Adam George “Harmonica” Smith was the first Blues Harmonica Master that I got to meet, hear and play with in 1968, I’d been playing since 66’ only knowing 2nd position. That night he calls me up to do a harmonica duet, well we’re playing and Big Mama Thornton is singing! George Smith turns to me saying let’s switch harps so I did finding myself not being able to play his harp, but he kept wailing on my harp! He’s laughing at me as I’m trying desperately to find note’s to play but couldn’t! Afterwards I asked him to show me what he was doing and he said “I’m not gonna so you a got damm thing”!!! I couldn’t believe it as we were the only two Black Men in the club, well like Jr. Wells it put a fire in me more to wanna know about playing Blues Harmonica! George Smith was playing in 1st position that night so when we switched harps I didn’t know what was going on my Bluesharpbrother Lol! A few years later Blues Harmonica Master Cary Bell showed me how to play 1st position! Loved this video which speaks the truth and different ways to learn about the Blues Harmonica!!! Now Big Walter Horton was my mentor from 1974-77 but that’s another story!!!🎼🎶♥️🎤🎵👌🏿
Thanks for that incredible story, Dr.! Wow. "I'm not gonna show you a godamned thing!" BUT: he got you up there AND let you put your mouth on his harp. That story is deep. The fact that you had direct contact with all three blues harmonica masters puts you in a category of your own. I got the chance to meet and hang out with James Cotton several times, and I got to see Jr. Wells and Carey Bell live, multiple times, along with William Clarke, Bill Dicey, Nat Riddles....I'm losing count. Nat was my mentor, but that is another story, too. Thanks again for weighing in here.
Appreciate your kindness Adam as it’s truly humbling to have direct personal experiences with real life Blues Harmonica Master’s! I’ll forever be a student of the Old School because of Big Walter Horton and Muddy Waters who on my first meeting him he tells me to come up with the band on their first set, I’m in the dressing room with the band as their playing cards and talking trash. Muddy lays down his cards stands up and Sammy Lawhorn, Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones, Willie Smith and Mojo Buford all rise heading to the bandstand and Muddy turns to me saying “Come on son I wanna see what you can do”! It was my first time playing through a Super Reverb and a JT-30 as Mojo plugged in his microphone switched on the amp handing his mic to me. Muddy Waters turns to me called out “E”, this is the late 60’s as I pulled out my “A” harmonica as The Best Blues Band On The Planet broke into “Baby Please Don’t Go”!!! From that night on whenever The Muddy Waters Blues Band came to my hometown of Atlanta GA I got to set in with them and in 1976 I rode to Chicago with the band (Muddy would fly) I’m riding with Willie Smith, Calvin Jones and Guitar Jr. When we arrived on January 13th the sad news all over Chicago was that The Great Howlin’ Wolf had gone on to Blues Heaven. Nat Riddles, Adam oh how I would have loved to have known him! What a beautiful soul and awesome Blues Harmonica Master!!! While living in Chicago I got to play with Jr. Wells many times and of course Big Walter! From 1976-79 I got to play with The Who’s Who of then the Chicago Scene basically 7 day’s a week, Southside, Westside and the Gold Coast where on the rare occasion when Muddy Waters was in town from touring I got to watch Blues Harmonica Master James Cotton with The Muddy Waters Blues Band play songs from Muddy’s Grammy Award Winning “Hard Again” album and it was so freakin’ good that it brought me to tears! Muddy then calls me up after Cotton had blown the roof off the club “Quiet Knight” and Muddy breaks into “Long Distant Call”, Adam if it wasn’t for Big Walter Horton I was able to keep the roof that James Cotton had blown off from falling back down! Leaving the bandstand with Muddy, his arm over my shoulder saying “I’ve been hearing a lot about you here in Chicago and I’m proud of you son you got that Sound, a Voice with it”!!! Tone is what Muddy Waters was saying to me and it’s what we all aspire to in our love of Blues Harmonica!!! Adam Gussow you have inspired and helped thousands of harmonica players around the world with your awesome RUclips channel!!! Keep Shakin’ ‘Em On Down my Bluesharpbrother!!!🎼🎶♥️🎤🎵👌🏿
It took me five years to figure out that james cotton was playing straight harp on his high end playing. After that and learning 3rd position, i could fly.
I wish I knew about that book in '82 when I started playing - I didn't know anyone - I had to wait until youtube - Very grateful for teachers like you, Jason Ricci & Ronnie Shellist!
I think much of what has been missed during those times was discipline, not having the master there to really push you; but a new generation having to use their own discipline with the amount of resources given to them through books and other media. The best way of learning I think will always be hands-on experience and really getting a feel of your instrument and not being afraid to play around with new techniques
Tony Glover harmonica was an audio tape I had since about 1972. I came a cross a bootleg cassette in the closet last week but don't have a player. You are teaching me now. Tony and I didn't click without you. thanks
Thanks Adam, I"ve been following you since I think 2009 or 2010, I learnt to play blues harmonica from you bub. For that thank you very much Adam, you are the Master / Journeyman and we are your apprentices out here.....
Adam, thank you for your insight and time... Many channels just want to "teach" a learner a thing or two blowing the harp. You go much further and give the viewer an appreciation for the background of the instrument as well. Once again, thank you!
Which can be annoying when you just want to learn how to do something, and the guy goes on a 15 minute rant about how ancient Mongolians won a battle with a harmonica made of bamboo and mud
I started my education just before the internet. It was still about listening to the old duffers who'd been out there a long time as a pro. I'm still learning from them and others daily. 25 years and I'm still obsessed and excited about harmonica music. Thanks Adam.
I'm a guitar player and a bass player I recently just picked up the harp. I am completely enamored with it. A girlfriend of mine gave me a c harp then I bought me a marine band and took off. I even got a chromatic and started messing with that. I still can't believe how fast I'm learning. I started playing electrified too. These videos are a huge help. Thank you my big 5 are Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield, and Big Walter Horton.
I'm having a similar experience. Guess it becomes more easy when you know what you want the harp to sound like and know how to play guitar by your ears. Getting the hang of it sure requires practice though.
@@Viktor-wn2ch Yes it does my friend, it really does practice is paramount. I keep it in my pocket at all times and when I'm at work I play my harp when I get home I switch to my guitar or bass. It keeps a good balance of rotating the practice of both
In 1967, I bought the book BLUES HARP by Tony "Sun" Glover. That got me started. I never had a lesson. That book instructed me. Within a year, I was playing (and singing, as I had always been a singer) with bands.
