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I recently bought a few different key harps. Having a load of fun learning to play straight and cross harp ala Sonny Boy Williamson, Paul Butterfield, Little Walter (Muddy Waters).
Just introduced the neighbors to amplified/electric harmonica. (Haven't seen any For Sale signs yet)
Any suggestions, recommendations?
-------------------- Alan Ackerson LetterWorks Design and Graphics alan@ack2.com Posts: 776 | From: Oak Ridge, NJ | Registered: Aug 2002
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For practicing - the Hohner Pocket Pal is a good buy. It's cheap, but it's durable, has a good sound, and it has a plastic comb - so it won't rip your lips off. Blow 'em out & throw 'em out.
I like Blues Harps and Lee Oscars for the real stuff.
-------------------- Steve Purcell Purcell Woodcarving & Signmaking Cape Cod, MA
************************** Intelligent Design Is No Accident Posts: 900 | From: Cape Cod, MA | Registered: Oct 1999
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Diatonic. Got a 6 key set (A,C,D,E,F,G) of Suzuki Blues Masters, and a Hohner Special 20 in C which I love. A Roland micro cube practice amp and Green Bullet (Shure) mic.
Started out with Suzuki's Folk Master (aka. The Hacksaw) and Easy Rider.
The Suzukis are a bit tinny sounding but are easier to work all 10 holes.
Getting in too deep, too fast...too late, already has me in it's grips.
Been playing a long time? What styles of music?
-------------------- Alan Ackerson LetterWorks Design and Graphics alan@ack2.com Posts: 776 | From: Oak Ridge, NJ | Registered: Aug 2002
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I love the Blues Harp, One of my favourites is James Cotton, the verve years, I believe, I have other James cd's as well. I have a few Harps, but I never really took the time to learn to play well, I do have 4 guitars though, and still i really never learned to play great, alright maybe, but not great. But I love the Blues!
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Hey let's play them blues!!!!!! A good harp man is key. Growly rhythm, creative leads, bass with some attitude and a hot mamma with a sexy raspy voice and I'm in a trance.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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I kin play "Shortnin' Bread" but that's it. Gene, I noticed the ad thingy too. My all-time fave voice mail is Alan playing "Blowin' In The Wind" for me. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I play some harmonica, at least I used to, not too shabby if I say so. Don't have the lungs for it now. It really takes some training to get your lungs working right.
J.Geils Band - Magic Dick on Harmonica Definitely... John Mayall - GREAT stuff!
-------------------- Gene Golden Gettysburg Signs Gettysburg PA 17325 717-334-0200 genegolden@gettysburgsigns.com
"Art is knowing when to stop." Posts: 1578 | From: Gettysburg, PA | Registered: Jun 2003
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My oldest boy lives in Chicago, and as all young adults eventually do in that city, he and friends went to Buddy Guy's Legends. It's a famous blues bar, where Buddy plays once or twice a year.
All my boys grew up in our house where there was always blues playing from time to time, but they just kind of took that for granted, and spent most of their time listening to various forms of rock that their peers were into.
On one ocassion though, my oldest called late at night and asked Jane what I was doing. I had to get up early and went to bed early, so he said, "Don't wake Dad up, but I just got back from Buddy Guy's place, and I'm now officially hooked on the blues." He said that Buddy and former partner,Junior Wells, (there's your harp guy) had had a falling out years earlier, and not spoken to each other. On that night Junior came to Legends to hear Buddy play -- he wanted to bury the hatchet. Buddy spotted him in the crowd and invited him on the stage where they gave each other big hugs and went on to play their asses off. The place went up for grabs, and Buddy who sometimes plays wireless played out in the crowd and even went outside and played in the street. Needless to say between him and Junior, the crowd was worked into a frenzy. Not long after that night, Junior Wells died.
