[Harp-L] RE: Juke Joint tricks

[John Kally <jkally3@xxxxxxx>]

There is some great video of SBII doing just what you describe from  
one of the European blues festival videos (or maybe it's on a bootleg  
but I think that material is now in official release).  He starts out  
playing normally, then finishes the tune with the harp in the side of  
his mouth while snapping his fingers.  Basically he's just chording  
at that point as you'd expect off the low end of the harp.
 Back in the 70s I did see 50s  Sun recording artist Harmonica Frank  
Floyd play most of a set with a harp stuck in the side of his mouth  
while playing guitar and singing.  Pretty primitive but it worked for  
his rough old-timey style, and I guess it was cheaper than buying a  
rack.  He also would pull out a second harp and play one with his  
nose while the other one was in his jaw.  Not sophisticated  but it  
was a crowd pleaser, for sure.
For other  showmanship, I remember seeing Paul Oscher with Muddy  
Waters  circa 1971 doing  an instrumental with the band and at one  
point in the tune punctuating a phrase by either throwing a cap  (as  
in cap gun, not capacitor) or a little firecracker down during the tune.
Cathal Mog wrote:

I remember reading that Sonny Boy (II) used to play the harp without  
hands,
by sticking it in his mouth like a cigar. How he did this with any  
success
eludes me. Can anyone do it?
also I read in The Land Where the Blues Began about a harmonica  
player who
played with his nose and mouth. Anybody know how to do this without  
sounding
and looking silly?
Thanks in advance,