Harmonica World Spring 2022 by HarmonicaUK

HARMONICA WORLD Spring 2022

Harmonica.uk

Contents

President: Paul Jones Vice-President: Ben Hewlett vice-pres@harmonica.uk

4 A Message from our Patron

Patrons: Lee Sankey, Adam Glasser, Roger Trobridge Executive Committee Chair: Pete Hewitt chair@harmonica.uk Secretary: Davina Brazier sec@harmonica.uk Treasurer: Phil Leiwy treasurer@harmonica.uk Vice-Chair: Barry Elms communications@harmonica.uk Committee Members IT: Barbara Tate Safeguarding: Simon Joy Outreach: Richard Taylor outreach@harmonica.uk Health: Sam Wilkinson: publicity@harmonica.uk Newsdesk: Suzy Colclough newsdesk@harmonica.uk Membership Secretary: David Hambley memsec@harmonica.uk 7 Ingleborough Way, Leyland, Lancs, PR25 4ZS, UK +44 (0)7757 215047 Assistants to the committee Editor: Dave ‘Dogfish’ Colclough editor@harmonica.uk Archivist: Roger Trobridge archivist@harmonica.uk Education: Dick Powell edu@harmonica.uk Health: Rollen Flood Outreach: Laina Freeman Newsdesk: Gary Newman

Newsdesk

Wellspring of Talent

Sarah Saputri

Chromatic Weekend 2022

Fatal Attraction - my life with the harmonica

Peckham Festival Harmonica Workshops 2021

14th Harmonica Masters Workshops

Phil Henry Interview

25 Outreach - Shaping HarmonicaUK’s Future 26

The History of HarmonicaUK

Harmonica Players

An interview with Laurent Maur

Reviews

Classifieds

HarmonicaUK membership

Annual UK membership £20, Under 18 £10, Europe £25, Outside Europe £30

Design and artwork: Differentia.co.uk Cover: Sara Saputri. Photo by Yoga Ogre.

Registered Charity (England and Wales) No. 1131484 www.harmonica.uk

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I’m writing this at the request of our esteemed Chair, Pete Hewitt. One of our Chair’s many qualities is the ease and consistency with which he is able to motivate and inspire HarmonicaUK members to all kinds of contributions, and when he asked me to take over the controls for an edition of this column, how could I refuse? :) On the Newsfront we would like to announce that Suzy Colclough will be joining the committee wearing two hats: as first port of call at the Newsdesk, she will be a key decision maker in deciding where new information is directed - the newsletter, the magazine, the website, social media, or a combination of any of these outlets.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PATRON Greetings dear harmonica players of all kinds!

Suzy's joining the Committee will contribute significantly to HarmonicaUK's remit to increase diversity, and she is qualified to guide the Committee on all physical disabilities in addition to those faced by visually impaired people - the harmonica being one of the few instruments that could be said to be played 'blind'. Indeed, those teaching on the Chromatic Weekend this year (which will run from 17th - 19th June) will be challenged to think beyond the whiteboard and music manuscript with written TAB so that something extra is added to their workshop which enables those who want to learn and play purely by ear are not disadvantaged, whether sighted or not. And speaking of the Chromatic Weekend 2022 - the highly esteemed German chromatic player Jens Bunge has been booked to teach on this weekend, and this is a great piece of news! Jens is a superb player with many years experience and a warm and engaging personality. I can attest this firsthand, having met and played with him and Antonio Serrano in a Toots Tribute concert at the Trossingen World Harmonica Festival back in November 2017. Another key date to put in your diaries is the Open Forum on Sunday 20th March 2022, 10.30am - 12:00, hosted by Richard Taylor and Laina Freeman. Entitled Help us shape HarmonicaUK's future purpose through Outreach, its aim is to brainstorm ways of expanding our membership and range of activities to attract new blood into our organisation in a way which reflects diversity and inclusivity, vital for developing the long term future of our organisation. More on this from Richard in this edition. I would like to end this piece by wishing Chair Pete Hewitt the swiftest possible recovery to full health and thank him for the huge amount of hard work he has put into HarmonicaUK since taking the lead position. He has proven beyond doubt that we are heading in the right direction with so many healthy new developments since he became Chair. I personally feel hugely motivated to contribute more and so I am sure others do. Thank you Pete!

Adam Glasser - Patron HarmonicaUK 4

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NEWSDESK Editor’s welcome Dave “Dogfish” Colclough

Dave “Dogfish” Colclough Editor

Hello and welcome to your Spring edition of Harmonica World, my first in the Editor’s chair. A little about myself: I’ve been playing mainly diatonic harmonica for the last 3 years (although I do play the big one with the button from time to time). I love all genres of music, sea fishing and everything about the harmonica! As some of you might know, I am blind, but although there are some challenges involved I am confident I can continue the great work of my predecessors with the support of the excellent editorial team and the great articles from contributors coming in. We will continue to make the magazine as diverse, interesting and informative as possible, covering all types and styles of harmonica, and in conjunction with HarmonicaUKs latest initiatives we plan to include articles on the health benefits of harmonica and outreach projects. We have articles pertaining to both in this issue. Don’t forget to check out the HarmonicaUK Website at www.harmonica.uk for events, news and Newsdesk items.

Members’ Letters Dear Harmonica World,

The Complete Performance I have always been impressed by the entertainment provided by late popular ballad singers such as Perry Como and Dean Martin in the States, and Matt Monro and Dickie Valentine in Britain. They not only sang, but involved the audience by mingling with them and reciting anecdotes and jokes. On a personal note, I like to mention celebrities such as Larry Adler, Max Geldray and the composer John Barry, who was a lover of the harmonica. Max Geldray played in the Goon show, and I like to tell two jokes from the show: “Convict Eccles is standing in a bucket of cement and is rapidly becoming a hardened criminal” and “Security Guard after a break in - “I tried to stop them, but they burst through by pressing money into my ‘and.”” I also sing occasionally to backing tracks which sometimes have backing singers. Hopefully this makes for a complete performance. Happy performing!

Anthony Craven

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NEWSDESK In Memory - Alan Pearce HarmonicaUK is saddened to hear of the passing of Alan Pearce, the founder of Blues Matters magazine. Alan founded BM in 1998 and it quickly established itself as a well respected member of the UK’s music publications and a leader in the Blues genre, paying tribute to past masters as well as recognising contemporary progression. Alan was a friend to and supporter of HarmonicaUK, and our condolences and thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.

Crossharpword 1

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“Wellsprings Song-writing Circle” meets each Friday afternoon in central Hereford. It began in 2018 when Encore / Hereford Music Pool, in partnership with Herefordshire Mind, brought me in as a workshop leader (I am a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, performer and HarmonicaUK member) offering those members of the local community experiencing mental health issues a variety of additional ways of expressing themselves. Currently, these sessions are charitably funded and at this point are free to participants. From day-one, the focus was (and still is) on practical musical performance, lyric writing, singing and learning to play instruments. Music is a power for good, assisting the learner’s wellbeing and healing via a creative medium. They were not required to already be musicians; it was for anyone at all. Those involved shared their thoughts, values, experiences and talent with other group members, the staff plus anyone else lucky enough to enjoy their amazing compositions through their newlyacquired musical skills. They have gained positive experiences and there is always a very welcome, social aspect to the meetings, whether situated in the Mind centre or via Zoom (our sessions switched to online during the lockdowns).