Having listening to KDIA in the SF Bay Area (as a teenage white boy) and hearing Muddy, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, etc. etc., and going to the Filmore, Winterland, and visiting all the clubs numerous times in the SC Mtns and Bay Area region. Paul Butterfield and Alan Wilson totally amazed me as well as James Cotton. So around 1968 I began my "quest" and purchased my first Marine Band and would drive around steering with my legs while trying to copy what I heard. I soon realized that the key of C was not the only key and soon an A and B flat were in my possession...and also that amplification with overdrive changed A LOT! Probably my biggest thrill at that time was getting into a riff "war" with Charlie Musselwhite when I was "fueled" by alcohol at a club in Capitola (known as the OD Inn)...and he said I had what it takes, ha!
I remember a book by Tommy Morgan how to play the blues back in the '70s. That's where I learned all about the vibrato and how to do it excellent explanation as you are as well Adam.
This is a great video of how I learned how to play clarinet. I had a teacher in elementary school. It was still kind of like a master apprentice situation but it was public school instruction. I’m 51 now and I’m just picking up the harp. And I found a teacher close to me.
Thank you Adam for keeping Harmonica Blues alive..I bought all your lesson (package deal) on your web site...I'm learning songs feels good to have tabs and a teacher to talk and play as they teach...i think time, patients, and practice is all I need now. fyi I got that PC for the lessons
I can respect that sometimes in our culture that’s how people get your attention because with anything in the world nothing comes easy I respect you for being a master and teaching for real Fr
I learnt to play harmonica by first playing along to beatles "love me do" at around 16 or 17 yo..then i specifically went out to 2nd hand record shop looking for music with harmonica on the front cover. Got lucky and spotted "Blues Alone" by John Mayall..my first blues record ( which I still have). Then realised I needed help. Went and bought a harmonica book by a guy called Tony Glover..had a flexi disc record and all. I had bends and trills down in the first week, I remember. Luckily my brother played guitar and we figured out what harp, went in each key. That was back in the early 80s in highschool. I still love the blues to this day. I can't believe how easy stuff is to learn these days. But there's something said for doing the old way, just listening to records and trying to emulate what your hearing..gives you a better appreciation for the music...
I’m 16 and learning harp. In my whole life I haven’t met a single other person who plays blues harp. But I watch you, Tomlin Leckie, Jason Ricci and a few others
I'm 46 and after 33 years of playing the guitar have decided to learn to play the harmonica. I know a good teacher or a bad teacher in any subject when I see one and you Sir are a brilliant. This lesson on history has really filled in a space in my mind that has made learning the harp quite serious. I look at my harmonica in a different light. A more serious view with substance and history. I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to make the videos you do and may I just say you are a great player. I only hope that one day I may be able to play one competently. All things take time and effort I know that and with your help I feel like I have someone by my side. Just to add. "Blues Harp" Book, Ordered. I'm less than the apprentice, but if you the Master says the book is the one.. Then it's the one..
I was taught by Joe Filisko in Chicago,and jammed with Shirley King ,BB Kings daughter on State street a few times after she heard me busking down the Chicago underground in 1993.I used to busk outside O Hare airport after Junior Wells horn players where you could make stacks.I saw Junior Wells twice in Chicago.I saw him also at "The Jazz Cafe",which was inspiring.
I was fortunate to have 2 masters take me under there wing, I learned more in one Summer than I did in a year on my own.meet them both the night i went to my 1st blues jam. I will never forget the 1st time I was on stage.
This is very cool Adam. Learned from Curtis Salgado and traded what I should have never had for harp lessons. Went on to work, stay, and tour with R.L. Burnside 1981 - 1994. And, at times Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Robert Belfour, and others. And, yeah Tony Glover's "Blues Harp" was "it." But, it wasn't until I met Curtis when he was with Robert Cray that I began to really play the harp. And, you're right about finding a living, breathing player to really "get" what you're after. "Human to Human transmission." Like you said.
I've never met Salgado or seen him live, and I regret that. I've heard from everybody who has seen him live that he's scary-good--the class of the field. You're lucky to have had that experience. Eddie Burns & Robert Belfour are serious old-school. So you've had the professional training!
@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 Yes Adam the "performance training" is I believe necessary to really play well. As, you know personally with Satan. Around the early years learning from Curtis I was able to apply it in coffee houses playing with Eagle Park Slim from near East St. Louis. (Autry McNease) This was in Eugene where we both had moved to. Though I can still be better at everything harp, guitar, piano--at least I feel I studied it all the best way--including going to Blues jams even still on occasion. I could never have figured out how to play harmonica the "right way" with R.L. Burnside for all those years 81 to 94, some in 99 without Curtis' help. And, he really is good. He's a great singer. He still helps me get better today. And, now I'm showing him 4th, 5th positions. Scott Barretta is helping me with a writing project down there. And, I'm in contact with Dave Evans and Jim O'Neal on occasion. It would be great to speak to you, or email you so I'm including my email. Lou Erlanger who produced ACOUSTIC STORIES and WELL...WELL...WELL the 2 Burnside CD's I'm on playing harp and some guitar told me about you years ago. I know you've written a book about your days with Satan. That's great! My email is: jonbeckleymorris@gmail.com Good hearing from you.
Wow, you're right about that Blues Harp book by Tony Glover. I learned from reading that book in the early 1970's. I lost the book long ago and had forgotten the title. It was just like you said! I would then go to blues concerts and see the likes of Sonny Terry, Charlie Musselwhite, Paul Butterfield, John Mayall, and Corky Siegel. The rest I learned by jamming with amateur blues guitarists. One of my favorite songs for rhythm guitar, harmonica and vocals was Walkin' Blues by Butterfield. Don't know exactly why but that tight arrangement stuck in my head. Thanks for the fascinating presentation!!
I'm 17 years old I've got a mix of Old school and new school, I've Got a few old heads teaching me how to play. Feels Good to know I'm still being thought the same way they were thought back in the day!
The old heads are invaluable--but at some point you'll have to head out on your own and test what they've taught you against the realities of the world. Usually some updates are needed.
Me not knowing how the gate keepers work. This story totally changes my understanding of an interaction I had with a Harp player when I was 15. Should have known this before I talked to him. Missed opportunity I am afraid. Thanks for providing a place for an old guy like me to revisit an earned form of expression and make it better. Now I will wonder about that moment 30 years ago in a different way.
Yeah, it got me thinking back to a few 'missed opportunities' .... But, to be fair to my younger self, I was hustling trying to feed my kids and keep a roof over their heads; I didn't really the time to chase around after harp masters ... !
Awesome video. .. i bought that same harmonica book when i was 15 or 16... it was a lot harder to learn harmonica back then... Ive been watching your videos since your first uploads... you've helped me a lot.. thank you Adam..
