learn harmonica

Reviews - Shows 

Joe Filisko – The Brunswick, Brighton & Hove, Fri 31st July 2009

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My bags are packed, I’m ready to go

I am delighted to report that Joe arrived safely into the UK in advance of his residency at the University of Northampton Blues Week. He was hosted in Brighton & Hove by Stuart McKay of the UK’s National Harmonica League (NHL) and Roger Trowbridge, the NHL Chairman.

Hove actually

Stuart engineered a fabulous harmonica-centric evening in Brighton (well… Hove actually… near France), where Joe was welcomed by a groundswell of enthusiasts from near and very far. NHL Chairman Roger was in excellent form. As was Con O’Neill from the NHL’s London Harmonica Group – Con rode all the way to Hove from the M25 by bike and was looking amazingly fit as a result. It was also great to see Ben Hewlett from the NHL’s Bristol community – equally well done for driving all this way Ben. And blues hats off to another supporter who had driven down from Oxford. (more…)

Reviews - Books 

Blues Harp From Scratch (ISBN 0-7119-4706-6)

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Can you recommend a good book for learning blues harp?

I am often asked this question and the answer is yes. One I often prescribe is Blues Harp from Scratch by Mick Kinsella, published by Wise Publications. I remember its first incarnation, Play Blues Harp In 60 Minutes, which I picked up at a Johnny Mars master class in Brighton a few years ago. It was a pocket size manual and CD which, although brief and not error free, was actually very easy to get along with. It was well structured, concise and free from inaccuracy. Of course you could never really learn blues harp in one hour, that takes years rather than minutes, however this was a great little entry guide.

The revised and extended A4 version is great. As you would expect, it introduces you to the C major scale and breathing exercises straight away, before tackling Oh Susanna and Amazing Grace in first position. With the basics familiarised, Mr Kinsella moves into cross harp using the basic, bend-free, blues scale 2D 3D 4B 4D 5D 6B with more exercises. Two lovely blues tunes follow, Easy Street and Trouble Free Blues, both of which educate the newcomer in the art of chord changes and promote technique building such as glottal stops, short runs and repeated blues licks across holes 1 and 2. The tunes can be challenging at first, but they help to build important foundation skills. (more…)

Harp Tips 

Making It In 4th Position – When Johnny Comes Marching Home […with tab]

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And let each one perform some part, To fill with joy the warrior’s heart.. Louis Lambert

Applying the circle of 5ths to a C Major diatonic harmonica enables us to determine the alternative keys and their associated positions that are available on the same harp. As a reminder:

1st position (straight harp) is in C major. Your root note is generally blow 4.

2nd position (cross harp) is in G major. Your root note is generally draw 2.

3rd position (slant harp) is in D minor. Your root note is generally draw 4.

4th position is in A minor. Your root note is generally draw 6.

The first three are the most widely used positions on the harmonica. In each case it is helpful if we can find a well known melody that best demonstrates that position and will map out the principle safe notes for us. In first position the choice is limitless. The most often used melodies are Camptown Races, Oh Susannah, When The Saints Come Marching In and Amazing Grace. In second position the choice is also very wide, especially when we start to use bent notes. In third position the melody to Scarborough Fair is the best example I have come across. You can also try What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor or even the theme to the Hawaii 5-O TV series. For mapping out fourth position, try When Johnny Comes Marching Home.

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Beef Up Your Bends Harp Tips 

Beefing Up Those Bends – 4 Draw Bend

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Here’s a simple two-part exercise to help strengthen your 4 draw bend. We’ll assume you have already found your draw bend, but haven’t perfected playing it in isolation without scooping down from the clean draw. If you have already perfected them, you may still find this exercise useful in sustaining your bending muscles and add it to you ‘harp gym’ regime. Hitting a bend accurately and without scooping is known as direct bending – a skill which is central to controlled playing. If you haven’t yet attempted any bends, why not take a look at the draw bend page from my Harp Skills menu here.

Stage One

We start by moving from the draw note down to the draw bend as slowly as possible. The objectives are to maintain a good tone (no loose air), a respectable amount of volume and to control the descent. Now do this again, but saving enough lung capacity to hold the bend as long as possible. Remember to descend as slowly as possible first. (more…)

Reviews - Harps 

Hohner Blues Bender

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Bright light city gonna set my soul

If you are ever in Las Vegas and have time on your hands, I strongly recommend you make your way to the Guitar Center at Town Square. This would-be European Altstadt has plenty of shops and restaurants where loved ones can relax while you lose yourself in an underworld of instruments and sound equipment. You will find everything from percussion, guitars and keyboards to amplifiers, DJ decks and PA systems. Walking into the Guitar Center is the musical equivalent of a trip to Willy Wonka’s.

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Reviews - Shows 

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Biscuits & Blues, San Francisco, 29.Mar 2009

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Get in the soup and slide

This was one of the most entertaining nights I have ever experienced at Biscuits & Blues. In fact anywhere. The Nightcats took the stage with the sole aim of knocking the audience clean off their feet. And that’s exactly what they did. I defy anyone to sample this band live and walk away not feeling utterly satisfied.

It was a joy to see Rick Estrin in full flight and appreciate first hand why he has made such a name for himself not only as a harmonica ace, but also as an engaging raconteur and convincing song writer. Jerry Portnoy rightly describes him as a modern day Lieber & Stoller.

Sadly I never got to see the original line up with Little Charlie Baty on strings, although I am certainly aware of his strong reputation as a performer and studio artist. “All that meat, and them potatoes too!”Indeed his recordings with the Nightcats are quite sensational. Charlie is still around, but he’s taking five. Something they call ‘soft retirement’ in the trade. We can expect to see him again for band reunion gigs and special festivals, but in the meantime his slot is anchored by guitarist elect, Kid Andersen, whose playing is simply astonishing. (more…)