[Harp-L] Mark Graham

["Tom Ellis" <tomsmics@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark Graham is, simply, one of the finest acoustic harmonica players you can listen to.  His CD Southern Old Time Harmonica is one of the best acoustic harp albums ever made, with extensive first and second position playing that is generally unmatched in my listening experience.  The followup, a duet album with banjo player Tom Sauber (the title escapes me just now) is almost as good, with some brilliant lyrical playing.  They are must haves for anyone interested in traditional harmonica styles, or anyone interested in the potential of first position playing.  It's opened my ears as much as anything I've heard in the last ten years.  

Mark's from Seattle (or nearby), and like James Conway (whose from Chicago I think) is a "hard to believe he isn't better known" guy (Jim's a premiere Celtic player with a strong Irish background).  Anyone who has to play acoustic diatonic harp--in any style of music--would be strongly advised to chase down CDs by both of these guys.  In fact, when we held SPAH here in Dallas, Mark was one of the first people we thought of to invite, and his performance with Tom Sauber was one of the highlights of the weekend;  his playing in the lobby with groups of people was almost as good, too!  Tom Ellis/Tom's Mics