Adam, I had the same book in 1973 and tried to learn to play on my own. I believe the book came with a record in the back . I could not get it. I was 16 when I tried to learn but I did not get it until 2 years ago when at 57 I picked up my old marine band and found your gracious teaching videos and I got it. Thank you for all you do.
Yes, at least one version of the book had a tear-out super-thin vinyl record. My original 1974 version did not, but I'm sure you're right. There was a second book, BLUES HARP SONGBOOK, I believe, that had a record. There's also a big LP with a blue version of the original cover; I've got it. Great point, though.
Just play. That’s what i did. Simple chords on guitar and finding harp key that matched, even if you had to primarily draw, or blow, for your song/melody you made-up. And, i played along w/ harp solos on records or on radio. Or, u play along with a guitar or piano player. To me, for me, it’s like Ringo who listened and played to the song. He did not know sheet-music. He used his feel, his pocket, his fills…for the song’s benefit.
"Fathers and Sons," 1969, Muddy and Otis Spann with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Duck Dunn, paid their dues and made friends with the legends, drank and smoked and played in dangerous dives with no guarantees. Tony Glover, Dave Shaker Ray, Spider John Koerner - classic, mostly acoustic folk blues album Koerner Ray and Glover.Tony's book was the first attempt at any formal written instruction for serious musicians intent on learning legitimate blues. Of course, he listed the essential records you needed to listen to, since most folks didn't live where the blues was played. Sonny and Brownie in Chicago, around 1969, lit the fuse.
Theres another book"The Harp Handbook" by Steve Baker.This is good about the US and UK blues scenes,pre-war and post-war.Sam Peckinpah had lots of good harmonica in his Soundtracks.
Great video Adam! I like the dispatches you do that are not just about how to play but about the life around blues harmonica, it's history, the philosophy and so on.
Tony Little Sun Glover's book and a Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee album (I'm thinking it was a 78 sized LP) 1978 or so. I had taken some guitar lessons, later learned blues guitar from a Stefan Grossman book and LP combo.
I'm 67 and learned Black Sabbath Wizard, Cream Spoonful and John Mayhall Room to Move. 50 yrs ago. Those are the only 'songs' I ever learned. I just played to and for myself all those years. But, I got good enough improvising that I have been invited to sit in with several pro bands.
Obviously this survey doesn't mention every key player in the evolution of blues harmonica teaching in the past five or six decades. In the longer talk I gave at NIU, from which this mini-lecture is drawn, I talked about Billy Branch, who has been hugely influential in spreading the blues harp gospel to school kids in Chicago for the past 30 years, and Joe Filisko has been teaching weekly classes there for years. And of course there are the books: Richard Hunter's JAZZ HARP was innovative. If you search Amazon books for "blues harmonica," you'll be reminded how important Winslow Yerxa"s BLUES HARMONICA FOR DUMMIES and HARMONICA FOR DUMMIES are. David Barrett has written many indispensable blues harmonica instructional guides. Tommy Morgan, Steve Cohen, Tom Ball, Steve Baker, David Harp. In the dot.com era. J. P. Allen and Ronnie Shellist. Please use the comments section to fill in the history. What were some other influential blues harmonica instructional books from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s?
Tony Glover's "Blues Harp Songbook," Gindick's books, especially his "Rock and Blues Harmonica" Caveman book, and Charlie Musselwhite's "Blues According To Charlie Musselwhite" book. Glover's "Songbook" and Charlie's book even came with those little acetate demo records!
I "learned" and was inspired by listening to Mayalls Room to Move. I bought an F# harp from fullerton music (ca) the day Lee Oskar happened to be visiting the store and he showed me off some of his harps. The store owner seemed agitated, Lee said dont worry I'll replace the ones I blew on, but I think the owner was more worried about his wife who seemed past the point of starstruck... I tried a book by Tom Ball but couldnt get into it despite the thoughtful exposition. So I am dependent on just listening to songs I like and trying to copy. And all the great videos by Adam, Jason, Will Wilde, Sankey, that guy in the trailer explaining overblows, and Filisko. Hope to find a teacher soon!
I was given a book by Tony "Little Son" Glover;"Teach yourself Blues Harp",by one of my Grans flat tenants in 16 Oakley street,Chelsea,now sadly out-of-print.In America there must have been much more radio stations to listen to as well.
@@Harmonicamatt2 I bought this book in 1967 and it was my instructor. Fabulous book. Can't praise it highly enough. I had always been a singer and was the lead singer and front man of a band at Penn State University, though I had so knowledge of the guitar as well as bass guitar through lessons as a child. It familiarized me with many music theory concepts.
@@robbiefrantz8170 Theres another good book;"The Harp Handbook",by Steve Baker.Sam Peckinpah always had lots of good harmonica on his film soundtracks.
John Sebastian has a good DVD instructional video learning system. Annie Raines did Blues Harmonica Blueprint. I ordered Blues Harp by Tony Little Sun Glover, which is not available in CD but I bought the book because I don't want to miss anything you did.
He didn’t teach him anything, he motivated him, which is worth a lot more. Just because a man is taught doesn’t mean he will apply it, but if a man is motivated he will teach himself AND apply it. Nothing can stand in the way of someone who’s driven.
If threatening a child with getting his throat cut with a knife is such a Great motivation to learn, why isn’t it used in schools and universities? Probably because it is horrible child abuse. Sonny Boy Williamson 2 was obviously a mean old drunk.
Thank you master Adam! I play harmonica for my soul and try to learn best I can. I watch a lot of your and some others videos but I also try to playing by ear. The more I play, I realized how much I dont know to play! :-) Thank you for your teaching, for your RUclips videos and God bless you! All the best from Serbia!
In 1970 I went to a "Blues Night" at the Nite Cap Lounge in Brooklyn. Paul Oscher was playing harp and on a break I was playing some. He gave me 3 'tips' - 1. Keep your hands open for volume 2. Always 2 draw, never 3 blow 3. Stop listening to country music. I couldn't obey that 3rd one because I was already playing banjo and would be playing pedal steel guitar in a few years. I also met Blackie Shackner once. He worked at the big Library. I should have pursued Oscher.
I knew Paul fairly well; he was an occasional figure at the Dan Lynch jam sessions in the 1980s, and we traded the blues harmonica teaching gig at the Guitar Study Center. I visited his classes several times. He had his own style, a sort of Wolfman Jack autodidacticism that made him a figure of great mystique for those who took his classes. I don't get the "stop listening to country music thing," and it's worth pointing out that Bobby "Blue" Bland and Muddy Waters both loved and sang/played country music.
