[Harp-L] Modern Blues Harmonica newsletter - February 2013

"Modern Blues Harmonica" <asgussow@xxxxxxx> · Wed, 27 Feb 2013 02:24:24 -0000

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Blues Harmonica Friend:

The Green Monster (above) has had some TLC in a local shop and is once again home in the woodshed.  Woodshedding is going on, though, and I've already got a full plate of gigs for the coming season.

Lots of stuff to share below:

1)  Gussow/Shellist Philly workshop

2)  "The Trouble I've Seen" video

3)  Blues Talk series

4)  gigs

5)  from the archives

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1) GUSSOW/SHELLIST PHILLY WORKSHOP

As I mentioned in a recent email, Ronnie Shellist and I are offering a one-day, morning-to-midnight blues harmonica workshop/blowoff in at a Philadelphia club called The Twisted Tail on Saturday, April 6th.  Seating for the workshop in the intimate upstairs room is strictly limited to 45 and we have already sold 35 tickets, so please visit the workshop page and register TODAY (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/t3228). 

The workshop runs from 10 to 6:30; the evening blowoff runs from 9 to 1.  (There should be room at the evening show, even if the workshop is sold out.)  Here's the day's schedule:

Doors open at 10am for Meet and Greet 

10:30am: Ronnie Shellist will be teaching "blues harmonica nuances" and "mastering breath control".

11:30am: 10 minute BREAK

11:40am: Adam Gussow will be teaching "a New/Old approach to 3rd position."

12:40pm: 80 min Lunch Break

2pm: Adam and Ronnie will be co-teaching: "What it means to be a professional harmonica player/musician."

3:20pm: 10 min BREAK

3:30pm: Adam on "Deep Rock Harp: "Crossroad Blues" and "Sunshine of Your Love"

4:30pm: 15 min BREAK

4:45pm-6:30pm: Jam Session with direct feedback.  You will have time play a bit to a jam track for the group and receive some great insight and feedback from Adam and Ronnie

9pm: Live blues show with Ronnie, Adam and special guest Nate Myers and his band

If you need more tempting, here's a preview video in which Ronnie and I both talk about the workshop:  PREVIEW VIDEO (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/9v328).  Ronnie and I have a special chemistry as teachers and players and we're eager to get with you, show you some new tricks and old truths, and share a long day and evening of blues harp fellowship.

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2) "THE TROUBLE I'VE SEEN" DOCUMENTARY

>From time to time I get called to do a studio session.  Every session is memorable in its own way, but back in December I had a chance to contribute my playing to a truly exceptional project.

It's a brief documentary that explores the work of the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/po428), a group of students and faculty led by Margaret Burnham, a professor of law at Northeastern University.  The CRRJ Project reopens old, unsolved case files on lynchings and other acts of violence against African Americans in the deep South.  Prof. Burnham's students traveled to Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas to interview survivors and, in some cases, politicians and aging lawmen.  The soundtrack--and thus the harmonica playing I was asked to do--evokes the pain, fear, and sadness felt by those who suffered these attacks and their long aftermath.  You'll be as moved by their stories as I was.  You can view the film here. (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/5g528)  (I contributed all of the harmonica cues except the very first, at the :56 point, which was performed by Thaddeus Hogarth, a fine guitarist and chrom player who teaches at the Berklee College of Music.)

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3)  BLUES TALK

The twelve installments of my "Blues Talk" series of videos have now been uploaded.  I've described the series of one-hour video lectures as an attempt to sketch, broadly and accessibly but with scholarly precision, "the history, culture, and meanings of the blues."  A departure from my long string of blues harmonica teaching and performance videos, these cut much closer to the sort of work I do as a classroom instructor at the University of Mississippi.  Response has been very good.  The homepage of the series is here (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/l9528).  Please take a look, if you haven't already done so.  

