Vintage Guitar - February 2018 - 82
whistle because the theme was built around a harmonica solo. Woody was sitting at the board in the control room with a little C harmonica and Toots said, 'Let me borrow that.' And though Toots had all these involved chromatic harmonicas, damned if he didn't do the thing on that little Marine Band C harp. By bending the notes, he got through it brilliantly. It was amazing - everybody applauded, including Woody, who thought it was wonderful. Woody also liked my idea to have Dick Hyman play Bach on the organ in one of the scenes. It was a sequence in which the organ just made it that much funnier." CHARLIE PARKER When asked about what it was like to work with Charlie Parker, Lowe asked, "Have you ever been on stage with God? "That's what it was like. I understand talent and I understand 'best you can hear,' but there's nothing like an original. When you're working with someone extraordinary, a special thing that happens that's indescribable. "I remember that first gig with Bird. It was the first night we started recording Bird is Free. We were playing 'Yardbird Suite' when he walked up to the microphone and took a couple of choruses that were thrilling. Then, he stepped back and motioned for me to come up and play. I played a chorus and started back, but he kept saying, 'No, let me hear you.' Another chorus, and 'No, no, no...' So I played four or five choruses. He had a gold tip on one of this teeth, so when he smiled, I could see it gleaming and knew I'd made a friend. "I knew him for a long time. He used to hang out when I was living downtown in the Cafe Society building. I was rooming with (clarinetist) Tony Scott, who'd introduced us. Bird and I talked many, many times, but never about music. We'd talk about physics, mathematics, chemistry... you name it. He'd had a good education. His mother had seen to that. He was an extraordinary human being, a true genius." ROY BUCHANAN In black-and-white video from the '70s, Lowe is shown producing a session with guitarist Roy Buchanan. He had Buchanan play "Misty," and it displays impressive communication between a straight-ahead jazz guitarist and a down-home, yet flashy rocker. "We did that at Donte's in L.A.," Lowe said. "We had a lot of fun, but he had a wife who was bugging him about something all afternoon. I finally had to tell someone, 'Take that lady outside and buy her a hamburger or something' (laughs). 'Just keep her away for an hour so I can get this work done.' I got him to chow down on 'Misty' and the result was amazing. I knew he had so much talent and could give us what we were looking for. That was a hell of a time." MOSE "I toured with Mose Allison down south once, and we did a concert at Ole Miss. The school wanted him to speak because he'd attended. I said, 'We're gonna have to put you in front of the mic and you'll have to say a few words.' So the time comes and Mose steps up and says, 'I came here walking and left on the run.' They'd caught him growing pot in his room!" (laughs) At 94, Lowe offers sage advice to young players: "Don't sit and practice scales all day. Learn tunes. Because when you get on the bandstand, you're going to be playing tunes, not scales. And harmonize the melody, don't melodize the harmony. And I reiterate, 'If you can't hear it, don't play it. Because if you can't hear it the listener can't hear it.'" Special thanks to Mitch Holder and Adam Lowe. PRINT, DIGITAL, OR BOTH! SUBSCRIBE! 1-800-395-7760 ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.VINTAGEGUITAR.COM VINTAGE GUITAR 82 February 2018