“A WELLSPRING OF TALENT” by Aidan Sheehan

Their compositions were varied, whatever they fancied, and often cathartic, played on any instrument they chose, including the harmonica. “Mindfulness” (which might be summarised as “really considering the things that we do when we actually do them, learning to appreciate and value them”, rather than being on “autopilot” as we all often are) has its roots in Eastern theologies. The wider world has sometimes viewed mindfulness as a new age fad which is a shame, especially as clinicians truly see its value for patients with mental health issues. Music, especially the use of harmonicas, has proven a useful tool for learners in this group. Due to the methods of careful, gentle breath control, closing eyes, relaxation, use of visualisation techniques and reflection, harmonica helps reduce anxiety. Playing the harmonica does not require forming complex chord shapes with one’s hands nor string pressing nor covering rows of holes with one’s fingers. It involves breathing and focus alongside my gentle directions which are calming, so the learner can feel comfortable and really concentrate and be aware of their thoughts and actions. Often the source of their problems has been mental turmoil, their minds racing and their focussing on counterproductive matters, often from instances that happened at earlier points in their lives, perhaps dwelling on or overthinking things and often false perceptions that all build up and cause their lives to be unbearable. These sessions centre on “the now”, calming their thoughts,

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allowing them to focus and to enjoy their experiences and gain a real sense of wellbeing through creative outlets and the enjoyment of music. We accentuate the positive as much as possible, using the healing power of performing music, writing lyrics and just being sociable. Many people dealing with mental health issues are marginalized and solitary, so the opportunity to get together and do something positive is extremely beneficial. David Harding, manager of Herefordshire Mind praises the group, writing “huge congratulations must go out to everyone... I know that all the participants hugely value the continuity of these music sessions… they all must be immensely proud of their achievements.” Many of those attending are dealing with anxiety, stress and crisis - more than one of the learners has expressed to me that these sessions have actually saved their lives. Attending has allowed the learners to have a better quality of life via music. The composers wrote their own lyrics and melodies, learned and then played their own instruments - some even mixed their own tracks - all with my help and guidance. Sometimes they worked alone, sometimes collaboratively. Some of their wonderful creations can be accessed by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/3PpXlvTk_pA For further information, please get in touch at aidanharpsheehan@gmail.com

Crossharpword 1 - Answers

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This month’s featured artist is Indonesian diatonic player Sarah Saputri, who was born and lives in Bandung, the capital of West Java province and third largest city in Indonesia. A singer and songwriter as well as a harmonica player, Sarah chats with me to talk harp, film soundtracks, and duets.

SARAH SAPUTRI Dave “Dogfish” Colclough Editorial team

I asked her, “Why the harmonica?” “I saw an amazing performance by Mr. Hari Pochang and was mesmerized by it, and I guess that’s why I first became interested in the instrument.” Taking up the diatonic in 2012, she started to learn with the help of her teacher, the very same Mr. Hari Pochang, and quickly developed a love for the instrument. “Hari was my teacher for 2 years and really taught me a lot about the harp, and I will always be thankful for his tuition in this early time of playing.” Little Walter and Stevie Wonder were the first players to catch her attention. Sarah now has many players who influence her, including Sugar Blue, Rachelle Plas, Howard Levy, John Popper, Constantin Reinfeld and Jason Ricci, to name a few. “I love all genres of music and am always looking for inspiration. These are just some of the guys who I admire and interest me with their style, I’ve even had a few lessons with Jason in the past. Each of them has their own unique way of playing, and I can recognise [their] influences in my harping, and I love Sugar Blue and would love to play like him. In fact, I recorded the track Like A Sugar Blue as a sort of tribute using some of his licks.”

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

Photo by Prakoso Umam

These influences can be heard in Sarah’s playing, from her spot-on overblows, smooth jazz chromatic runs, bluesy phrasing, funky and rocky licks, to her smooth pitch bends whilst using the harmonic minor scale in the traditional melodies.

Photo by Opie Larasatiti

Playing blues and rock alongside traditional Indonesian music, Sarah is also known for performing the original soundtrack of the film Manusia Harimau, Merry Riana: Mimpi Sejuta Dolar, the Movie, Ayat - Ayat Cinta 2 and many more. These are Indonesian romance films akin to the Bollywood film industry. So how did that come about? “I am also a singer and was approached by MD Music to sing the soundtracks for several films, and I signed with them. The only soundtrack to feature harmonica at the moment is Harap Ku. The diatonic and chromatic harmonicas are not hugely popular in Indonesia at the moment, something I’m eager to change. It’s my vision to promote the harmonica in my country, and to promote my beautiful country to the rest of the world. I’m really passionate about this - the harp is like my best friend, and Indonesia’s vibrancy, music and culture is something to be shared.” Endorsed by Seydel, Sarah’s diatonic weapon of choice is the Session Steel Summer Edition and sometimes the 1847 Lightning. Also part of their “Harmonica Gang”, she has recorded several duets with fellow stablemates such as Ofir Ventura, Elino Berg and Will Wilde (all which can be found on Sarah’s YouTube channel, link below). The duet with Will came about after she tried one of his Wilde Tuned harmonicas and approached him about the collaboration. ”Will is so good at the rock stuff and his tuning really helps get maximum expression out of the middle and top end. I am very much a fan as with the others and feel really proud of all these tracks with my fellow Seydel ambassadors. I feel like I have another family, albeit a harmonica one!” Who would you like to duet with next? “Wow! That’s a hard question. There are so many players I’d love to join forces with. Off the top of my head I guess Amanda Ventura, Roly Platt and Indiara Sfair are on my wish list.” So if you’re reading this, any of you guys, why not get in touch with Sarah! The duet with Will was recorded during lockdown where she also started to record songs of harmonica instrumentals for a ten track album called Anugerah Alam Indonesia. “All these songs are about beautiful places in my home country.” She has so far recorded and posted six of the scheduled ten on her

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YouTube channel with another planned for the first half of 2022 and the remaining three to follow. The six released so far are The Sun of Di Hyang, When Garut Smiles in Longing, Foreshadow from Sukabumi, Joyful Ciwidey, Kuningan is Reminiscence and Splendour Bogor. These are all original songs written, composed and performed by Sarah. “I recorded these at home during the lockdown with the help of my sister Ci Ci who assisted me with some of the software. Then when I was able, the tracks were mixed and mastered in the studio and the videos produced.” There is a lot of great content on her channel - some notable tracks for me are the sophisticated The Sun of Di Hyang (from Anugerah Alam), the hauntingly beautiful traditional Indonesian melody Es Lillin and of course the blues rock duets, but all the content is fantastic and I was hard pressed to pick just a few! Sarah also is adept at the amplified method of playing with harp mic and tube amp, as demonstrated on her cover of Gary Moore’s Still got the Blues. Definitely a name to look out for, I look forward to what comes next from Sarah. Sarah’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sarah+saputri Sarah’s Instagram channel: www.instagram.com/sarahsaputri28/ Photo by Imel Nelson

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

It is with great pleasure that we can announce that the annual Chromatic Weekend event will be held as a Live event again on Saturday/Sunday June 18th and 19th in Hillscourt in Rednal south of Birmingham with good transport links. Some may arrive Friday evening to be ready for a relaxed start Saturday morning. This annual event was held virtually for the last 2 years, I’m sure you will agree that there is nothing quite like meeting up with each other again face-to-face in Hillscourt’s relaxed atmosphere with food and drinks, meeting friends again, playing and jamming together, attending workshops under the brilliant guidance of some harmonica greats, and learning something new that maybe you would never have thought of if it wasn’t for this fantastic event. You are all most welcome to join us again. Please look for this event in the next few weeks on the website and book yourself a place you are in for a real treat.

