Winslow Yerxa joins me on episode 126.
Winslow is originally from Canada, now living in San Francisco. He started out playing blues harmonica before becoming interested in the traditional music of French Canada and British origins, among others. Winslow plays in harmonica ensembles and produces his own compositions using a wide variety of harmonicas, including the diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, the Pentaharp, XB40 and the recent Gamechanger harmonica.
Winslow created the Harmonica Information Publication (HIP) magazine in the 1990s, with much of the publishing and writing done by himself. This led on to him writing Harmonica For Dummies and Blues Harmonica For Dummies.
Winslow was also the President of SPAH from 2012 to 2015.

Links:
Winslow’s website:
https://winslowyerxa.com/

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/WinslowYerxaHarmonica/

Bandcamp:
https://winslowyerxa.bandcamp.com/

The HIP magazine:
https://winslowyerxa.com/articles/hip-the-harmonica-information-publication/

Videos:
Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@winslowyerxa8505

Tommy Reilly playing Chez Helene TV theme:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da6dW7aV7D0

The Rounder’s Rag:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKZmcSAanc4

Spanish Changes with Tuula Tossavainen Cotter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30BatYKOOC0

JDR Trochilus / Bushman Gamechanger harmonica:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0NM1mxtzHw


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Paul Lamb, Joe Filisko and Adam Sikora join me on episode 125, for a retrospective on one of the legends of the diatonic harmonica, Sonny Terry, whose real name was Saunders Terrell.
Sonny was born in 1911 (or 1912), in Greensboro, Georgia (or it could have been North Carolina). Growing up on a farm in a rural community, Sonny was left blind by two accidents in his youth. Unable to work on the farm he turned to music, with his harmonica playing father giving him his early lessons.
Sonny first rose to prominence playing with Blind Boy Fuller, and then made a splash by performing at Carnegie Hall in 1938 as part of the ‘From Spirituals To Swing’ concert.
A few years later he formed probably the most famous blues duo ever, with Brownie McGhee. Sonny and Brownie made their name in the New York Folk scene and went on to play together for forty years, travelling the world, with many festival appearances, on Broadway, in movies and countless albums together. Sonny also played solo and with many other notable musicians besides Brownie, including an album with Johnny Winter towards the end of his life.
We look into Sonny’s style of playing and talk about how his rhythmical work is essential study in getting your own harmonica chops together.

Links:
Sonny Terry Estate items for sale:
https://bluemoonharmonicas.com/collections/sonny-terry-estate-llc

Paul Lamb: http://paullamb.com/

Joe Filisko: https://www.filiskostore.com/

Adam Sikora: https://jukejointsmokers.com/

http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/rare-early-blues-harp-recordings-by-singers-and-sidemen-introduced-by-joe-filisko/


Videos:
American Folk Blues Festival, Hootin’ The Blues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtO7cctW1uI

Sonny and Woody Guthrie postage stamps playing Lost John:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4ldxb0iGHc

Sonny and Brownie in one of their last concerts, 1980:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzDNhA5irc8

Sonny and Brownie playing on The Jerk, Steve Martin movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeDgOUoDTsY


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Shima Kobayashi joins me on episode 124.
Shima is a classical chromatic player originally from Japan, who has been  living in the UK since 2004.
After winning the World Harmonica Championship in 1995 she was awarded a bursary by the Japanese government to study with the great Tommy Reilly over a twelve month period. 
Shima has two albums to her name. The first has a number of pieces composed for chromatic harmonica. Her second album, Chromatic!, contains some pieces written for Shima by Japanese composers.
After taking a sabbatical for a few years Shima is now back teaching and performing in duos, harmonica ensembles and orchestras in both the UK and Japan.