Hi, Adam. I met you here in Clarksdale at Levon's when you were playing there recently. I'm from Houston most recently. I really enjoyed this video. I had almost forgotten the book I read so many years ago, Blues Harmonica by Tony Glover. I bet I still have it laying around somewhere. Also, I had wanted to talk to you about your classes on Southern Culture. Years ago, I tried and tried to find some kind of formal structured program to study the blues. I'll be heading to Oxford soon to spend time in the library. Thanks again for being you. ron
Fantastic story, I some sort of the same thing with a great bluesharp player John La Grand ...hahaha,... best thing he did, he said... "Sodemieter op man,ik heb het ook allemaal zelf moeten doen"...
Oh gosh. Just look at my last vid. Learned from Adams video. He's made me cool. Keep watching Adam. He's great. I'm going to have to sign up for some lessons from him.
Your videos are great, your learning style is great ! and I see you have a lot to teach about life , that is my style.I would like to be the grasshopper, can you be my master , and pass down all of your knowledge .
Brilliant video,i am hopefully emerging out of a very severe depressive episode so have not been able to practise much.However i watch your videos and love the website too,but this video has a lot of really good advice and information in it.One particular thing(hobby) etc can open up many strands of thoughts and ideas.Really interesting stuff thanks Adam :)
I have studied mixed martial arts for 42 years. Harmonica player since 1969. There are great martial arts teachers and some real punks. Just like harmonica players. I once gave after a show a compliment to Rod Piazza. Punk...rude...cocky...did I say punk. Its All Good
Thanks for your input.I have watched your harp videos, they have helped me greatly on the harp. I mainly play guitar, drums and piano. Self taught, except for piano.It has always been; either you have it in you or you dont.All good musicians will not waste their time on someone that has not taught themselves about time signatures and intonation. Then they will take the time to show tou a few things.Until then they played WE.C Fields. Get away from me son you bother me. Case in point the best guitar that I ever knew took me under his wing until I played Jeff Beck "Led Boots"..
There is a great book. I cannot remember the name. Was about Motown and the race riots. Black musicians would put their lives on the line to protect their white musician friends.
I lived in Austin for 10 years. Everyone wanted to play withe Double Trouble. SRVs band. ruclips.net/video/S5-QOoo18xQ/видео.html. Me on the guitar. My friend was drunk and called her his whatever and played it. My friend, her drummer wanted me to sing it but she has a grand eggo..
One more addendum. SRV played in Lou Ann Barton's band. He never sang on stage until that b didnt show up for a gig one night and he sang. The rest is history.
Yes, 95% of my early learning was from copying LPs. I've still got pretty much all of them. At some point I'm going to do a series of lessons about them.
how about teaching me, I am 73 and love the harp, I will travel to learn, been watching videos for quite a while but having a hard time learning by myself
Thought inspiring and insightful. Makes all the sense ine world. For every other thing in life I got "good" at, I always had a human master of relative sorts. Why would playing harp be any different I ask myself.... The truth. Thanks for all your hard work.
hi Adam I love your channel I'm going on a year since I first picked up my harp and i haven't put it down since. My question to you is how do I find a master harp player to learn from where are some places I might wanna look? I live in Albuquerque nm
Albert Segura go online. Lots of guys teach via skype. Unless you live in a place like Austin. Then it's easy to find one. Michael Rubin is a great teacher. Tell him I sent you. Google him.
Oral transmission, to me, is truly something deeper and more intense/ real. Obviously not to say you can't learn something in several other ways but, I dunno, seems almost 'mystical'. BTW, thanks for the history lesson!
He's definitely a good choice for a blues harp master. I still remember the first time I saw him, in 1985. I saw about three feet away, directly in front of him. He was a badass, even then. I think he'd just come off the road with Jimmy Rogers.
Guyger has an incredible tone. He is Amazing. Dennis Gruenling is another player thats within a few hours. Its just hard to spend that kindof time watching and learning from a player like that ... all while working a full time job. Especially if you have to drive an hour or two just to get to them. Guess the only solution is to quit my job and live in Jason Ricci's basement. He & Kate would be cool with that right?
Gussow's classic blues harmonica videos Thank you Adam. I hung on to every word! I remember you told a story once where you said that harmonica cant be written exactly. where you had a couple of drinks in you and you were trying to figure out A Rythm technique in a Book kinda like Ah Eah Ah Eah and you figured it out. sound Familer Friend. Thank you for this
As a martial artist, hearing the story of Sonny Boy and Junior reminded me of many Master-Apprentice "introductions". Many a would-be student has had the door slammed in his face by the master...often more than once. It's a way of testing one's dedication, weeding out those who aren't truly serious. In a world full of people who would have taken Sonny Boy's words to heart and given up, kudos to Junior for turning that rejection into fuel. On top of all the different permutations of Master-Apprentice relationships, one cannot overstate the importance of comping, another tool in the pre-digital age...and today. If one's ear and basics are solid, it's amazing what one can learn by just sitting in a room and listening to "the good shit" again and again, sometimes just a few seconds at a time, "Building your vocabulary by studying and emulating the great poets." Of course, when it comes to that human-to-human connection in the digital age, formats like Skype and Facetime, while not in the same room, offer one-on-one real-time interaction...for those with the time and money for such lessons. Otherwise, I know I've said this before, but I will never be able to thank you enough for all you given away via RUclips and www.modernbluesharmonica.com.
SATAN and Adam is my favorite ,and probably the best, coming of age account in the Blues Harp context. I know you mentioned Bob Shatkin ,and Nat Riddles ,your other mentor ,in the dedication to that book,so I was surprised that you didn't mention Bob's class at The New School , in this clip -where he taught so many players. (I think you taught that class for a while -is that true?)He always said that the traditional method of mentoring was that the teacher said to the student "Make the harmonica say"-and the student was obligated to try to replicate what the teacher had played... I saw you speak at the Bob Shatkin Memorial at the Brooklyn public library-and play _ I gave you a. D harp to play because you hadn't expected to play -but people wanted you to -and were glad that you did. I also was present at the Memorial you organized for him at the now defunct Chicago Blues club in NYC that you were instrumental in organizing and promoting -so I am not accusing you of slighting his legacy... I came into Bob's tapecolleection that included his plans for his history project on the harp that he called "The Devil's Toy"- and much else He was obsessed with Rhythm Willie among many other lesser known players. I donated Bob's collection to the Blues Library at U Miss which is where he said he wanted it to be preserved ,(where you are) ...I hope people are consulting it so that his mentoring still goes on...His tone, acoustically,without a microphone is still to my ears the best I ever heard . (I go by Dave Rubin )
I didn't mention my own blues harmonica class at the New School, which I began teaching the same fall I began playing with Mr. Satan; it just didn't seem relevant. I taught the class for four or five years, then handeded it off, delightedly, to Bob--when I began touring, I believe. I taught it again, for a year or two, in the late 90s. I visited the class a couple of times when Bob was teaching it. He was definitely a guru. He gave off guru vibes. You're right about his thing for Rhythm Willie: he spoke a lot about him, but I didn't appreciate RW until I got a CD of his best stuff much later. I'm glad you like Mister Satan's Apprentice. There are three new chapters of Satan & Adam material in my new book, "My Family and I: A Mississippi Memoir," forthcoming in February 2025. You will want to read it!
