Harry Simoneaux

3252 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by rleitch, Aug 10, 2007

Pete Thomas

Discussion Starter · Aug 10, 2007

This guy is one of the unsung heroes of saxophone, got that unique Louisiana style that seems deceptively simple but what a groove!

I met him many years ago when touring with Johnny Allan, and he's the king of swamp pop saxophone.

I recently did a transcription of one of his solos with Johnny Allan (includes soundclip)

http://www.petethomas.co.uk/solos-harry-simoneaux.html

Hope you enjoy it.

Sounds to me like there's some Lee Allen influence, but a very different feel. Pure Louisiana dance. He's still alive, but only got one lung left. I spoke to him a year ago and he had more or less stopped playing, but I lately heard from him and he is apparently brushing the dust off his horn.

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wersax

· #2 · Aug 10, 2007

Great job, Pete; that's a fun solo! Harry's got a great feel to his playing......

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selmer

· #3 · Aug 10, 2007

i played with him about 11 years ago and he had a whole bag of tricks up his sleeve....blues,creole,jazz. a true individualist.

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BariMelt

· #4 · Aug 10, 2007

I live in Lafayette, LA, and Harry Simoneaux is very well known around here. Johnnie Allen still performs, I backed him on several occasions. One of my good friends, Sidney Janice, played with Mr. Harry for a long time and still regards him as one of the best.

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rleitch

· #5 · Aug 10, 2007

Very Very Cool, Pete!

And thanks for the Lester Young lesson too!!!!!

Rory

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