Re: [Harp-L] Bluegrass Harmonica

["Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bluegrass has a fair amount of blues and jazz in it by design (and
accident).  So you should be able to find melodies and such to work with
that are somewhat familiar, if not recognizable.

The population of harmonica players in bluegrass has been thin over the
years, though the numbers of recordings are probably on par with their
population in the overall scheme of things.  Some bluegrass musicians do not
record unless their band is the focus, and many harmonica players seem to be
like that, too.  Be that as it may, here are some things you might want to
look for:

a couple of *CDs I am on* (I am one of those that tends to record with other
bands.):
       K. R. Wood's "Crockett Chronicles"  (www.texannarecords.com)
       Manchaca AllStars "First Attempt"  (
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com)
       High Stakes Rollers "Live"  (I think that was the title, anyway.  The
correct title is probably on my website (www.cyberharp.isonfire.com).
       Ledbetters "Early Morning Train"  (currently available also on the
CTBA compilation CD -- www.centraltexasbluegrass.org)

*Bob Meehan* (He is on the bluegrassharp list addressed on this post, so
maybe he can tell you more.)   www.bobmeehan.net

*George Thacker* ("Bluegrass Harmonica", if memory serves)

*Tony Eyers*  (an Australian academian and a wonderful player who plays as
much bluegrass as he knows and fills in from their with Celtic tunes)
www.harmonicatunes.com

*Glenn Weiser*  "American and Irish Fiddle Tunes for Harmonica"  (
http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/celHarrm.htm)

*Charlie McCoy* (www.charliemccoy.com)

*P. T. Gazell*  (www.ptgazell.com)

Flatt and Scruggs (though I cannot remember which ones have harmonica) --
They have had at least two harmonica players: Earl Taylor and Charlie McCoy

*Mike Stevens*  (www.mikestevensmusic.com)

*Wailin Wood* (www.wailinwood.com)

*Buddy Greene* (www.buddygreene.com)

Mark Graham


That is a start, anyway.  Not everyone listed above is known as a bluegrass
player, but they can play bluegrass or country music that is very similar to
bluegrass.  (Originally, country and bluegrass had no real names and played
in the same places.)  You might also find some of the older string band era
stuff interesting, like:

Double Eagle String Band (harmonica/fiddle = *Tim Wooten*)

*Ernest Thompson* (1924) => typical player for the time period, but played
in a fashion quite conceivably "bluegrass"  (www.archive.org)
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thompson-Red_Wing
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thomoson
http://www.archive.org/details/Ernest_Thompson_Wreck_Of_97

There are some other interesting players from the early days that are worth
listening to on www.archive.org and on www.honkingduck.com.

You may also find *DeFord Bailey's* recordings interesting.  They are more
in the typical presentation of the harmonica as a solo instrument in the
1920's, but they are educational.  I believe Marcella Pry (a friend of
Lonnie Glosson's) still has some of the 1928 and 1929 recordings available
for sale: marcellapry@xxxxxxxxxx

*Lonnie Glosson* recordings ought to be of interest to you, also.  Many in
the central US considered him a bluegrass harmonica player, and he was a
wonderful player.  He approached the harmonica melodically from the blues
side, just as you described that you did, so he may be a great source for
you.  Write Marcella and see if she cannot help you get some Lonnie Glosson
recordings (marcellapry@xxxxxxxxx).

[Please use a large font for Marcella.  She is a wonderful lady, but is
getting on in years.]

That ought to get you started.

The most important things to know in bluegrass are: stay in time, stay in
key (and mode), listen to the other players -- how you blend with them --
and how you affect the overall sound, and have fun!!!

Cara Cooke
www.cyberharp.isonfire.com
http://manchacaallstars.tripod.com


On 8/7/07, B Boggs <ceudoazul@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi Cara,
> Could you list a few good CD's that have good bluegrass harmonica on them?
> I was invited to a gig with a band that did a lot of bluegrass (banjo,
> mandolin, fiddle, bass, guitar,vocals) and found that a lot of the songs I
> could play from blues plerspective.
> Anyway, very fun music.
> Thanks,
> Brian
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~((((((((((((((((((((((~(((((((((((((((((((*
>
> "Message: 9
> Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2007 19:11:04 -0500
> From: "Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L]
> To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> Just an FYI, hearing the term "bluegrass harmonica" should not be any
> more
> odd than hearing the term "bluegrass dobro".  Flatt and Scruggs had
> both.
> It may be more unusual to have a harmonica player on the ball enough to
> do a
> good job in the music than on the other instruments, but that does not
> mean
> that it cannot ever be considered an authentic bluegrass instrument.
> Just
> because we aren't accustomed to it, doesn't mean that it never happened
> somewhere else or sometime else; and it does not mean that it cannot be
> re-applied by those capable of holding their own with the other
> players.
>
> ----------------------------
>
> Cara"
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
> Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo!
> Games.
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>