CHROMATIC WEEKEND 2022 Jens Bunge

Gerry Ezzard

We are very proud to announce the introduction of our “Core Scores” - a series of 20 tunes that we have selected in different musical styles. We can try these out over the event. The tunes come with 1st and 2nd parts (tab is also provided), bass and chord parts added, and there are professional backing tracks available for all tunes. We plan that you can download, learn and play tunes, together with a chance for bass and chord harmonica players to join in also. So, please start practicing these tunes as much as you can to get in the mood for the event - there really is something on offer for everyone. And what a treat we have in store for you this time: our main tutor for the event is none less than the Hohner Master of Harmonica from Germany Jens Bunge, who was inspired by Stevie Wonder to start playing the chromatic harmonica at age 18 and soon found his true passion - Jazz. Having recorded 8 solo records, he can also be heard on many records of lots of other artists. Jens is actively touring and has brought his music to all 5 continents and has appeared on nearly all renowned harmonica festivals. Gerry Ezard first entered the British harmonica championship in 1953 as a teenager with Johnny Pluck. He turned down the chance to play with the Morton Fraser gang to set up his own business and has since returned to playing the harmonica. He has been a friend of the Chromatic Weekend for many years. Jim Hughes was the British Harmonica Champion in the 1950s and took part in the world championship as a soloist and quartet member. He is acknowledged as the best harmonica teacher in the UK and was soloist on Last of the Summer Wine.

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Patrick (Paddy) Byrne learnt to play diatonic harmonica in the 60’s during the British Blues ‘Explosion’. Later, inspired by Stevie Wonder, he changed to chromatic. After retiring from the NHS, Paddy spent three years on the Jazz Course at Citylit College in London, the first harmonica player ever on the course. He made his debut at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club this year with the Karen Lane Band. And then we have our “home pianist” Chris Collis playing for us throughout the weekend including in the concert and accompanied by our Saturday band of Jadie Carey on bass and Steve Street on drums. Chris will also supply accompaniment for the evening jam in the bar.

Patrick Byr

And we can’t forget Britain’s favourite customiser John Cook, who will be on hand to solve all your maintenance problems. The CW2022 event promises to be a great event for chromatic harmonica players. We hope to welcome you to it. HarmonicaUK looks forward to welcoming you to this year’s Chromatic Weekend event. Visit www.harmonica.uk for details and booking.

es Jim Hugh

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

“Hi. I’m the harmonica player.” The guy smiles and thrusts out a hand.

Photo by Jon Frost.

Reaching out across my drum kit, I shake hands with this new arrival in the recording studio. The guy - whose name I am never told - is a harmonica player who has arrived to play a few cues of the background music we’re recording. It’s the 1980s, and this session is for a show about to go on at the National Theatre in London. I don’t pay much attention to Harmonica Man or his instrument until the red light goes on and the tape rolls. The guy puts his hands to his mouth, steps up to the microphone, and begins wailing the most bluesy, funky sound you can imagine.

FATAL ATTRACTION - MY LIFE WITH THE HARMONICA Phil Hopkins

I’m transfixed by the sound - I’ve heard it before, but never close up like this.

As Harmonica Man plays, I inspect him closely. Try as I might, I can’t even see his instrument as he places his cupped hands in front of the microphone. As we take a tea break, I sneak a quick look in his bag and see a few little silver mouth organs. How, I ask myself, does this tiny thing create such an extraordinary sound? However, back in those days there was no YouTube to satisfy my curiosity. My life as a professional percussionist and drummer moves swiftly on from this session and I forget all about the harmonica. Until stage 2 happens a year or two later. This time I’m touring in the USA with some folk musicians. We’re in a hotel bar late one night in the Washington D.C. area when I hear “the sound” again. That funky wail. This time I don’t let the guy get away. Before the night’s over, he’s sold me a used Marine Band in C, a Chrometta in G and a well-thumbed book on how to play the harmonica. Spending the next three months in the back of the tour bus working out how to play these instruments, needless to say, “the sound” is hard to find. But I’m hooked. I’d heard Stevie Wonder play Isn’t She Lovely? I loved the harmonica solo in the Doobies’ Long Train Runnin’ and caught snippets of Toots Thielemans with Paul Simon and Billy Joel. Hugh McCracken on Donald Fagen’s Nightfly. Oh, and don’t forget the haunting intro of School by Supertramp. I’d seen Western movies where some cowboy played the harmonica around the campfire. It had been, to say the least, a very disjointed education in the instrument. And one you will recognise to be typical of the way most people understand the instrument - a series of random, half-remembered musical memories woven in with childhood recollections of the mouth organ kicking around the toy box.

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But could this also be part of the attraction of the instrument? The sound of the harmonica is beautiful, but so fleeting and elusive. Maybe we harp players love it so much because we’ve had to work so hard to find and capture it. HarmonicaUK and a dedicated band of teachers and pioneer musicians are doing magnificent work to change things, but until recently the world of harmonica was a remote kingdom. Even experienced professional arrangers and composers struggled to articulate what they wanted from the instrument. Years ago, I very excitedly turned up to play chromatic harmonica for the soundtrack of a TV show starring Robert Lindsay. As I completed the first take, I heard the composer’s suggestions through my headphones. “Great. A bit more like Stevie Wonder please.” Then after the second attempt. “Nope…..too much Larry Adler in that one. Maybe try a bit of Dylan?” Most of my work has been in theatre shows, where the chain of command includes a composer, a music supervisor and an arranger. Sometimes the composer will have been asked to use harmonica by the director - maybe the play is about World War One, or there’s an American flavour. Often the composer, probably having trained at a classical conservatory, has absolutely no idea what a harmonica is, or does, beyond having once received a miniature one in his/her Christmas cracker. So a job can become part session, part lesson. If it’s a recording session, the recording engineer joins in the fun. While the composer is asking what the button on the side of the harmonica does and can the instrument play the chord of F sharp minor seventh with an added thirteenth, the engineer is trying out every microphone from the studio’s extensive collection - with the harmonica player as the bemused victim. But, occasionally, you can strike gold. I developed a system as the years went by of offering some harmonica along with my normal percussion role. I realised that composers and directors for theatre shows loved the occasional harmonica “moment”, but that there was rarely enough to warrant hiring me as a harmonica player alone. I’m not the first - many other harmonica players have found that they have to double their harmonica with another skill to make a living.

Phil Hopkins with Toots Project. Photo by B. Shakespeare photography.

Fast forward to 2008. I’m rehearsing a new musical at the New London theatre. I’m surrounded by drum kit, kettledrums, xylophone - and of course my trusty chromatic sits perched on my music stand. At the helm is a delightfully kind and talented director named Sir Trevor Nunn. The show’s musical arranger has seen fit to put in a couple of harmonica cues to match the Southern USA setting of the show. I play these melodies quite gently, apologetically almost, because if an unusual sound sticks out it can often get cut, and you suddenly find yourself removed from the arranger/composer’s Christmas card list. Suddenly, in mid-number, Sir Trevor waves at the musical director to stop. He immediately summons the arranger, a charming New Yorker called Bill Brohn, to his table. An animated discussion ensues, with several looks in my direction.