I look forward to the new book. I saw you and Mr Satan at the Dan Lynch on St Marks Place-where you played the Ray Charles What I'd Say solo on harp which astounded me-and still does !-bringing the harp into the "overblow era",as you told me you intended to do when I ran into you at Manny's-while you were at Princeton-explaining to me that mastering contemporary styles, the "new paradigms" was important to you -the instrument shouldn't be relegated to a specific era's style if I understood you correctly, that is ,by analogy,you wouldn't want. to be exclusively playing Dixieland in the be-bop era ,without of course sacrificing any of your devotion and mastery of the older styles -as your playing, scholorship and teaching so profoundly demonstrates...Got such a kick out of you talking about the Glover book, -but as I imagine Bob would point out -he didn't mention Big Walter-@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726
Yeah, people used to talk to each other face to face. Nothing against the internet but you wouldn't believe what a hard time I've had getting people to play music with me face to face. I'm not some kind of a🤬hole or anything. I'm a nice enough person. But music is a social thing. People are supposed to do it with each other. So many musicians either think they're not good enough or maybe they think they're too good to play with you and they just want to sit on their own and play their own music their own way. But that's not how you learn. Get out into the real world every once in a while. Meet people. Play music. Make love. Live.
Started playing in '75. Imitated LP's. That's it. Had a buddy who was a good player. Encouraged me but simply told me. You gotta teach yourself by feel. No such thing as a harmonica teacher.
I was self-taught for the first 10 years, but then I met a guy, Nat Riddles, who transformed my playing by showing me a few key things that I couldn't have figured out on my own. So I'm a believer in doing the hard work by yourself, but I also think that a good teacher can make a huge difference.
I had the same experience actually with a single lesson from a very good harp player who is totally self taught. He specializes in old timey stuff. He drew a diagram of a harp with all the bends. I had been playing for years and I didn't even know how many draw bends were on each key. When I was 9 I heard a blues harp song on the AM (was no FM) radio and was blown out of my chair. I told my parents that I wanted lessons. My Dad went to the local music store guy who was a straight up blues guy. He sold harps and he owned a record store as well. Remember the days they were always combined? Told my parents the same thing, "No such thing as Harp lessons. Gotta teach yourself." He sold them a Marine Band for $4.50 and I was totally baffled by it. If the friggin' guy had simply sold them a blues harp record at that time, I think I would have started. Shame and it just doesn't make sense that he didn't wanna simply make the sale of an album. So of course I agree with you. But where I lived there was no true harp players that would have taken me on especially at 9 years old. Began playing with an obsession at 17. Muddy, Little Walter. Charlie Musselwite, Butterfield, Magic Dick etc. Saw all those guys multiple times in small venues. We bought up the discount racks. Unfortunately that's where the black blues guys pretty quickly ended up - on the discount rack. I remember the white guys like us started making bucks and I was kinda pissed. Felt the black guys got ripped. On the other hand white guys started banging and listening to the blues. I also remember listening to 'rock.' Years later I realized it was straight up blues.
Hey man. Hope you remember me, I live in Egypt and you know there's not much harmonica going on around here. I learn from online resources and I am sure that they are by no means enough. So I was wondering if you could give me any advice or alternatives for finding a living breathing mentor.
I truly hope nobody sees that type of instruction as valid anymore, referring to Sonny and Junior. I've taught in other disciplines and that type of toxic authority has no place. Trust, diligence, sincerity, involvement, commitment, creating challenges, motivation, assessments, modifying, building up, are all teaching/mentoring skills. The greats will become great and with the right instruction everyone else can excel, open new pathways, and spread their passion to others. Weed em out and toughen em up is weak garbage.
Have you read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey"? All the words you use are great; I admire them. But they're historically conditioned and reflect a far more rationalized E-school perspective than I think you realize. What you're smugly dismissing as "toxic authority" and "weak garbage" may not be certified by the FDA, but I've played with Larry Johnson and Sterling Magee, and those men, who came out of that school of hard knocks, carried both a fierce rage and a trickster's wisdom that would have laughed, richly, at many of your terms--even as they played incredibly powerful, nuanced, kick-ass music. Sincerity? Sure: you better believe I'll kick your ass. Assessments?!?! If you can't play, get the fuck out! Building up?? Never. That won't toughen you for the road ahead. I can't speak about how they teach jazz ensemble performance at the Eastman School, but I do know how serious blues guys communicate what the music is about, and the term "opening pathways," if I had dared to use it during the days and years I sent with those men, would have earned me an angry laugh, then a groove that forced me to step up to the plate. I have many teaching stories. Your pedagogical vocabulary can't begin to contain or account for them. This isn't to say that they're without value, just that they offer an incomplete, inadequate account of what the music, and education into the music, is about.
@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 I am surprised and appreciative that you took the time to respond to my post. You have over a decade of high quality detailed and nuanced videos posted for everyone in the world to see. Your channel has helped rich, poor, black, white, American, Brazilian, Eastern European, men, women, young and old all learn to play harmonica; to express themselves musically through a style that hits them in the soul. Your workshops are first rate, patient, and enabling despite background of participants. The methodology and technique of your teaching implies more than doing this to pay the bills. You're also a university professor. Despite coming from the school of hard knocks it seems you have seen the error in that pedagogical style, maybe not in your youth, but as demonstrated now. Truthfully I only wrote that in case there was a young 14 year old who came to this page looking to find a teacher and didn't have the vocabulary to know what a good teacher looks like. I'm not dismissing the skills of the the guys who came from that system, but it has long since passed it's hayday; if someone has the passion they don't need to be toughened up, they need to be lead.
I respect old blues players for developing the music under difficult circumstances. If some exhibited bad behavior, well, that’s in the past. Their methods of teaching would generally be considered abusive. I don’t think today’s learners need to be “toughened up” in order to play great music. Unfortunately many great musicians suffered childhood abuse. That is terrible. The RUclips harmonica community is great.
No, it's not too old. Whether you have any talent or not is an open question, but you can definitely learn enough in one year--in six months--so that people who know you will say, "I didn't know you could play the harmonica." I've seen it happen many times.
