BOY HARPERS

My quest for pop/rock harp goes on.

Here’s an interesting find, thanks to a tip from my classmate Amanda B… “JP and Gladys” — I guess Gladys is the harp???

It’s not “pop/rock” but it is moving in that direction and what I guess I’ve learned from this project is that “pop/rock” harp does not yet exist in the way I would define it:  Danceable or at least rhythmic songs (with vocals) with memorable melodies.

Anyway, here are a couple of examples of what I believe are nascent pop-rock harpers in the making.

What I like about “JP’s” work — a cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” — is some good lefthand dexterity, nice harmonics, and a fairly decent execution… And the fact that he is a guy.  You don’t see many guys playing harp, especially in the U.S., and I would venture that he is American.

“JP” (whom I assume is the harp player) has other stuff out there at his myspace account. “Time after time” gets off to a rough start, but has some nice chordal work and right-hand melodic framing, although a lot of finger buzzes:

“Time after Time”

Nice job, JP!   I see potential here.  My recommendation to JP would be that he starts adding vocals as soon as possible.  You see, JP, if you play harp for a long time and then try to add singing later, it makes your head feel like it’s going to explode.  It actually physically hurts your brain.  LOL!  Try it, and you’ll see.  But don’t worry, it doesn’t last long.

One nice thing JP does is include his name right on the first frame of the video.  That’s really helpful for people who want to locate other stuff by the artist.  I don’t know the names of the harpers that follow this entry, for example.  Maybe they don’t want people to know.

Another boy harper (ok maybe “boy” is not quite accurate, but I kinda like the way the phrase sounds, and since I am an old lady, anyone under 50 is a boy, lol!) is Ryanisfootdrums.

Ryanisfootdrums sings with his harp and does a pretty nice job.   Here he sings Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.”

   I like his voice… its kinda rough in places but he’s got a nice, authentic feel, and I love the fact that he is even singing at all.  See folks, to me, the ONE thing that helps to distinguish”neo-classical” harp playing from “pop” music, is singing.  I want to see more people singing with the harp.

(Why does it not occur to people to sing with the harp?  I suppose it is just such a long-standing tradition that harps are just “played.”  Of course, I’m such a hippocrite.  I only started singing pop songs on the harp last summer,  myself.  I think the “boundaries” or “parameters” of harp playing were too ingrained even in my own mind to consider singing with it, and I’m sure it is the same for other people.)

I think that when Joanna Newsom started singing with the harp and gained recognition as an artist, it began to change the world of harp, and it might be one of the greatest contributions anyone ever made to the field.   Oh yes, I have yet to talk about Joanna Newsom.  (Next post!)

Here’s another one, and my fav actually, because of the hat on the crown of the harp and the backwards baseball cap — lol, I love it!!! —  is a rendition of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper.”  OK so it’s kinda rough, but a lot of people have watched it and he’s definately got talent and flair and one day, whammo.

I applaud anyone trying to play pop music on the harp, and these boy harpers even more, since they may face anti-boy-harper stereotypes (“Harp is for girls” kind of crap.)  Real men play harp!  Which brings me to Athy:

The Wonderful Athy

Athy, Harper from Argentina

Athy is a wonderful harper from Argentina who is also doing a good bit to update the image of the harp.  Athy is more instrumental and neo-classical in his approach to music, but I know he is playing with bass and drums sometimes.  I have not found a good recording or video of this though.

Athy and vocalist

I should clarify also that Athy, unlike the first three young men here, is a professional harpist who is building an international career.  In addition, he is a phenomenally nice person.

Anyway, the more guys play harp, and cool pop-rock types of harp music to boot —  the more the “men don’t play harp” stereotype will diminish.  There are other boy harpers out there but these were the most notable I found so far.

So, I say, Harp On.

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