he has done and have been doing as long or longer (1998).
jasonricci 3 years ago
Jason you should know by now theres a percentage of assholes out there, that their whole purpose in life is to knock someone. I for one think you're one of the special new musicians out there as Trucks is. You've found a way of purposely trying not to sound like anyone. Sure as any player we mix our influence's but you've done something unique, and i respect that! Like the guy i do gigs with Ernie Lancaster; he's one that i hear something different each time we play, and thats being a MUSICIAN!
bluesdrummer715 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Not too bad. I believe the guitar player was named one of the best UP AND COMING, not Best in the country! Huge difference. As for the harp player, he seems to have stolen alot of Howard Levy's technique, he created back in the late 70's. Levy is in a class by himself, having one grammy's, and on over 200 recordings! As for jam bands, Aquarian Rescue Unit, Phish, ABB, String Cheese Quartet, Wide Spread Panic, to name a few are way ahead of this band!
OBAMAJUSTSAYNO 3 years ago
Post 1
The idea that Jason has stolen Levy's technique is absurd. I'm assuming your refering too the use of overblows, so is it your belief that nobody else should be allowed to use OB's because they didn't invent them? Because that's ridiculous, perhaps nobody should be using bends in there music either. In fact maybe Levy shouldn't be using overblows either, as far as I know Blues Birdhead was the first to record OB's, & that was long before Levy's time.
twoflattires 2 years ago
Levy has recorded or toured with Kenny Loggins, Donald Fagen, Bobby McFerrin, Sandip Burman, Dolly Parton, Dennis DeYoung, and Paquito D'Rivera, Inovators have this type of resumme. Jason doesn't. In 1988, Levy co-founded the Flecktones, leaving the group in 1993. He has appeared on over 200 albums <<<<Another fact Jason cant claim!! INOVATION not Cookie cutters make the man!
OBAMAJUSTSAYNO 2 years ago
Post 2 Imagine if Levy had thought like you & decided he didn't want to "steal" anyone elses technique, he wouldn't have pioneered the use of overblows and the harmonica wouldn't be the same as what it is today. If you really listened to both Jason's and Howard's music you'd realise they are completely different from each other.Overblows are just a way of producing a note, its not just one person's special exclusive technique, and it's what they do with those notes that make JR & HL so unique.
twoflattires 2 years ago
another idiot taking comments out of context! Your assuming of what i was thinking or comparing is so incorrect. He was the first to use the overblow and overdraw techniques for chromatic playing on the diatonic harmonica in the 1970s. <<< Thats where your comment about him not being the first makes you look so freaking stupid!
OBAMAJUSTSAYNO 2 years ago
Thanks BK. Looks like he's tearin' that Tin Sandwich up !! You're right, not to many can play the Mississippi Saxophone like that :)
jimBoRare 3 years ago 2