Adam George “Harmonica” Smith was the first Blues Harmonica Master that I got to meet, hear and play with in 1968, I’d been playing since 66’ only knowing 2nd position. That night he calls me up to do a harmonica duet, well we’re playing and Big Mama Thornton is singing! George Smith turns to me saying let’s switch harps so I did finding myself not being able to play his harp, but he kept wailing on my harp! He’s laughing at me as I’m trying desperately to find note’s to play but couldn’t! Afterwards I asked him to show me what he was doing and he said “I’m not gonna so you a got damm thing”!!! I couldn’t believe it as we were the only two Black Men in the club, well like Jr. Wells it put a fire in me more to wanna know about playing Blues Harmonica! George Smith was playing in 1st position that night so when we switched harps I didn’t know what was going on my Bluesharpbrother Lol! A few years later Blues Harmonica Master Cary Bell showed me how to play 1st position! Loved this video which speaks the truth and different ways to learn about the Blues Harmonica!!! Now Big Walter Horton was my mentor from 1974-77 but that’s another story!!!🎼🎶♥️🎤🎵👌🏿
Thanks for that incredible story, Dr.! Wow. "I'm not gonna show you a godamned thing!" BUT: he got you up there AND let you put your mouth on his harp. That story is deep. The fact that you had direct contact with all three blues harmonica masters puts you in a category of your own. I got the chance to meet and hang out with James Cotton several times, and I got to see Jr. Wells and Carey Bell live, multiple times, along with William Clarke, Bill Dicey, Nat Riddles....I'm losing count. Nat was my mentor, but that is another story, too. Thanks again for weighing in here.
Appreciate your kindness Adam as it’s truly humbling to have direct personal experiences with real life Blues Harmonica Master’s! I’ll forever be a student of the Old School because of Big Walter Horton and Muddy Waters who on my first meeting him he tells me to come up with the band on their first set, I’m in the dressing room with the band as their playing cards and talking trash. Muddy lays down his cards stands up and Sammy Lawhorn, Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones, Willie Smith and Mojo Buford all rise heading to the bandstand and Muddy turns to me saying “Come on son I wanna see what you can do”! It was my first time playing through a Super Reverb and a JT-30 as Mojo plugged in his microphone switched on the amp handing his mic to me. Muddy Waters turns to me called out “E”, this is the late 60’s as I pulled out my “A” harmonica as The Best Blues Band On The Planet broke into “Baby Please Don’t Go”!!! From that night on whenever The Muddy Waters Blues Band came to my hometown of Atlanta GA I got to set in with them and in 1976 I rode to Chicago with the band (Muddy would fly) I’m riding with Willie Smith, Calvin Jones and Guitar Jr. When we arrived on January 13th the sad news all over Chicago was that The Great Howlin’ Wolf had gone on to Blues Heaven. Nat Riddles, Adam oh how I would have loved to have known him! What a beautiful soul and awesome Blues Harmonica Master!!! While living in Chicago I got to play with Jr. Wells many times and of course Big Walter! From 1976-79 I got to play with The Who’s Who of then the Chicago Scene basically 7 day’s a week, Southside, Westside and the Gold Coast where on the rare occasion when Muddy Waters was in town from touring I got to watch Blues Harmonica Master James Cotton with The Muddy Waters Blues Band play songs from Muddy’s Grammy Award Winning “Hard Again” album and it was so freakin’ good that it brought me to tears! Muddy then calls me up after Cotton had blown the roof off the club “Quiet Knight” and Muddy breaks into “Long Distant Call”, Adam if it wasn’t for Big Walter Horton I was able to keep the roof that James Cotton had blown off from falling back down! Leaving the bandstand with Muddy, his arm over my shoulder saying “I’ve been hearing a lot about you here in Chicago and I’m proud of you son you got that Sound, a Voice with it”!!! Tone is what Muddy Waters was saying to me and it’s what we all aspire to in our love of Blues Harmonica!!! Adam Gussow you have inspired and helped thousands of harmonica players around the world with your awesome RUclips channel!!! Keep Shakin’ ‘Em On Down my Bluesharpbrother!!!🎼🎶♥️🎤🎵👌🏿
I listened for many hours to Little Walter, James Cotton, junior world Sonny boy in the early 70s and that’s how I got good by listening
It took me five years to figure out that james cotton was playing straight harp on his high end playing. After that and learning 3rd position, i could fly.
I wish I knew about that book in '82 when I started playing - I didn't know anyone - I had to wait until youtube - Very grateful for teachers like you, Jason Ricci & Ronnie Shellist!
Amazing subject matter and an amazing lesson. So unique.
I think much of what has been missed during those times was discipline, not having the master there to really push you; but a new generation having to use their own discipline with the amount of resources given to them through books and other media. The best way of learning I think will always be hands-on experience and really getting a feel of your instrument and not being afraid to play around with new techniques
Tony Glover harmonica was an audio tape I had since about 1972. I came a cross a bootleg cassette in the closet last week but don't have a player. You are teaching me now. Tony and I didn't click without you. thanks
Thanks Adam, I"ve been following you since I think 2009 or 2010, I learnt to play blues harmonica from you bub. For that thank you very much Adam, you are the Master / Journeyman and we are your apprentices out here.....
Adam, thank you for your insight and time... Many channels just want to "teach" a learner a thing or two blowing the harp. You go much further and give the viewer an appreciation for the background of the instrument as well. Once again, thank you!
Which can be annoying when you just want to learn how to do something, and the guy goes on a 15 minute rant about how ancient Mongolians won a battle with a harmonica made of bamboo and mud
I started my education just before the internet. It was still about listening to the old duffers who'd been out there a long time as a pro. I'm still learning from them and others daily. 25 years and I'm still obsessed and excited about harmonica music. Thanks Adam.
That was some great history. Thanks for sharing.
Your storytelling is as good as your playing, top notch inspiring,thanks so much!
That same book got me started, learned to bend with it brother 🙌👊
I'm a guitar player and a bass player I recently just picked up the harp. I am completely enamored with it. A girlfriend of mine gave me a c harp then I bought me a marine band and took off. I even got a chromatic and started messing with that. I still can't believe how fast I'm learning. I started playing electrified too. These videos are a huge help. Thank you my big 5 are Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield, and Big Walter Horton.
I'm having a similar experience. Guess it becomes more easy when you know what you want the harp to sound like and know how to play guitar by your ears. Getting the hang of it sure requires practice though.
