[Harp-L] Accordion Harmonica from PanamÃ

[<aolmos@xxxxxxx>]

During my last trip to PanamÃ, I had the pleasure of meeting HÃctor âTito Pitoâ GonzÃlez, a Panamanian harmonica player.  Tito Pito plays traditional Panamanian music using the harmonica to play the accordion parts and his abilities are remarkable.  He uses Hohner tremolo harmonicas. Tito Pito is part of small group of traditional harmonica player from GuararÃ, a very small town in PanamÃ; and as far as I know they are the only representatives of the use of the harmonica in traditional Panamanian music.

Currently he has no commercial releases, but that will change soon.  He was âdiscoveredâ by Panamanian salsa star, Ruben Blades, and Ruben is recording/producing Tito Pitoâs debut CD.  Not sure when it is going to be available, so in the meantime Iâll have to do with the homemade recording (including barking dogs!) that I got in PanamÃ.

Here are a couple of links (in Spanish):

http://www.critica.com.pa/archivo/05182008/lav14.html

http://mastipico.blogcindario.com/2009/08/02163.html

Gus