My palms start to sweat. I’ve done the unforgivable thing in these circles. I’ve drawn attention to myself and wasted time in a busy and expensive rehearsal in a full room. Maybe the sharp pitch of the Hohner harmonica (A=444) has grated. Or I just played too loud. Did I miss the key signature? Now the orchestral fixer is staring at me. She is one of the most powerful people in West End theatre and she’s put down her phone and is glaring in my direction. Next, the musical supervisor is summoned to the top table, a Welsh guy with piercings who I’ve always been slightly nervous of. He nods gravely, then turns and approaches me. “Phil,” he says. “They want the harmonica LOUDER. Trevor likes it.” I shrug nonchalantly, as if I’m used to a knight of the realm validating my work. But inside I’m punching the air. I’m marking down Sir Trevor as a believer. He’s one of us. He likes harmonica. And in a way, that’s what life is like for all of us harmonica players. Unlike drums, or guitar or piano, no band HAS to have harmonica. We win the war the hard way, converting other musicians and audience members one-by-one. But how did I reach this stage of high anxiety in a rehearsal room full of tense people? We’ve visited stages 1 and 2. Let’s look at stage 3, twenty years before this terrifying theatrical moment. I’m in my flat in South London, when the sound of the most captivating music floats in through my open kitchen window. My neighbour is playing a CD and, would you believe it, he’s a fan of Tommy Reilly who, I am later to discover, is arguably the greatest ever classical harmonicist. Moments later, I’m knocking on my neighbour’s door to find out more about this astonishing sound. And, months later, I will be studying with the great Mr Reilly himself. Adam Glasser g 3rd harmonica to Phil Hopkins playin estra. h BBC Concert Orch and Philip Achille wit es tley-Jon Photo by Collette As

Next time: studying with Tommy Reilly and working on the Bob Dylan musical.

Phil’s YouTube channel is: www.youtube.com/channel/UCp2HzSYG7L_KRPC_weZyZCA

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Last summer, I received an unexpected enquiry from Neil Cunningham, who was keen to organise harmonica workshops for children and families at his local community festival in Peckham, South London. Neil was calling as a representative of Southwark Fostering, connecting foster children and families in the Borough. As a foster parent, yoga instructor and musician, Neil had noticed the enjoyment his foster children gained from exploring his harmonica collection and making music together. He felt this could be a great way of bringing enrichment into the lives of other foster children and their families too. Drawing on my own experience of harmonica teaching in Nursery and Primary Schools, I was happy to lend a hand, and we devised a programme of three workshops that took place on Sunday 19th September 2021. This comprised a morning session for 4-7 year olds, an afternoon session for 7-11 year olds, and a finale for adults and families to finish the day.

PECKHAM FESTIVAL HARMONICA WORKSHOPS 2021 Richard Taylor, Head of Outreach

The workshops were all well attended and we had immense fun, with lots of happy faces and some memorable performances. It was also a delight to welcome Adam Glasser, patron of HarmonicaUK, who lent his personal support on the day. We look forward to repeating the project this September. With HarmonicaUK’s charitable outreach in mind, Neil and I are exploring ways in which other fostering organisations could benefit from our ideas. Perhaps you are reading this and know of someone working in foster care who would be interested. Feel free to pass them my details. From the Southwark Fostering newsletter, October 2021: One of our young people who attended Neil’s Harmonica workshops wrote the following review: “I really liked the Harmonica Workshop because it was fun. We played sounds to the word banana and we learnt to play a song. I would really like to have harmonica lessons and do this again.” My thanks go to Neil Cunningham, Southwark Fostering, Peckham Festival and Harp Academy for their support.

Richard Taylor email: outreach@harmonica.uk

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

I founded the Harmonica Masters Workshops in 2003, in cooperation with the town of Trossingen and Hohner Musical Instruments, and have been musical director ever since. In the meantime, the workshops have grown to become the leading educational event for blues and related styles of harmonica in Europe, attracting students from around the world. We were forced to cancel all physical events in 2020 and 2021, but covid restrictions permitting, we are planning on once again going ahead this year. In future, the HMW will take place during the Whitsun school holidays, due to unavailability of the teaching facilities later in the year.

14TH HARMONICA MASTERS WORKSHOPS

The choice of top class international instructors has always been a mainstay of the concept. Every year, we have brought together some of the world's finest harmonica educators and players to teach and perform at this event, and 2022 is no exception. This year’s Harmonica Masters Workshops will introduce several new June 8 - 12 2022, faces. We’re happy to welcome three great new instructors who Trossingen, promise to provide fresh impulses: Jason Ricci will be joining us Germany for the first time to share his vivid insights into contemporary harmonica (his only European appearance in 2022), Marcos Steve Baker Coll will be teaching an introduction to diatonic and chromatic harmonica in Latin music, and renowned Hohner Affiliated Customizer and Celtic music virtuoso Joel Andersson will present en an introduction to the harmonica in Irish music. As in previous Eric Nod years, Eric Noden will teach acoustic blues guitar and Riedel Diegel is presenting our beginners class. Joe Filisko will again be teaching traditional blues harmonica styles and I will present a class on accompaniment and solo construction in blues, rock and country music. The no. 1 educational event for blues harmonica in Europe takes place on the new campus in the historical heart of Trossingen, the fully renovated site of the former Hohner production facilities. As well as four days of classes with world class instructors, the Harmonica Masters Jason Ricci Workshops also offer a full evening program of concerts and open sessions. All classes and performances are on site within easy walking distance of each other. Trossingen is located in beautiful hill country on the edge of the Black Forest, not far from the A81 motorway. The town has a railway station (Trossingen Stadt) and is also within easy reach of the international airports in Stuttgart and Zurich (Switzerland). Accommodation is available

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in categories ranging from budget to 3 star hotel and is largely accessible on foot. There are also parking facilities for mobile homes on the outskirts of town.

o Joe Filisk

Joel A

nderss

The majority of classes take place in the Trossingen Music School, which has been extensively renovated following storm damage and now offers optimal teaching conditions. Concerts and sessions take place in the unique atmosphere of the Kulturfabrik Kesselhaus, the former factory power station located a two minute walk away on the other side of the campus and now a listed building. As at our last physical event in 2019, accompaniment for the concerts and sessions will be provided by the LiveWires, featuring Jan Mohr (guitar), Jeff Walker (bass) and Henri Jerratsch (drums). It isn't just our world class team of instructors, or the concerts and sessions, which make the Harmonica Masters Workshops such an unforgettable event. It's the combination with that remarkable camaraderie which makes the international harmonica community so special, and four days of total immersion in one of the pivotal locations in the history of our instrument, which ensure a unique experience that continues to attract new students every year and brings back many people again and again for their annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of the harmonica.

oll Marcos C

Riedel

In order to ensure that the Harmonica Masters Workshops can be held safely, all participants will be required to conform to the Covid 19 regulations in force at the time of the event. This will presumably necessitate providing proof of full vaccination against, or recent recovery from, a covid 19 infection, as well as a negative test result. Only immunised persons are eligible to take part. The obligation to protect all students and staff makes this necessary and we ask your understanding for this measure. Diegel

We will inform you of further developments as details become available and look forward to welcoming you to Trossingen in June 2022, Very best wishes, Steve Baker - Festival Director - February 2022

For further information & online registration, please visit our website: ker Steve Ba

www.harmonica-masters.de/en/

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

Let's start a bit of background about you. Where does your music come from and where do you come from? Well I come from Lancashire - Chorley - and originally I am a selftaught guitarist interested in Blues and especially Jimi Hendrix, but I went back into the roots of acoustic slide guitar, looking at people like Bukka White, Son House, Robert Johnson. Then I got into the roots of harmonica becoming fascinated by country blues players like Sonny Terry and Deford Bailey. I found some really great recordings in Preston Library during the breaks when I was doing Jury service around 20 years ago.

