[Harp-L] Mark Hummel's 15th Annual Harmonica Blowout

["Robert Gaustad" <robertgaustad@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, last night at Yoshi's jazz club at Jack London Square in Oakland was
the place to be, in my opinion.  I had the distinct pleasure of seeing and
hearing Mark Hummel, Dave Barrett, Rick Estrin, Jerry Portnoy, Lee Oskar,
and Magic Dick...all in one great, great show.  It was my first time at one
of Mark's Harmonica Blowouts and it won't be the last.

Backed by Mark's very fine band, The Blues Survivors, it was one of the best
night's of music I've heard in a long time. Never mind the great harp
players, Mark's band is fantastic.  I just loved the great guitar and piano
work, great blues without an ego.

I got the chance to meet and speak with Jerry Portnoy for awhile and he was
as gracious as one could be.  So, hey, I just had to buy his Blues Harmonica
Masterclass CDs and his latest CD as well after speaking with him.  He was
the only one I saw hanging in the front of the room so he's the only one I
met.  But it was enough since I got a chance to discuss a few things like
practice, harps, and microphones.  He's not a real equipment guy and plays
Marine Bands with a stock (so he tells me) JT-30 mic.  I was happy to see
he's got the same Mississippi Saxophone harp case as I do.

I loved the different styles of all the harp players.  I can't say who my
favorite was between the three headliners, Jerry Portnoy, Lee Oskar, and
Magic Dick because they were all so good and different.  Portnoy played a
couple of nice slow blues numbers and his tone is incredible.  Lee Oskar at
first didn't have his amp on and when he finally realized it and turned it
on, he got a big applause. I just love his single note playing style.  Magic
Dick had a great sense of humor and, of course, played his signature Whammer
Jammer.

One interesting thing was Magic Dick saying that although he had played on
the same bill as him for many years, he only met Lee Oskar about 10 days ago
at the start of the Harmonica Blowout tour.  He said in the past they would
just sort of pass each other and kind of growl...or at least he'd growl at
Lee Oskar.   The tour ended with the show I saw last night and I bet it was
the best one since it was the last.

I've never been in one place with so much harmonica talent.  At one point I
heard a guy next to me say (I think it was after a great Lee Oskar tune)
that he was going to go home and burn his harps (burn them?).  At the same
time as he was saying that, I was excited about going home and just keep
playing and playing and playing.  It was very inspiring to me and I'm a
pretty jaded dude.  I'm truly hoping to make SPAH this year so I can once
again be with a bunch of harp lovers.

Another couple sitting next to me didn't know what kind of show they bought
tickets for (for some reason) so I explained that they were about to see
some of the best harp players alive.  They didn't know much about harmonica
and nothing about the players.  At the end of the show, they were converts.

While listening to Jerry Portnoy playing a wonderful toneful, sinful slow
blues, I sort of asked myself why I play the harp...and the answer that came
to me is because it's one of the most soulful instruments ever invented.  I
just love it and after last night, I love it even more...and I'm proud to
call myself a harmonica player.

Robert Gaustad