RE: [Harp-L] Irish Music on the Harp Now James Conway

[James Conway <harp3333@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks a million for all those kind words! I'm touched.

As far as getting started with playing Irish music, I would first suggest attending some Irish sessions in your area. These are musical gatherings, usually held at pubs, where folks get together to play traditional Irish music. You can get some good info about recordings, tune books, etc. at these.

Harps?   Get a diatonic in D, Low D, and a G(Paddy-Richtered preferrably). I like the XB40s a whole lot for volume and expressiveness(bends on all holes!). Tremolo harps have a very accordianesque sound. Seydel has a new tremolo model called the Fanfare which is in a familiar solo tuning and has good tone/volume.

Recordings?   Listen to all instruments, but if you're looking for a harmonica sound get some concertina recordings(Noel Hill, Mary MacNamara)

Tune Books?   There's some great tunes in the Mally books by Dave Mallison: 100 Essential Sesssion Tunes, 100 Evergreen Session Tunes, 100 Enduring Session Tunes. I've heard that these books now have CD recordings with them.

Techniques?  Use tongue-blocking for rhythmic chording in order to emulate accordians/concertinas. Get an XB40 to emulate fiddle slurs. Use a regular D diatonic to emulate the tin whistle: it's in the same range and it really sounds "tin-whistly" if you're comfortable with the high blow bends.

Good luck!
James Conway
www.jamesconway.net

Something completely different: I had the pleasure of catching Dennis Gruenling and Steve Guyger last week performing their Little Walter tribute show in Chicago. It was brilliant! There were many great harmonicists in the house and the joint was oozing with tone and swing. Great night!
----------------------------------------
> From: hazcon@xxxxxxxxxx
> To: turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Irish Music on the Harp Now James Conway
> Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2008 18:59:02 +1300
> CC: 
> 
> Have you ever said,or thought,"i'd cut my leg off to be able to play like 
> that"
> James Conway........to me anyway is another Howard Levy,in that he just does 
> things on a Harp that are jaw dropping...pardon the pun and then  type him 
> into U tube,abol..sulutey bleedin'
> mind bogglin'
>                Look for the one where he Jaw Harps and does a voice 
> drone,with Harp
> Imo this is one awesome harmonica player who is taking the harp beyond 
> cliches (mind you i love cliched Harp as well)
>             Blues,irish and beyond
> Rick
> in NZ
> 
> 
>>I don't know how this discussion got this far without somebody mentioning 
>>James Conway's absolutely wonderful record "Mouth Box", but if it has to be 
>>me, so be it.
>>
>> "Mouth Box" is not only a great harmonica record, and not only a great 
>> Irish music record.  It is one of the best independent record releases in 
>> any style that I have ever seen and heard.  There isn't an aspect of this 
>> release, from the cover graphics in, that isn't brilliantly done. The 
>> harmonica playing is terrific, the arrangements are effective and varied, 
>> and the sound is luminously beautiful.
>>
>> Have I succeeded in convincing everyone reading this who doesn't own a 
>> copy of this record to run out and buy one?  Go ahead.  You can thank me 
>> later.
>>
>> Regards, Richard Hunter
>> hunterharp.com
>> harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
>> Latest mp3s always at http://broadjam.com/rhunter
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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> Richard Marsh
> Test Certifier No: 00050 
> 
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