PHIL HENRY INTERVIEW

Ben Hewlett, Vice - President

So I've had an interest in solo harmonica ever since and adding things like beatboxing to this has given me quite a niche that nobody else is really doing at the moment - it gives me an extra gear. Some of the early players who may have been playing to a rowdy or moving audience, must have developed new ways to make the harmonica more of a showstopper. They were so inspiring and creative with the instrument - perhaps they needed to have a bunch of tricks up their sleeves to get an audience to be interested. You need to make a bit of a scene when you're busking to catch the attention. I’ve put a lot of time into the harmonica, I’ve always loved it. Especially when I add the falsetto vocals and the beatboxing. How has lockdown been for you as a touring musician? I’ve quite enjoyed doing a lot of 1 to 1 tuition, workshops and concerts on zoom so the lack of touring hasn’t been too bad really. You get to reach quite a large geographic area and since we’ve toured Japan, Canada and Australia a fair bit; there’s a wide fanbase and a lot of them know each other so they start chatting in the

concerts. It’s not been all bad! We will carry on doing live stream workshops and concerts for our subscription fans when there’s a break from the upcoming touring season. You have to find a way to adapt or find a different job really. And what’s coming up next for you? A couple of tours, one in March with the duo Edgelarks - that’s me and Hannah (my new wife - we got married on Saturday). All details on https://edgelarks.co.uk . After that is with the Gig Spanner Big Band through April and May and a further one all through July so a crazy three months coming up. Sounds terrifying being away from home for so long, I’ve maybe gone a bit pipe and slippers but it will be great to play live again. We’re taking my Mum and Rosa, our 11 month old daughter, so it should be an interesting road trip, looking forward to it. And then a few festivals in the summer and then back to teaching and looking for new students in the autumn if anyone’s interested. I’m also working on a new video course called ‘Country Blues, Beatboxing and Beyond’. Have you won 7 or 8 Grammys yet? Not yet, we won the BBC Radio Folk Award for best duo with Edgelarks in 2014 and that’s got us a lot of international work and tours. Great to get recognition for all the work we’ve done. We’ve recorded 7 or 8 albums so far, and hopefully the next will be a solo harmonica album. Any other highlights to leave us with? Hyde Park springs to mind. Oh yes, Hannah and I were involved with the big Folk supergroup - the Band of Love, we were playing Saturday Night Folk Fever to 80,000 people. I gave them some solo country blues and beatboxing maybe not what they were expecting! Thanks Phil, see you down the road somewhere. email: philliphenrybookings@hotmail.com Band links: www.edgelarks.co.uk, www.gigspanner.com/gigspanner-big-band Website: philliphenry.co.uk

See full interview on You Tube: https://youtu.be/T-p4zpgPqbg

www.edgelarks.co.uk www.gigspanner.com/gigspanner-big-band For lessons in Harmonica, Beatbox, Fingerstyle Guitar, Slide Guitar, Dobro, Electric and lap steel email philliphenrybookings@hotmail.com

HarmonicaUK members will have noticed some significant changes to the organisation recently: our website and Newsdesk have a fresh new look; Harmonica World magazine has undergone a professional upgrade; and, backstage, our membership process and infrastructure have had a thorough overhaul. We still have some housekeeping to complete, but HarmonicaUK is ready to write its next chapter as a charity. Expanding our membership, in particular by supporting diversity of harmonica interest, is our goal. To achieve this, we hope to identify initiatives that HarmonicaUK can support through outreach, promoting harmonica learning and enjoyment at every level.

OUTREACH - SHAPING HARMONICAUK’S FUTURE Richard Taylor, Head of Outreach

It’s a wide brief, but already we are working with prisoners, developing a harmonica for breathing programme, supporting younger learners, and building our team of official Ambassadors.

You can read about the workshops that were recently run in collaboration with Southwark Fostering in the accompanying article in this issue. In the summer edition of Harmonica World, we plan to bring you a personal report from one of the prison inmates we’ve been working with. We will also be adding an Outreach section to the HarmonicaUK website, outlining our activities and providing feedback. We now need to draw on the expertise of you, our existing members, to help drive our projects forwards and identify other ways in which HarmonicaUK can be of use to the community at large. Creativity, inclusivity and kindness are at the forefront of this mission. To help shape HarmonicaUK’s future purpose through outreach, an open forum will take place on Zoom on Sunday, 20th March 2022, 10.30am-Noon, hosted by Richard Taylor and Laina Freeman. The Zoom Meeting log-in is 914 617 7410 / 058464. Make a note, but rest assured we will include this important information in our bulletins nearer the time too. The forum is open to everyone interested in learning about and staffing up our existing projects, which we will profile during the meeting, and to anyone with suggestions for new initiatives nationally in their local community.

We look forward to welcoming you on Sunday 20th March and exchanging ideas. In the meantime, if you currently have inspiration you’d like to share, please email us here: Richard Taylor - outreach@harmonica.uk Laina Freeman - laina@harmonica.uk

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

In Part 6, John Walton stood down as President of the National Harmonica League, having tried to build up a sustainable organisation. His move to a more International A4 magazine in 1986 had resulted in both his personal company, Able Music Ltd., and the NHL becoming unprofitable. Colin Mort agreed to take over as President in 1987, and he began a series of loans needed to keep the NHL running. John Walton became the Secretary, Treasurer and Magazine Editor. Colin needed to make more fundamental changes to the organisation to help it break even. John’s A4 glossy magazine was soon replaced by a much simpler and cheaper A5 version. Larry Adler agreed to become President of the NHL, with Norm Dobson remaining as Vice President. Colin became Chairman, and he invited more people onto the committee to share the load and make it more democratic. Dave Beckford, David Michelsen, Pat Missin, Jim Hughes, Victor Brooks, Tony Perry, and Ken Howell are just some of the people who helped over the years. Steve Jennings edited the magazine until 1995 when Colin took it over. John Walton became more involved with the International Harmonica Organisation (IHO), and when its President, Peter Janssen, died in 1993, John replaced him.

THE HISTORY OF HARMONICAUK Part 7 1986-2000 The Colin Mort Years Roger Trobridge HarmonicaUK Patron

The winners of the 1987 Open Competition took part in The First Harmonica World Championships run in Jersey by Jim Hughes with support from some NHL members. The NHL settled into an annual cycle of events, with a small informal Spring Hoolie, an Open National Harmonica Championships and a weekend Convention/AGM. This broke down after a dispute broke out at the 1994 Open Championships when the judges decided that none of the chromatic players reached the standard expected of a National Champion and the prizes were not awarded. The competition restarted two years later but as a ‘best on the day’ event rolled into the annual festival and AGM. Communication between members was not easy in these times, and so there was a push to promote local area activities and membership groups. The London Group ran successfully for a few years with meetings about technique and maintenance. Mike Sadler ran courses in the Victoria Adult Education Centre in Gravesend, using his own method to teach harmonica, and he formed a group called

