RE: [Harp-L] Mark Graham

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> 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

Spot-on on all counts, mate.  Mark and James are very different but are both 
unmissable.  I had the good fortune to meet Tom Sauber a few months ago at 
the Plough Arts Centre in Devon when he was playing with "The Gathering" 
with Debbie McClatchey (she changed my mind about banjo too!).  No harp in 
that concert, but what a class act they were.  As for Mark, he shows what 
straight harp can be better than anyone I've heard.

Cheers

Steve

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