Links:
Shima's website:
https://shimaharmonica.com/

Tommy Reilly In His Own Words (The Archivist):
http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/tommy-reilly-in-his-own-words/

Videos:
Spivakovsky concerto at Harmonica UK 2018:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjtK_r0BchE

Playing Genevieve with the MSO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QavqmWBhUPM

Harmonica and Harp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjV8iGugpjY

Shima practise video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkDAiAUE_Z4

The Third Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHsE8C2gGsA



Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Jerry Portnoy, Steve Guyger and Louis Erlanger join me on episode 123, for a retrospective on Paul Oscher.
Paul was born in Brooklyn in 1947 and has a place in history as the first white player in a major black blues band, with Muddy Waters. Joining Muddy’s band gave Paul the best grounding in Chicago blues, he lived in Muddy’s house where he also learnt from the great Otis Spann. After leaving Muddy’s band Paul moved to New York and became a pivotal figure in the blues scene there. Paul put out a number of albums under his own name, with the first being Rough Stuff in 1993, up to Cool Cat in 2018. These included solo and band albums, showcasing his wide range of talents on the harmonica, and also the guitar, piano and vocals.

Links:
Website:
https://www.pauloscher.com/

Interview with Paul, by Margie Goldsmith:
https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/paul-oscher-interview.html

Louis Erlanger Blues Blast Magazine interview:
https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/featured-interview-louis-x-erlanger/

Videos:
Paul Oscher documentary by Jordan Haro:
https://vimeo.com/208402633

Story of Jimmy Johnson and harmonica trick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFFPMYhLTt0

Paul playing piano:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSbAahV30Do

Playing Juke on a rack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3WJgDEN4aA

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Ross Garren joins me again on episode 122. 
Ross lives near Los Angeles, where he has established himself as a leading session musician for harmonica recordings on movies, including Marvel’s Logan and the new Joker film, as well  on albums with numerous pop artists, including recently on Beyonce’s album, Cowboy Carter. 
Initially a piano player, Ross came to love the harmonica from the age of twelve and plays a wide range of harmonicas, from diatonic to chromatic, bass, chord and other types. 
Ross plays in the roots meets electronica duo The Sheriffs of Schroedingham, and has just released a self-produced ambient album called Of Winds and Reeds and Very Old Trees. He also recorded the harmonica for a Bob Dylan biopic coming out soon.

Links:
Website:
http://www.rossgarren.com/

Selection of session recordings:
http://www.rossgarren.com/recordings.html

Bandcamp release: Of Winds and Reeds and Very Old Trees:
https://magneticvines.bandcamp.com/album/of-wind-and-reeds-and-very-old-trees

Harpsmith custom harmonicas by Kinya Pollard:
https://harpsmith.com/

Gamechanger harmonica:
https://bushmanmusic.com/shop/bushman-harmonicas/game-changer-harmonica/

Simple Mics:
https://simplemics.com/

Videos:
John & Ross Present: 'Caldonia' (feat. Nic Jackson):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTQ0QrHhcwA

Blue Rondo A La Turk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ceFONN_Mcs

Sous le Ciel de Paris, Pomplamoose ft. Ross Garren
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vol9dZ-t93s

Bass harp:
https://youtu.be/WgfKEE1QPiA?si=bEmyT8VPqwnjDt30&t=112

Royal Albert Hall from 2023:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cumStSUVX9w&t=134s

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Jim Zeller joins me on episode 121.
Jim is from Montreal, Canada, and first starting playing harmonica at age twelve after stealing one from a school friend. He ran away from home at age fifteen and learnt harmonica as he hitch-hiked around North America.
Jim has a very distinctive energetic style of playing on both the diatonic and chromatic harmonica. He developed this style by emulating guitar riffs and the percussive elements of Indian music.
He has played with and supported some famous blues names, appeared in a Bob Dylan movie and has had a stellar career in the Canadian blues scene, being nominated for Maple Blues awards and appearing at the Montreal Jazz Festival over thirty times.

Links:
Jim's website:
https://jimzeller.wixsite.com/jimzeller

Yonberg harmonicas:
https://www.yonberg-harmonica.com/en

Videos:
Fright Train:
https://youtu.be/ITftta0SXRY?si=pjJyN2ChsFPCCsds

The Man With The Harmonica:
https://youtu.be/fcHhRSIMSzU?si=MJJuVgbA3Dsc6Ode

Playing The Godfather live at the Montreal Jazz Festival:
https://youtu.be/ajypG_32ij8