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The Blowhards. Derek Yorke was a member and the only UK quartet, Four in Accord, may have started there. Colin Mort set up Southern Harmonics for players in the Hampshire area. About the same time, Norman Ives was introducing the scouts in the 5th St Mary’s Group in Great Yarmouth to all types of harmonica. David Michelsen joined to provide more teaching, and with financial support from NHL members and its own magazine, Kiddin’ Around, this small group of children progressed over the next 6 years from beginners, to performing at Glastonbury, playing for Disney in the USA and appearing at numerous festivals and TV shows. Known as Harp Start, they achieved a very high standard of solo and group playing, including winning World Championships in Trossingen, Germany in 1993. Unfortunately, the activity had to stop. Norman Ives and David Michelsen held a popular series of Residential Blues Tuition Weekends in Caister from 1994-96. David then worked with Steve Jennings, and later Pat Missin, to develop a one-day event which could be held anywhere. This was called a Blue Saturday, and the first one took place in Corby in July 1996. They continued up to 1999, and Johnny Mars and Colin Mort assisted at some of them. The experiences learned from the Blue Saturdays led to similar events being run by other players around the country. Another off-shoot of this activity was the attempt to provide certification for harmonica teachers, The Harmonica Teachers Accreditation Board (HTAB). After 1995, Colin found himself short of volunteers, and he was doing much of the committee work himself. I joined the committee in 1999 as Colin tried to find a way to pass on the control to someone else. My role was to build an internet presence for the NHL, which we did very successfully that year. Volunteers had been found for some of the other roles. There had always been a strained relationship between the IHO and the NHL despite there having been a shared Hoolie festival in 1994. Some players were members of both organisations. Things came to a head when the IHO decided to hold an International Centennial Festival in Bournemouth in 2000. John Walton wanted to run it with financial support from the NHL, but Colin had worked hard to make the NHL sustainable and he wanted assurances about financial liabilities. He did not get them, so John Walton went ahead alone. John pulled it off, but both he and Colin were worn out. The IHO organisation had also run out of steam, and when Colin asked me if I would take over as Chairman I said I would do the job if the infighting stopped. Next time we will see what the new century would bring.

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

I started playing harmonica at age twenty. I then knew of two other players, Sonny Terry and Jim Fitting, my college friends in New Haven. Surely there were more. I just had to find them. Greg Baker, a local blues player, took me under his wing and introduced me to Muddy Waters and other names I now forget. Shortly after that, I discovered a series of Chess double compilation albums in a record shop reject bin. I picked up Little Walter, Howling Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson II, along with the classic 1950’s Muddy Waters album with the black and white cover photo.

HARMONICA PLAYERS by Tony Eyers

I remember a night when Jim Fitting made a compilation tape for me, with Junior Wells, Walter Horton and Norton Buffalo. Albums with Kim Wilson and Doc Watson came after that, along with Charlie Musselwhite and Paul Butterfield. I was on my way.

Anyone taking up harmonica should at least know the great blues players mentioned above. But what then? Hohner customers will discover Howard Levy, Joe Filisko and Rachelle Plas through their respective endorsements, likewise the excellent David Barrett blues harmonica course. A wider study will soon find Charlie McCoy, Toots Thielemans, Slim Harpo, and Jimmy Reed. Then Rod Piazza, George Smith, Rick Estrin, and modern icons like Jason Ricci. These giants comprise a lifetime of listening and study. It would be easy to think they encompass all harmonica worth knowing. Not so. There is a galaxy of lesser known players, whose respective stars light the sky. Many of these "second string" players, for want of a better word, can be found through Neil Warren's Harmonica Happy Hour podcasts, which go for 60 minutes, a serious but worthwhile time investment.

zell

PT Ga

For a faster introduction to a slew of lesser known players, along with some icons, it would be hard to go past the Artists page on the Seydel site, at www.seydel1847.de/ . It lists 185 artists, each with a thumbnail image, and better still, a button which starts a representative track. I cannot think of any other page which introduces so much harmonica art. Let's have a closer look. First the icons, starting with James Cotton, who passed on in 2017, before then the greatest surviving 1950's Chicago Blues player. Next is Charlie Musselwhite. No-one who saw his SPAH set in 2019 would forget his music, his recent albums with Ben Harper have won Grammy awards. He surely has the greatest legacy of any living blues player. Next we have PT Gazell, the face of Seydel. Around 20 years ago PT perfected the art of half valved diatonic playing,

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

Charlie Musselwhite

used to stunning effect on his swing jazz recordings. The Gazell method harmonicas are available from Seydel, PT won the 2021 SPAH Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement award. Then we have Peter Madcat Ruth, an icon since the early 1970s, a long time collaborator with the Brubeck family, and surely the world's most cheerful harmonica player. Also at the top of the list are Mark Hummel and Aki Kumar, leading lights in the American blues harmonica scene. Now for some lesser known players. I met Jason Rosenblatt at SPAH in 2018. A quietly impressive individual, and one of the most stunning overblow players I've ever heard. Then David Naiditch, who has set a gold standard for chromatic harmonica renditions of bluegrass and gypsy jazz standards. His recordings feature some of the finest players in these respective styles. Micki and Iked met the Seydel team at SPAH team a few years back, and were immediately invited on board. Iked plays percussion, which strongly influences his Stevie Wonder infused chromatic style. Jimi Lee has been a SPAH icon for decades, and his rack-based harmonica powerfully complements his blues and more recently his Sinatra-based vocals. Juzzie Smith is an Australian player, who began as a street musician. His YouTube channel has more than 7 million views. I first saw Juzzie around 15 years ago at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. He was busking on Peel St, and so was I. A good day brought me fifty dollars. Juzzie was making thousands. He had someone working full time at his CD table. Watch any of his videos, you'll see why. Another Australian is Barefoot Iano, also a veteran of the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Based in France since the mid '90s, his powerful rack-based harmonica style, coupled with guitar and strong vocals, has earned him a large following on the French festival circuit. He was in Australia recently - we swapped tunes during a memorable afternoon together. Visit the Seydel artist page to hear these artists, and many more. I'm a Seydel endorser as well - in 2017 they released a version of their Session Steel model in my Major Cross tuning. However, I don't seem to be on their artist page. Bertram... Bertram!!

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Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

A new album with Georges Kontrafouris is one of a string of upcoming exciting new projects and releases expected from French harmonica player Laurent Maur this year. He is also working on a solo electro jazz project, a duet album with his partner, renowned flautist, Emilie Calme, as well as duet plans with several other internationally acclaimed jazz musicians. His output over the past few decades has been tremendous, ranging from his latin playing with Orlando Poleo, to gypsy jazz with Mayo Hubert, as well as his numerous live projects and tours, not to mention his solo work on albums such as Chef Larry and La Dernière Danse. Perhaps most exciting is the work he’s done with Emilie. The pair formed the Youpi Quartet, whose two albums (Nomansland and Mozaic) feature some extraordinary playing on the chromatic harmonica and gives the instrument a new voice in funk, jazz, and progressive music. Together, they have played across europe, as well as lived and performed in China and Korea.

AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURENT MAUR Around the world with 80 great harmonica players Sam Spranger, Editorial Team

Laurent began his journey on the harmonica by playing diatonic between the ages of 17 and 24. Like many, he learned by copying licks from the blues greats, as well as using the method books from Jean Jacques Milteau, and by busking on the streets of Paris. At 24, he expanded his studies onto the chromatic and was initially inspired by Toots Thielman’s work with Bill Evans when a friend gave him a cassette of their classic album Affinity. It was also around this time that Laurent studied with the great Claude Garden, who gave him a solid foundation on the chromatic. Whereas Garden was a classical maestro, adept in teaching technique, articulation, and producing an exceptional tone, Laurent would go on to focus his study of jazz at Paris’ Centre d'Informations Musicales and the CMDL founded by Didier Lockwood. As Laurent said to me, “you can spend a year learning all the theory and then it takes the rest of your life to fully appreciate it”. To that end, he has a series of wonderful YouTube videos that break down different approaches to soloing over different jazz chords and changes. His studies clearly paid off, as many of his live YouTube videos attest to his speed and accuracy on the 64 hole chromatic. Nonetheless, Laurent is not simply a technician. “It is my opinion that music should really speak to everybody”, he tells me, citing the legacy of players like Louis Armstrong and Toots. “My focus has always been on being an entertainer”. During his time living and performing in China, he found himself organising jams and gigs in a way that allowed him to see different genres of music in the context of jazz. In this vein, one of the many themes throughout Laurent’s music is explorations and developments on French Chansons in the jazz idiom which can be heard in particular on his solo albums.