@@Viktor-wn2ch Yes it does my friend, it really does practice is paramount. I keep it in my pocket at all times and when I'm at work I play my harp when I get home I switch to my guitar or bass. It keeps a good balance of rotating the practice of both
Nice one mate
In 1967, I bought the book BLUES HARP by Tony "Sun" Glover. That got me started. I never had a lesson. That book instructed me. Within a year, I was playing (and singing, as I had always been a singer) with bands.
I bought the same book in 1974. It got me going, too. It was mostly his hipster voice--knowing but friendly--and the players he pointed me towards.
Having listening to KDIA in the SF Bay Area (as a teenage white boy) and hearing Muddy, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed, etc. etc., and going to the Filmore, Winterland, and visiting all the clubs numerous times in the SC Mtns and Bay Area region. Paul Butterfield and Alan Wilson totally amazed me as well as James Cotton. So around 1968 I began my "quest" and purchased my first Marine Band and would drive around steering with my legs while trying to copy what I heard. I soon realized that the key of C was not the only key and soon an A and B flat were in my possession...and also that amplification with overdrive changed A LOT! Probably my biggest thrill at that time was getting into a riff "war" with Charlie Musselwhite when I was "fueled" by alcohol at a club in Capitola (known as the OD Inn)...and he said I had what it takes, ha!
I remember a book by Tommy Morgan how to play the blues back in the '70s. That's where I learned all about the vibrato and how to do it excellent explanation as you are as well Adam.
This is a great video of how I learned how to play clarinet. I had a teacher in elementary school. It was still kind of like a master apprentice situation but it was public school instruction. I’m 51 now and I’m just picking up the harp. And I found a teacher close to me.
Thank you Adam for keeping Harmonica Blues alive..I bought all your lesson (package deal) on your web site...I'm learning songs feels good to have tabs and a teacher to talk and play as they teach...i think time, patients, and practice is all I need now. fyi I got that PC for the lessons
I can respect that sometimes in our culture that’s how people get your attention because with anything in the world nothing comes easy I respect you for being a master and teaching for real Fr
I got my start with Tony Glover's 1965 book "Blues Harp". It helped that I lived in Minneapolis, and had heard Koerner, Ray and Glover play.
I learnt to play harmonica by first playing along to beatles "love me do" at around 16 or 17 yo..then i specifically went out to 2nd hand record shop looking for music with harmonica on the front cover. Got lucky and spotted "Blues Alone" by John Mayall..my first blues record ( which I still have). Then realised I needed help. Went and bought a harmonica book by a guy called Tony Glover..had a flexi disc record and all. I had bends and trills down in the first week, I remember. Luckily my brother played guitar and we figured out what harp, went in each key. That was back in the early 80s in highschool. I still love the blues to this day. I can't believe how easy stuff is to learn these days. But there's something said for doing the old way, just listening to records and trying to emulate what your hearing..gives you a better appreciation for the music...
Finding a blues harmonica mentor is tough but then again how hard are we really looking
I’m 16 and learning harp. In my whole life I haven’t met a single other person who plays blues harp. But I watch you, Tomlin Leckie, Jason Ricci and a few others
I'm 46 and after 33 years of playing the guitar have decided to learn to play the harmonica. I know a good teacher or a bad teacher in any subject when I see one and you Sir are a brilliant. This lesson on history has really filled in a space in my mind that has made learning the harp quite serious. I look at my harmonica in a different light. A more serious view with substance and history. I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to make the videos you do and may I just say you are a great player. I only hope that one day I may be able to play one competently. All things take time and effort I know that and with your help I feel like I have someone by my side. Just to add. "Blues Harp" Book, Ordered. I'm less than the apprentice, but if you the Master says the book is the one.. Then it's the one..
Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad to have shed a little light on the subject.
You are more than welcome Sir. Again, Thank you so much.
Thanks so much.
I was taught by Joe Filisko in Chicago,and jammed with Shirley King ,BB Kings daughter on State street a few times after she heard me busking down the Chicago underground in 1993.I used to busk outside O Hare airport after Junior Wells horn players where you could make stacks.I saw Junior Wells twice in Chicago.I saw him also at "The Jazz Cafe",which was inspiring.
That hazy thing you talked about is so true through my life and my children and grandchildren,best way to learn 👍🎶
Anything
You don't just give info but present it with the personalized touch of the original mentor method explained here.
Great style🤟
I was fortunate to have 2 masters take me under there wing, I learned more in one Summer than I did in a year on my own.meet them both the night
i went to my 1st blues jam. I will never forget the 1st time I was on stage.
Thank you for giving of your time and knowledge. Respect from Louisiana
Thank you!! Great discussion by a great blues player.
This is very cool Adam. Learned from Curtis Salgado and traded what I should have never had for harp lessons. Went on to work, stay, and tour with R.L. Burnside 1981 - 1994. And, at times Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Robert Belfour, and others.
And, yeah Tony Glover's "Blues Harp" was "it." But, it wasn't until I met Curtis when he was with Robert Cray that I began to really play the harp.
And, you're right about finding a living, breathing player to really "get" what you're after.
"Human to Human transmission." Like you said.
I've never met Salgado or seen him live, and I regret that. I've heard from everybody who has seen him live that he's scary-good--the class of the field. You're lucky to have had that experience. Eddie Burns & Robert Belfour are serious old-school. So you've had the professional training!
@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 Yes Adam the "performance training" is I believe necessary to really play well. As, you know personally with Satan. Around the early years learning from Curtis I was able to apply it in coffee houses playing with Eagle Park Slim from near East St. Louis. (Autry McNease)
This was in Eugene where we both had moved to.
Though I can still be better at everything harp, guitar, piano--at least I feel I studied it all the best way--including going to Blues jams even still on occasion.
I could never have figured out how to play harmonica the "right way" with R.L. Burnside for all those years 81 to 94, some in 99 without Curtis' help. And, he really is good. He's a great singer. He still helps me get better today. And, now I'm showing him 4th, 5th positions.
Scott Barretta is helping me with a writing project down there. And, I'm in contact with Dave Evans and Jim O'Neal on occasion. It would be great to speak to you, or email you so I'm including my email.
Lou Erlanger who produced ACOUSTIC STORIES and WELL...WELL...WELL the 2 Burnside CD's I'm on playing harp and some guitar told me about you years ago. I know you've written a book about your days with Satan. That's great!
My email is:
jonbeckleymorris@gmail.com
Good hearing from you.
Wow, you're right about that Blues Harp book by Tony Glover. I learned from reading that book in the early 1970's. I lost the book long ago and had forgotten the title. It was just like you said! I would then go to blues concerts and see the likes of Sonny Terry, Charlie Musselwhite, Paul Butterfield, John Mayall, and Corky Siegel. The rest I learned by jamming with amateur blues guitarists.
