[Harp-L] Harmonica in Saudi Arabia?

["Harmonica Jervis" <harmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am developing a harmonica workshop for beginners, and they're people from
Saudi Arabia.

In my other beginners workshops (here in Holland) I usually teach the class
some straightforward chugging/chordal stuff in 2nd position on a regular
diatonic harmonica, and a few lines of a slow bluesy cross-harp song. This
works in Western Europe, because most people there have some
emotional/musical reference to blues and the pentatonic scale. I expect this
approach not to work for the people in Saudi Arabia. A lot of people will
probably have a completely different musical background, and the
workshop-participation is at risk because of that.

What other tunes might work? 

I know, if they master all those overblows they'l have no trouble playing
the S.A.-national anthem in ...9th?.... position, but unfortunately they
will probably be holding the harmonica in their hands for the first time in
their life.

I have been thinking of developing something on a "harmonic minor" harmonica
but of course this might sound a bit too jiddish... Any other ideas for
tunes, easy-exercises, specially tuned harmonicas, scales, etcetera?

Or is it impossible to fit the harmonica in this type of music, while aiming
at beginners?

Thanks for all your constructive ideas,
best regards,

Jervis Groeneveld
www.harmonicainstituut.nl
telefoon (+31)  (0)20 774 8657