Perhaps most exciting about Laurent’s work is not only his virtuosity on the chromatic, but also his interest in other forms of harmonica. Laurent has pioneered the use of more unconventional harmonicas such as the Suzuki Bass Chromatic, Suzuki’s slide chord harmonica, and is also developing an interest in the harmonetta. The slide chord harmonica, for example, requires a novel way of conceptualising the instrument and gives it an expanded role in an ensemble setting. Indeed, Laurent has used these instruments with great effect to comp and provide more intricate rhythmic accompaniments to his arrangements (as heard on several tracks with the Youpi quartet). Even in his comping on a standard 64 chromatic, he has taken influence from Bach and Jazz pianists, using ideas such as 1-5-10 intervals more common to keyboard instruments. Though mostly a pucker player, such intervals and approaches to comping have pushed Laurent down the corner switch route of playing which he has incorporated into his playing over the past decade. Most radically, Laurent has been working with the digital DM48x midi harmonica to give a more diverse voice to his studio sound. As Laurent says, “the instrument gives limitless possibilities with which to voice my technique and my ideas”. Indeed, the plethora of synthesiser and midi instrument patches and the potential for completely new sounds makes it an exciting step forward for the harmonica. To briefly editorialise: it should be remembered that the rise of digital technology in music synthesisers initially brought fears that the harmonica would be sampled and then become a forgotten instrument. It is therefore significant and somewhat satisfying that very few convincing digital harmonica patches were ever made, but also that midi harmonicas can now make use of the same expansive technology. Laurent has already pioneered such possibilities to great effect with the Youpi Quartet, and one can only anticipate what new ideas he will bring with the technology. During our interview I got a sense of the totality of Laurent’s love for music. From honouring traditional jazz standards, to exploring Latin musical cultures, to busking, to reviving the Chansons of France, to losing himself in the sounds of new technology. With such a range of projects, and technical possibilities on the horizon it is, naturally, an exciting time for Laurent Maur. To top it off, when I spoke with Laurent I also learned that he and Emilie are expecting their first child together, and we wish them nothing but happiness and continued success.

To explore Laurent’s YouTube channel please follow: @laurent maur www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6t7KOvnrl0 You can also watch the interview with Sam in full: https://youtu.be/CjdcEHRqqfE

PERFECT INTONATION The standard Mars is tuned to equal temperament which gives a bright sound BUT now we also have ‘JUST’ intonation for that authentic Pre-War Blues sound.

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REVIEWS EDDIE MARTIN - The Birdcage Sessions (Blueblood 020) By Norman Darwen Bristol-based bluesman Eddie Martin should be well-known to many readers, a regular at HarmonicaUK events. He is as happy to front a big R’n’B band as he is to play solo as a oneman band, but for this album, a result of 2020’s lockdowns as the title implies, he mainly opts for an acoustic approach, with just the lone electric track. He draws mainly on the Mississippi blues tradition for inspiration here, and the result is a very fine contemporary blues set. His harmonica playing is varied, from a little bit of shading on the opening Before We Wake Up and the slightly more prominent playing of Home, whilst Happy Broke And Free has the freewheeling approach of many blues from Memphis in the 20s - and jug-band styled blues harp to match. Eddie’s acclaimed rack harmonica playing crops up on River Song and especially on the wonderfully pointed Too Much Choice. I Long For A Sail is the electric number, with a tough, raw sound and harmonica playing to match. It all makes for a fine very impressive collection of mostly blues-based material, with a couple of folkier items. And it’s all very much well worth a listen. www.eddiemartin.com

DAVID THORPE - My Harp, My Rules By Sophia Ramirez Last November, New Zealand harp player David Thorpe released an inspired new album: My Harp, My Rules. The aim, Thorpe explains, was to make something unexpected and collaborate with his friends to push the boundaries of his “number one instrument”, the harmonica. They accomplished this and more. Thorpe and his friends have created a freewheeling album that is part-blues, part-folk, part-country, and part-everything in between. The album swings open with Lowtone Intro, a quick blues tune that packs a punch with loud energy and a gritty harmonica. After this track, Thorpe proceeds to go beyond blues to show how much more the humble harp can do. As new instruments and new sounds are introduced through his talented musical friends, Thorpe’s playing adapts and diversifies, revealing an exciting musical range. For instance, the track Deus Ex Machina spotlights

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

REVIEWS Stephen McDaid and his warm, acoustic guitar playing. As McDaid gently fingerpicks the guitar, Thorpe’s harmonica becomes more acoustic and warm in response. Together, they fill the song with a sweet early-morning, country feel. This transformation of the harmonica is most surprising, however, in Blues Trip with Johnny Ginger. Ginger sets the track with electronic beats, sleek and smooth. Slowly, Thorpe builds on the beats with his harmonica licks, and Ginger’s beats respond to those licks, and so on, until the sound grows organically into a fresh, modern song that wouldn’t feel out of place in a James Bond title sequence. By colliding the very different worlds of techno and harmonica, Thorpe and Ginger made something completely unique and greater than the sum of its parts. In the description of the album, Thorpe talks about hoping to overhaul preconceptions one may have of this unassuming instrument. I think how My Harp, My Rules proves the potential of the harmonica best is by going back to the roots of the instrument: friends playing together, connecting over the music and the rhythm and, most importantly, having a great time. https://davidthorpeharmonica.bandcamp.com/releases

Nguyen Chi Trung Cover Plates. A review by Moses.T.Jones. I came across Trung’s work by chance one day, via one of those “I really don’t know how to use a computer let alone Facebook” kind of events that seem to happen way too often, and am I glad I did. To begin at the beginning, I had been practicing a Miles Davis power grip one day whilst playing my Gregoire Maret G48w (that’s right, the one with the wooden covers) when I heard a loud cracking sound. This was followed by a really disappointed feeling in my stomach, which I always seem to get when I have just done something rather silly. The cover that cracked I managed to repair with some super glue, and at the time of writing is still in one piece, luckily. I decided there and then that I could use some replacement wooden covers, but at the time was unsure where to get them from. This is where we get back to the Facebook bit. I had my phone in my hand and saw a Facebook notification. Wondering what it was, I decided to take a look. Wow, Will’s Make Harmonicas had posted some photos of an amazing looking chromatic with wooden covers. Remembering my earlier dilemma, I fired off a message

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REVIEWS to ask if they could supply the covers separately. Not sure how, but I received an almost instant reply from someone called Nguyen Trung in Vietnam who said, “I can make very good wooden covers for you.” Hmmm, I thought, Vietnam, do they have PayPal? It turns out Trung doesn’t speak English but uses Google Translate, and he didn’t have PayPal at that time, so I had to make a bank transfer. I am not known for being the most trusting of people, but I can honestly say that doing business with Trung was an absolute pleasure. He kept me well informed throughout, from offering a choice of hardwood blocks from which to make them, and photos of all the different processes. Totally fascinating. Trung is a harmonica player and master craftsman based in Ho Chi Minh city. He manufactures his wooden covers entirely by hand, using hand tools, not computer. The finished product is beautiful as can be seen from the accompanying photos, and being a player he knows what he wants from his cover plates. The mouthpiece profile on these plates when fitted to a harmonica is simply amazing, that coupled with the varnish which glides through the mouth makes for a wonderful playing experience. I would say the most comfortable plates I have ever played and I have them on Suzuki and Hohner harmonicas, all good. The opening on the back of the covers is slightly wider than standard covers, producing increased resonance, so not only do they look beautiful but your harmonica can sound better too. Win win! One thing I have noticed playing chromatics with wooden covers is that they seem to always feel warm to touch, and now this is very subjective, and may not be the case, but I do seem to get less condensation build up with mine ie. Less sticky wind savers. Which is a blessing. So there you have it. I have just ordered a third set, am really pleased to have come into contact with Trung Nguyen, and can thoroughly recommend his work. He does now use PayPal, still doesn’t speak English and can be contacted through Facebook. Look for Trung Nguyen at the harmonica care center.