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4) GIGS

I'll be on the move this spring and summer, with club gigs, festivals, and workshops in many parts of North America, including--for the first time in many years--Ontario, Canada.  Don't forget Satan & Adam at the NOLA Jazzfest (the Blues Stage) on May 5th.  Here's a complete gig list:

3/2/13:    Oxford, MA - Blind Pig (w/Alan Gross and band, 7:30 - 11:30 PM)

3/23/13:  Oxford, MS - Rooster's Blues House (The Blues Doctors, 5:30 - 7:30 PM)

4/6/13:    Philadelphia, PA - The Twisted Tail (workshop w/Ronnie Shellist + evening show with Ronnie and   Nate Myers & his band (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/11628) - 10:30â6:30 + 9 PMâ1 AM)

4/13/13:  Clarksdale, MS - Juke Joint Festival (The Blues Doctors busking in front of Southern Exposure, near   Ground Zero, all afternoon)

4/18/13:  Winnsboro, SC - 145 Club (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/hu728) (The Blues Doctors)

4/20/13:  Clemson, SC - Clemson Blues Festival (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/xm828) (The Blues Doctors, details TBA)

4/26/13:  Oxford, MS - Rooster's Blues House (The Blues Doctors, 5:30 - 7:30 PM)

4/27/13:  Oxford, MS - Double Decker Festival (The Blues Doctors busking outside Rooster's Blues House, all afternoon)

5/5/13:    New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/df928) (Satan & Adam on the Blues Stage - time TBA)

6/1/13:    Orangeville, Ontario, CANADA - Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival (clinic + blowoff + gig, times TBA)

6/2/13:    Orangeville, Ontario, CANADA - Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival (acoustic tent, time TBA)

7/20/13:  Oxford, MS - Oxford Blues Festival (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/t7928) (New Delta Jukes, time TBA)

7/26/13:  Steelton, PA - Blue Front Lounge (OMB, 8 - 11 PM)

8/7/13:    Summit, NJ - Reed-Reeves Arboretum (OMB, 7-8 PM)

8/8/13:   Charlottesville, VA - Blue Moon Diner (OMB, 8-10 PM)

8/9/12:   Gaffney, SC - Daddy Joe's Beach House (OMB, time TBA)

8/30/13: Como, MS - Otha Turner Picnic & Goat Roast (The Blues Doctors, time TBA)

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5) FROM THE ARCHIVES

Albums:

Satan and Adam, BACK IN THE GAME (2011) (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/9za38)

Adam Gussow, Southbound (2011) (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/psb38)

Adam Gussow, KICK AND STOMP (2010) (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/5kc38)

Satan and Adam, WORD ON THE STREET (2009) (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/ldd38)
Adam Gussow and Charlie Hilbert, LIVE IN KLINGENTHAL (2008) (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/15d38)

Lessons:

Modern Blues Harmonica Advanced Beginner's Special

For beginning players who have completed the first handful of lessons on my website (most of which can be found in the "Beginner's Special," above) and are ready to commit to the next step, here is a bargain:  six video tutorials with the tab sheets thrown in for free.  The lessons in this collection continue your education into the world of blues harmonica by teaching you a range of ways of moving through the 12-bar changes--the "blues progression."  These include a boogie-woogie (Bittersweet Boogie), a melody drawn from a vocal line (Same Old Blues), a jazzy melody that deliberately breaks across the bar lines (Whistlin' the Blues), a two-beat stomp that uses double stops and chords (Red Dress), a simplified version of a Chicago blues standard (Mojo 1.0), and a rock classic (Rock Around the Clock).  There is a method in Gussow's madness!  These songs socialize you into the wide and wonderful world of blues musicianship, even as they develop your lip-strength, coordination, and reflexes.

PLEASE NOTE:  All these songs are demonstrated using a key of C harmonica, except for Mojo 1.0, which uses a key of A harmonica.

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  You do NOT need to know how to bend notes in order to play these songs.  This is why they are appropriate for beginners and advanced beginners.    

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/96043721-mbh-advanced-beginners-special-zip (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/hye38)

Chicago Blues Classics

For INTERMEDIATES and ADVANCED INTERMEDIATES who want a selection of the best that the Chicago blues tradition has to offer, I've bundled five video tutorials into an easy-to-download zip file, with the tab sheets thrown in for free.  Included in this package are Sonny Boy Williamson/Junior Wells ("Checking Up on my Baby"), Junior Wells ("Messing With the Kid"), Big Walter Horton ("Easy"), Paul Butterfield ("Born in Chicago"), and Little Walter/Kim Wilson ("Got My Mojo Working"), all for only $25, a savings of $10 off the item-by-item price.

www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/9162190-chicago-blues-classics-zip (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/xqf38)

"Bending the 3 Draw":  NOT just for BEGINNERS and ADVANCED BEGINNERS, but for INTERMEDIATES as well.  The 3 draw bend--several different bends, actually--is more challenging than 4 draw and 2 draw.  Gussow helps you extract the deep bluesy sound that lies buried in the harp; he uses a guitar to explain exactly which pitches you're trying for and where they're located.