I've seen Buddy play twice. It's a show and a half. The whole time he's got a bottle of Crown Royale nearby for inspiration -- just like you would hope your blues man would do.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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My buddy Robbie Rucker who co-hosts the Hogtown Panel Jam plays the harp...he used to have a band, the Blues Brothers revue...they imitated the Blues bros. and had a three piece horn section, 3 chick chorus, full rythum section...they put on quite a show and were very popular in this area several years ago. Robbie is a dead ringer for John Belushi(?), and his partner Greg looked like Dan Ackeroyd(?). His wife Janet who some of you met, can really belt out Respect and other Aretha songs...
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I have dabbled a bit with the Mississippi Sax. If you ever try a Lee Osker you will be pleasantly surprized. No Exactly blues but I've bee listening to a lot of Dylan latley.
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A Lee Oscar is a must. I practice in the truck, no time otherwise.
Find out who Sonny Terry was. Initialy, a tragic story. He lost one eye while a young boy, and then the other in an accident at about age 13. But he went on to be one of the greatest blues harp players ever. Listening to his music is awesome, but trying to play it yourself is another matter. He had a lot of time on his hands to practice and inovate.
Also, Marcos has some serious blues harp instructional videos.
Playing at intersections in the summer (windows down) is intersting. Some people compliment me nicely, others roll up their windows! I try to stop in such a way that I'm offset from the other vehicles, but it doesn't always work out that way.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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My late grandpa was a incredible harmonica player. He traveled all over Texas and competed at all the "fiddlers conventions" he had a whole room full of trophies AND was endorsed by Hohner- they gave him all kinds of stuff. I finally broke down and got me a harp a couple of years ago.
I am playing drums with some other local guys this weekend- we are doing all blues this year for an annual picnic. Every year we pick a different style.
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1736 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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Other than ones mentioned above, and I haven't heard Josh Stone, Charlie Musselwhite's one of my favorites. Others: Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Shakey Horton, Good Rockin' Charles, Carey Bell, Big John Wrencher and Norton Buffalo.
I'm always hearin'about somebody I've never heard of. I agree with Gene -- John Mayall is fantastic. I've been listening to him since the early 70's.
[ May 13, 2005, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Bill Diaz ]
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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Yes Bill, Charlie played at my friends wedding in Santa Cruz, then we went to his concert at the colledge that evening,got to go back stage with him (pretty strange)back in the 80s.
Mayall is my fav..
Roger
-------------------- Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated 186 Combs Dr. Merlin Oregon 97532 Posts: 3020 | From: Merlin Oregon | Registered: Dec 1998
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Love Sonny Terry and Charlie Musslewhite, Dylan, they're all great players but Paul Butterfield is my favorite...something about the raw energy he produces through his music.
Believe it or not, I think it has really helped boost my creativity while designing or making art.
Has anyone listened to Fathers and Sons? It's Muddy and Butterfield/Bloomfield. Maybe my favorite disc (this week. )
It's weird that after you start playing you hear it for the first time in songs you've listened to for years. Even in Jimi Hendrix's Once I had a Woman which was a total shock.
James, I hear ya about in the truck. 2 hrs commute a day is no longer wasted. Love blowing notes at a light and people start looking around.
Keep the stories coming! Gotta go practice!!!
-------------------- Alan Ackerson LetterWorks Design and Graphics alan@ack2.com Posts: 776 | From: Oak Ridge, NJ | Registered: Aug 2002
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Just was at the 5th annual Blues For My Brother last night and our headliner was Ottomatic Slim. I totally endorse that guys harmonica playing. Great articulation and such a fat fat sound!
bp
-------------------- Bob Parsons 907-258-6283 rparsons@gci.net Posts: 118 | From: Anchorage, AK / USA | Registered: Aug 1999
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I'm just finishing up a 6 week class thru the local liesure learning system. 90 minute classes once a week. We've got a pretty practice session going on "You've gotta move" and a few other crossharp favorites.
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I believe it was Paul (the harp) Martin I got to jam with 'till the wee hours of the morning in Mike Myers' shop at the Mazeppa Muster. The guy has some chops! Nothing like a blues harmonica to cure what ails you!
