[Harp-L] Re: Looking for a good harmonica compilation CD

["Jonathan Metts" <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"I would like to give to a musician friend of mine a CD of harmonica
music that really demonstrates the virtuosity of some of the great
players (any/all genres).  Any suggestions?"

I have a disc called "Blowing the Blues" that I think is pretty great, 
although a bit short.  It has tracks like "No Way Out" by Sonny Boy II (Rice 
Miller), "Roller Coaster" by Little Walter, "Room to Move" by John Mayall 
(my favorite track), and "Sitting on Top of the World" by Howlin' Wolf.  I 
bought it at a normal music store, so it's probably easy to find.  I have 
another disc called "Crucial Blues Harmonica" that is not so good overall, 
but it does have a couple of excellent tracks from Cephas & Wiggins and 
Little Charlie & His Night Cats.

"I''d like to pass on to my violinist friend the
names of pieces that have been intenionally written for harmonica.
Anyone know?

Thanks, Rene"

There are lots of old pieces for chromatic harmonica, though I haven't heard 
any of them.  The only concerto for diatonic harmonica was written by Howard 
Levy, who performs it a couple times each year.  I saw it in Nashville this 
past November, and it is really impressive and beautiful stuff.  I don't 
know if there other, non-concerto pieces for diatonic, but I doubt it.

Jonathan Metts