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

CLASSIFIEDS Teachers and Repairers

KEY D Diatonic.

John Cook 01708 446 644 R Repairs. Certified Hohner, Suzuki and Seydel technician. Chromatic and diatonic service repair and tuning. Repair workshops and private repair. London. Zoom. john@johncookharmonicas.com

Chromatic.

Tremolo.

Tuning.

Repairs.

Eva Hurt 07578 808 353 C Triola. Classical, folk, musical theatre. Triola. London In person, Skype, Zoom. eva.harmonica@yahoo.com

Ricky Cool 07749 918 343 D Blues, country, roots. Birmingham. In person, Skype, Zoom. rickycool@ blueyonder.co.uk

Cathal Johnson 0834 444 980?? D C Blues, country, traditional Irish dance. Republic of Ireland. In person, Skype, Zoom. Certified Hohner technician repairs and tuning. www.harmonicasireland.com

Mike Fairbairn 01623 753 693 D C Blues. Derbyshire. In person. fairblues@hotmail.co.uk

Julian Jackson C D All genres. London. In person, Zoom. joolsj@yahoo.com

Paul Gillings 07880 324 163 C D All genres. Norfolk/Suffolk. In person, Skype, Zoom. paulgillingsharmonica@gmail.com

Moses Jones 07707 193 437 D C All genres. Bristol. In person, Zoom. moses.jones88@yahoo.com

Adam Glasser C All genres. London. In person, Zoom, phone by arrangement. adamgharmonica@icloud.com

Tony Jukes 01455 202 829 C D Blues, folk. East Midlands. In person, Skype, zoom. tjukes@hotmail.co.uk

Roy Green C D All genres, excluding jazz. Cranbrook, Kent. In person. roysgreen@talktalk.net

Steve Lockwood 07786 256 178 D U All genres. Cambridgeshire In person, Skype, Zoom. steve@steve-lockwood.com

01580 720 148

Cain Hamilton D U Custom and tuning. Holywell, Wales. sugarharmonicas@outlook.com Ben Hewlett D All genres. Bristol. In person, Zoom, Skype. benhewlett@me.com

07973 284 366

Ed Hopwood 07814 637 317 D Blues, Folk, Roots. London. In person, Skype, Zoom. info@theharmonicabarge.com

07930 801 344

Johnny Mars 07947 252 186 C D Four different types of tuning. The Mars Method of Harmonica Tuition. johnnymars@me.com Taunton. In person, Zoom. Eddie Martin 07974 120 418 D C All genres. All genres. (except jazz). Bristol. In person, Skype, Zoom. www.eddiemartin.com John Monaghan C U R. Widnes.

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01514 249 594

CLASSIFIEDS Gary Murray 01344 842 162 C Jazz, blues. Berkshire. Online. www.garymharmonica.co.uk

Richard Taylor 07525 256 954 D All genres. Preschool to adults. Brighton and Hove. In person, Skype, Zoom. hove.actually@ntlworld.com

Keith Parker D Blues, country, rock. Cambridgeshire. In person, Zoom.

07966 471 734

Will Pound D C Paddy Richter speciality. Caernarvon. In person, Zoom. will@willpound.com

07884 222 356

Mat Walklate 07725 479 148 D C T All genres. Manchester. In person, Skype, Zoom. m.walklate23@btinternet.com

Adam Pritchard 07429 126 120 D All genres. Cheltenham. In person, Skype, Zoom. pritchharp@gmail.com Aidan Sheehan 07812 143 226 D All genres, excluding jazz. Cwmbran. In person, Skype, Zoom. aidenharpsheehan@gmail.com Sam Spranger 07815 538 888 C D All genres. London. In person, Skype, Zoom. sam.aspranger@gmail.com

Joff Watkins 07980834 002 D C All genres. London. In person, Zoom. joffharp@yahoo.com Will Wilde D All genres. In person, Skype, Zoom. willharmonicawilde.com

07854 591 413

Harry Pitch 3 CDs @£11 01628 622895 haru.harmonica@talktalk.net David Hynes finest Irish Traditional harmonica CDs £7 davesharmonicas.com Bass Harmonica for sale, in good condition, box a bit used organbeal@hotmail.com Bargains New/Used Harmonicas For Sale - please ask for list - davetaylorbluespiano@gmail.com Wanted. Chord harmonica in good playing order. Please contact rickycool@blueyonder.co.uk

Editorial policy Editorial policy is to let the enthusiasts write about their interests, with the aim of providing a balance of interest in the magazine that caters for all tastes. Editorial changes are made only if absolutely necessary, in order to retain the contributor’s own style of writing. Members are invited to submit articles of 300, 600 or 900 words with relevant photographs, which should be JPEG files at 300 dpi and minimum 148mm wide. All photographs should include a credit and permissions to use in the publication. Harmonica World checks the ownership of all submitted images to the best of its ability. If you believe your copyright has been infringed, please contact us. We reserve the right to edit or defer articles, and they might not always be used. Articles should be submitted either in an email or attached as a Word or similar format. Photographs can be sent as attachments or via WeTransfer. The editor’s decision is final in all matters relating to this publication. All the contents are copyright, and no part may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of HarmonicaUK and the author, and the source must be acknowledged. The contents of the magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of HarmonicaUK, and it accepts no responsibility for any errors, misrepresentations, or opinions expressed by the contributors. Harmonica World is published quarterly by HarmonicaUK. The magazine is printed in full colour on FSC silk art paper.

Spring 2022 • Harmonica.uk

JUST HOLES – NO SLIDER

WWW.SEYDEL1847.COM

THE NONSLIDER CHROMATIC DE LUXE STEEL – PLAYING CHROMATICALLY RE-THOUGHT. A CHROMATIC HARMONICA WITH DIRECT TONE RESPONSE LIKE A BLUES HARMONICA, THAT WORKS WITHOUT SLIDER AND WITHOUT VALVES, ON WHICH TECHNIQUES LIKE BENDING OR OVERBLOW ARE PLAYABLE. WE CALL IT NONSLIDER CHROMATIC DE LUXE STEEL, A DESIGN STUDY THAT OPENS UP MANY NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR THE PLAYERS TO PLAY CHROMATICALLY, NO MATTER IF THEY HAVE PLAYED CHROMATIC HARMONICA BEFORE OR IF THEY PLAYED DIATONIC BLUES HARMONICA! THE NONSLIDER CHROMATIC IS A VERY RELIABLE INSTRUMENT THAT IS VIRTUALLY MAINTENANCE FREE. 48 TUNING STABLE STAINLESS STEEL REEDS GUARANTEE A GREAT SOUND AND A LONG PLAYING PLEASURE. FURTHERMORE, STUCK VALVES OR A JAMMED SLIDER ARE THINGS OF THE PAST. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LESS CAN BE MORE. ALL PARTS OF THE NONSLIDER CHROMATIC ARE MADE FROM ANTI-CORROSIVE MATERIALS.