Re: Dying artform

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Scorcher" wrote:
<snip>
> Seems that now that the heyday of harmonicas is over, very few 
> people are interested in learning / playing / hearing about this 
> rather specialized sub-class of  harmonica music.
<snip>
> How do we save these cool esoteric harmonicas like Basses, Chords, 
> and Polyphonias from extinction? Does anybody have any ideas how to
> "integrate" these into "more popular" musical forms? Or how to 
> start a harmonica band?

I learned at last year's SPAH (my first) that the harmonica band is 
still kicking.  It is true that most of the American practicioners of 
this "dying artform" are getting on in years, but there are some 
harmonica bands that have younger players.  Our Dallas Harmonica Trio 
has Jerl Welch on bass, and the chord is played by the lead player, 
Frank Halvonic's son, John.  John's son who must be about eight, is 
being groomed as a lead chromatic player!  The tradition is very 
vibrant in Asia, and last year's SPAH was attended by a group of 
Taiwanese (I believe) students who were mostly in their teens.  
Harmonica festivals across the Pacific Rim often feature a lot of 
this kind of harmonica playing.  

I believe that Mickey Rafael has used bass harmonica in some of his 
recordings, both solo and with Willie Nelson, and if I'm not mistaken 
he's used some tremolo as well.  

If *I* were trying to start or join a harmonica band, I'd look for 
local harmonica club and try and connect with some of the veteran 
players there, who would no doubt love some fresh blood in their 
circles.  I bet if you looked around you'd be surprised how many of 
these guys were out there.

I went on a job interview once at Dell Computer in Austin.  The vice 
president of Global Financial Information Systems asked me about my 
hobbies, and I told him I played and customized harmonicas.  He 
pulled a chromatic harp out of his pocket and played a couple of 
riffs, then told me he'd been taught by none other than Johnny Puleo, 
who was a friend of his family when he was growing up in New York 
City.  

- -tim