-------------------- John Byrd Ball Ground, Georgia 770-735-6874 http://johnbyrddesign.com so happy I gotta sit on both my hands to keep from wavin' at everybody! Posts: 741 | From: Ball Ground, Georgia, USA | Registered: May 1999
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Ran into Paul at SEMA recently, he's doing fine and still hammering out the blues......one of my favorite ppl.
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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I play the blues harp. I've been taking lesssons from Dave Barrett for about 6 years. I can play pretty good. I own some custom Marine Bands done by Richard Sleigh of the Filisko Group. My favorite modern player is Kim Wilson and then Gary Primich, Rod Piazza and Tom Ball. I like Little Walter for the old school plus Big Walter Horton, Sonny Terry and Sonny Boy 2. Let's talk harp.
-------------------- Jon Harl 5731 Meridian Ave. San Jose,CA 95118
jonharl@comcast.net Posts: 99 | From: San Jose, California | Registered: Jan 2004
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When I blow one out, I can rebuild it, and i blow out my Bflat and A's regularly.
Have a full rack of Major diatonics, along with a few extras..and extra reed plates A couple Minors (Nat.& Harmonic) That I can't do much with.
and Ya ain't lived till ya try to tune one of these things........That's a whole nuther world I have a harp with notes on it that god probably can't figger out what they are...It does have a note on it that will rid a neighborhood of any cats................and a neighbor if ya work at it a little....hahahah
Haven't played with em for too long a time......but just dug em out and tried a few licks.........Now I got a bloody nose, and am layin on the floor gaspin' for air.......How soon we forget. heheheheh
Hey Frank, Did ya happen to run across those Iwata spray guns at SEMA, that were at the HOK booth ??
Also if you're goin over to the Coast Airbrush Party next month, in Anaheim, there might be a couple more over there that are even better.
..........cj
-------------------- CJ Allan CJs Engraving 982 English Dr. Hazel, KY 42049
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"Back in the day" I played a pretty good 12 bar blues on the guitar. I loved the Texas style blues slightly better than the Chicago style but I liked the Chicago style pizza better. My favorite blues song of all time (for the guitar part) is Red House by Jimi Hendrix. I live less than 15 miles from where Duane Allman lived and is buried in Macon.
My main squeeze for the blues is my '67 Gibson Trini Lopez, bought new while I was in 10th grade. It has P.A.F. pickups, a 7" maple block, neck thru the body design, in-line tuners, trapeze tailstock and when you hit a note it sustains as long as you want. It's a lot like BB King's ES335 but the Trini is a little dressier, slightly heavier and has a sweeter tone. It's also one heck of a collector's item.
Can't fail to mention Stevie Ray Vaughn when you're talking about blues and guitarists.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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BTW, have you ever heard Little Charlie & The Nightcats? They're out of Sacramento and their lead singer, Rick Estrin is just about the meanest harp player you'd ever want to hear.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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I haven't tried an Oskar yet. I do like the Special 20's, I have a the A and F, I have to fill out with Big Rivers on G, D, C. I still like the first Sousa Band C I bought to get started. I like the cheap, tinny sound for some things. Practice is where I can better hear what I'm doing using the the $6 harp rather than the better one. I like my women a little on the trashy side, too!
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I miss the blues... last Dec for my bday, my brother and sis and her hubby brought me to see B.B. King here. I loved him since the late 60's! Then there was Muddy Waters and Sonny Terry, all those guys. It just chainlinked itself together. Being here close to Chicago, we were pretty spoiled having these guys play for high school proms, etc (like B.B.). Muddy Waters played at lunchtime in our student center at the junior college. I like J.Geils and Jimmy Hendrix, Allman brothers. How exciting you live right down the road from where the Allman brothers are from. I missed their concert by a hair. Shouldn't say I worship the blues, but, it's part of me that I miss. There's just nothing like the blues. I always wonder how signpainters keep their lungs strong enough to blow those tunes! What's your secret?
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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