   Harp:  C
   Video: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3179910-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/djg38)
   Tab: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3179911-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/tbh38)

 "When the Saints Go Marching In":  This New Orleans classic is perfect for the INTERMEDIATE players (and a challenge for the adventurous ADVANCED BEGINNER) looking to add a little jazz to the repertoire.  Play it fast or slow--it always swings.

    Harp:  C
    Video: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/1818292-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/93h38)
    Tab: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/1818293-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/pwi38)

"Chicken Shack":  INTERMEDIATE.  Organist Jimmy Smith's groove-jazz classic, a 12-bar blues that's been recorded by everybody, including Charlie Musselwhite and Pinetop Perkins.  This is one tune you DO need to master if you're planning to play jam sessions and pickup gigs.

  Harp:  C
  Video: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3116414-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/5oj38)
  Tab: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3116415-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/lhk38)

âMessinâ With the Kid":  I've tabbed out Junior Wells's two-chorus solo from Hoodoo Man Blues and adapted the guitar riff from bars 11 & 12.  This is an amazing, challenging solo--so challenging that I encourage you to slow it to 80% of full speed using the Amazing Slow Downer application.  Great rewards await students who embrace this challenge; Junior's approach, properly understood and adapted to your needs, can significantly expand your bag of tricks.

   Harp:  F
   Video:  www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3268319-messin-with-the-kid-mov (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/19k38)
   Tab: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/3268318-messin-with-the-kid-gussow-pdf (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/h2l38)

"Got My Mojo Working":  The holy grail for many harp players.  A song that you absolutely, positively need to know.  This is a two-part lesson organized around a two-page tab sheet.  First page is my adaptation of the "head" or intro that always kicks the song off; second page is a transcription of the first 12 bars of Kim Wilson's solo on Jimmy Rodgers's LUDELLA album--a kick-ass harp throwdown, decoded and reassembled.  The head is within reach for INTERMEDIATE as well as ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE players; the solo is extremely challenging at full speed.

   Harp:  A
   Video: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/7594912-got-my-mojo-working-mov (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/xum38)
   Tab: www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/7594911-got-my-mojo-working-gussow-pdf (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/dnn38)

Adam Gussow interview with David Barrett

In this wide-ranging conversation filmed two years ago at SPAH, I offers my tricks, tips, and insights on a series of topics that will be of interest to players of all levels.  For a list of topics and/or to purchase this zip file collection of 20 videos, all for only $5, hit THIS LINK (http://e2.ma/click/9nhge/dnn7n/tfo38).

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That's all, folks.  Spring comes next month, and that's only a few days away..........

yours in chilly Mississippi,

--Adam

early influences, including James Cotton and Magic Dick (2 videos)

the lessons he received from NYC harp legend, the late Nat Riddles (3 videos)

accompaniment playing: the harp player as sideman (2 videos)

what a harp player can learn from sax and trumpet players

mastering the art of blues improvisation (3 videos)

first and third position playing, with overblows added (2 videos)

essential theory for the blues harmonica player (2 videos)

mics, amps, and other equipment issues (2 videos)

where we are in the history of the blues harmonica (including the influence of the internet on evolving styles) (2 videos) - See more at: http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/164891379-adam-gussow-interview-with-david-barrett-zip#sthash.kjftCYFY.dpuf

In this wide ranging conversation, filmed with three cameras and HQ sound, Gussow offers his tips, tricks, and insights on a series of topics that will be of interest to players of every ability level. He frequently picks up a harp and demonstrates the concept he's trying to convey. - See more at: http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/164891379-adam-gussow-interview-with-david-barrett-zip#sthash.kjftCYFY.dpuf

402 Meadowlawn Drive | Oxford, MS 38655
www.modernbluesharmonica.com | asgussow@xxxxxxx

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