Wild Life:
https://youtu.be/7Dr2J2CNbak?si=e38mCvAppGPqsItp

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Grant Dermody, Ross Garren and Pete Dammann join me on episode 120 for a retrospective on Paul DeLay.
Paul is a harmonica player who may go under the radar for some but his unique approach to both the diatonic and chromatic harmonica, as well as his powerful vocals and his insightful and humorous songwriting have placed him firmly in the hearts of harmonica and music fans in the know.
Paul was from Portland, Oregon in the north west United States where his first outfit was the Brown Sugar Blues band. He formed The Paul deLay Blues band in the early 1980s releasing four albums before a period of incarceration in the early 1990s saw him breakout with his highly original blues based material, all laced with harmonica playing quite unlike any other. His passing in 2007 has left a Paul deLay shaped hole which has never been filled.

Links:
Paul deLay website:
http://www.pauldelay.com/

Grant Dermody interview:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com/grant-dermody-interview/

Pete Dammann LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-dammann-4777b916/

Videos:

Brown Sugar Blues Band - I Know My Baby Been Cheating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IdB1HuB9so

Burnin’ album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGa0DQNJ2ao

Fourteen Dollars In The Bank:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzqF1jNhO-Y

deLay Does Chicago album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaI0T2rhQQM

Ocean of Tears album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE1u-RBPfmI



Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Yeore Kim joins me on episode 119.
Yeore is from South Korea, where she first picked up the tremolo harmonica at the age of six. Her mother is a piano teacher, so she also learnt piano and other instruments, including trumpet, before focusing on the chromatic harmonica from age 18.
Yeore has released two albums of duets with different pianists.
She moved to France in 2018 after meeting her guitarist husband, Antoine Boyer, with whom she has released an album, Tangram. This contains a great mix of jazz, world music and interpretations of pop songs.
Yeore is currently working on a duo album with her husband, due to released later in 2024, and to be followed by a tour in 2025 to promote the album.

Videos:

YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfFkS5hmOn6BCgU1FCO_IEQ

Japanese player Nobuo Tokunaga:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33t6gCajgyw

7AM duet with pianist Mia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA2INoVumc0

Oasis song: Don’t Look Back In Anger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGiQuyXSN7Y

HUK interview with Sam Spranger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKLp_di5uw&t=98s

European Tour blog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaQmcObOMiU


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

David Barrett joins me on episode 118.
David is based in San Jose, California, where he took   lessons from Gary Smith from age 16, in addition to learning from great harmonica recordings. He started teaching harmonica himself from age 18 and has become one of the foremost harmonica educators around, with his BluesHarmonica.com website an invaluable resource. He ran the School of Blues for twenty years and has written over seventy instructional books, DVDs and CDs.
David has four albums to his name, including two albums where he has collaborated with other harmonica players. These albums showcase his dedication to playing blues harmonica, where he has crafted harmonica parts from his lifelong study and love of the art form.

Links:

Website:
https://www.bluesharmonica.com/

School of Blues:
https://www.schooloftheblues.com/

Hohner profile page:
https://www.hohner.de/en/david-barrett

David's tuition books:
https://www.melbay.com/AdvancedSearch/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=david+barrett

Videos:

David's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@bluesharmonicateacher


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Yvonnick Prene joins me on episode 117.
Yvonnick was born in France and has been resident in New York for seventeen years after first moving to the city to study at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music.
He started out playing blues and jazz on the diatonic and took lessons with some of the great French players, before focusing his attention playing jazz on the chromatic.
Yvonnick is a bandleader and has released seven albums under his own name as well as numerous sessions as a sideman.
He also runs the New Harmonica School in New York and the excellent online tutorial website My Harmonica Studio, as well as numerous tutorial books.
Yvonnick is also the face of Hohner’s new Xpression chromatic harmonica.

Links:
Website:
https://www.yvonnickprene.com/

Tuition website:
https://www.myharmonicastudio.com/

Henriksen amplifiers:
https://www.henriksenamplifiers.com/

Videos:
Yvonnick’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCRked2IhFUqTf92SHisizQ

Yvonnick Prene & Manual Rocheman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O-y3YLahwY

Slim Shady song:
https://youtu.be/y6mgIJH6_EY

New York Harmonica School:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcwEprk6rJ8

Triste from Jobim’s World album:
https://youtu.be/nlztkwCXeKU

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show