[Harp-L] Little Walter: Seven Essential Harmonica Solos â new ten-week class in Berkeley

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Starting Saturday, April 9, Iâll be teaching a ten-week course on Little Walter 
at the Jazzschool in Berkeley: http://jazzschool.com/html/classes.html
 
Little Walter Jacobs is perhaps the most influential blues harmonica soloist 
ever. He revolutionized blues harmonica in the 1950s partly through 
amplification, partly through injecting jazz ideas into the down-home blues, but 
mostly through his own creative genius. 

 
This course will examine several aspects of Little Walterâs playing, including 

         his musical origins and influences 
         his influence on later players
         his playing as a band member, as a soloist, and as an accompanist to 
singers
         his use of chromatic harmonica
         His use of first and third positions
         His unusual approach to tongue blocking, with some little-known 
secrets.

Weâll examine several of his recordings, but weâll focus on seven of his most 
influential recordings, looking at the his musical architecture of building a 
solo, the notes he played, and what he did with the notes too create nuance, 
both on a musical level and through harmonica technique. Registered participants 
will receive a list of recordings to study, suggested reading, and 
transcriptions of the solos to music notation and harmonica tab. 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
Harmonica instructor, The Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance
Resident expert, bluesharmonica.com
Columnist, harmonicasessions.com