One of my favorite songs for rhythm guitar, harmonica and vocals was Walkin' Blues by Butterfield. Don't know exactly why but that tight arrangement stuck in my head. Thanks for the fascinating presentation!!
I'm 17 years old I've got a mix of Old school and new school, I've Got a few old heads teaching me how to play. Feels Good to know I'm still being thought the same way they were thought back in the day!
The old heads are invaluable--but at some point you'll have to head out on your own and test what they've taught you against the realities of the world. Usually some updates are needed.
Me not knowing how the gate keepers work. This story totally changes my understanding of an interaction I had with a Harp player when I was 15. Should have known this before I talked to him. Missed opportunity I am afraid. Thanks for providing a place for an old guy like me to revisit an earned form of expression and make it better. Now I will wonder about that moment 30 years ago in a different way.
Yeah, it got me thinking back to a few 'missed opportunities' .... But, to be fair to my younger self, I was hustling trying to feed my kids and keep a roof over their heads; I didn't really the time to chase around after harp masters ... !
Sure am glad we live in an age where I download your lessons and you don't give me a hard time about it!
important video and love the story
Awesome video. .. i bought that same harmonica book when i was 15 or 16... it was a lot harder to learn harmonica back then... Ive been watching your videos since your first uploads... you've helped me a lot.. thank you Adam..
Adam, I had the same book in 1973 and tried to learn to play on my own. I believe the book came with a record in the back . I could not get it. I was 16 when I tried to learn but I did not get it until 2 years ago when at 57 I picked up my old marine band and found your gracious teaching videos and I got it. Thank you for all you do.
Yes, at least one version of the book had a tear-out super-thin vinyl record. My original 1974 version did not, but I'm sure you're right. There was a second book, BLUES HARP SONGBOOK, I believe, that had a record. There's also a big LP with a blue version of the original cover; I've got it. Great point, though.
Love your stories and lectures. Guess what I found last week in a used vinyl shop? "Harp Attack!" for $4.75 CD! Going back and buying more next week.
Just play. That’s what i did. Simple chords on guitar and finding harp key that matched, even if you had to primarily draw, or blow, for your song/melody you made-up.
And, i played along w/ harp solos on records or on radio.
Or, u play along with a guitar or piano player.
To me, for me, it’s like Ringo who listened and played to the song. He did not know sheet-music. He used his feel, his pocket, his fills…for the song’s benefit.
How far it's come in such a short time. Great story!
"Fathers and Sons," 1969, Muddy and Otis Spann with Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Duck Dunn, paid their dues and made friends with the legends, drank and smoked and played in dangerous dives with no guarantees. Tony Glover, Dave Shaker Ray, Spider John Koerner - classic, mostly acoustic folk blues album Koerner Ray and Glover.Tony's book was the first attempt at any formal written instruction for serious musicians intent on learning legitimate blues. Of course, he listed the essential records you needed to listen to, since most folks didn't live where the blues was played. Sonny and Brownie in Chicago, around 1969, lit the fuse.
Theres another book"The Harp Handbook" by Steve Baker.This is good about the US and UK blues scenes,pre-war and post-war.Sam Peckinpah had lots of good harmonica in his Soundtracks.
Great answers Adam)
Great video Adam! I like the dispatches you do that are not just about how to play but about the life around blues harmonica, it's history, the philosophy and so on.
Great info. Thx for sharing. Just snagged a copy of Blues Harp on eBay. Can't wait to thumb through it. Now I just need to find a face-to-face master.
Definetly, nowadays we got way more harmonica materials and speacially these kind of valious informal talks you are bringing in.
Thanks Gussow
Outstanding... Thanks for sharing.
Tony Little Sun Glover's book and a Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee album (I'm thinking it was a 78 sized LP) 1978 or so. I had taken some guitar lessons, later learned blues guitar from a Stefan Grossman book and LP combo.
Don't forget J J Milteau here in France. His material is great :)
One of my favorite videos! Thanks for asking!
I'm 67 and learned Black Sabbath Wizard, Cream Spoonful and John Mayhall Room to Move. 50 yrs ago. Those are the only 'songs' I ever learned. I just played to and for myself all those years. But, I got good enough improvising that I have been invited to sit in with several pro bands.
Obviously this survey doesn't mention every key player in the evolution of blues harmonica teaching in the past five or six decades. In the longer talk I gave at NIU, from which this mini-lecture is drawn, I talked about Billy Branch, who has been hugely influential in spreading the blues harp gospel to school kids in Chicago for the past 30 years, and Joe Filisko has been teaching weekly classes there for years. And of course there are the books: Richard Hunter's JAZZ HARP was innovative. If you search Amazon books for "blues harmonica," you'll be reminded how important Winslow Yerxa"s BLUES HARMONICA FOR DUMMIES and HARMONICA FOR DUMMIES are. David Barrett has written many indispensable blues harmonica instructional guides. Tommy Morgan, Steve Cohen, Tom Ball, Steve Baker, David Harp. In the dot.com era. J. P. Allen and Ronnie Shellist. Please use the comments section to fill in the history. What were some other influential blues harmonica instructional books from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s?
Tony Glover's "Blues Harp Songbook," Gindick's books, especially his "Rock and Blues Harmonica" Caveman book, and Charlie Musselwhite's "Blues According To Charlie Musselwhite" book. Glover's "Songbook" and Charlie's book even came with those little acetate demo records!
I "learned" and was inspired by listening to Mayalls Room to Move. I bought an F# harp from fullerton music (ca) the day Lee Oskar happened to be visiting the store and he showed me off some of his harps. The store owner seemed agitated, Lee said dont worry I'll replace the ones I blew on, but I think the owner was more worried about his wife who seemed past the point of starstruck... I tried a book by Tom Ball but couldnt get into it despite the thoughtful exposition. So I am dependent on just listening to songs I like and trying to copy. And all the great videos by Adam, Jason, Will Wilde, Sankey, that guy in the trailer explaining overblows, and Filisko. Hope to find a teacher soon!
I was given a book by Tony "Little Son" Glover;"Teach yourself Blues Harp",by one of my Grans flat tenants in 16 Oakley street,Chelsea,now sadly out-of-print.In America there must have been much more radio stations to listen to as well.
@@Harmonicamatt2 I bought this book in 1967 and it was my instructor. Fabulous book. Can't praise it highly enough. I had always been a singer and was the lead singer and front man of a band at Penn State University, though I had so knowledge of the guitar as well as bass guitar through lessons as a child. It familiarized me with many music theory concepts.
@@robbiefrantz8170 Theres another good book;"The Harp Handbook",by Steve Baker.Sam Peckinpah always had lots of good harmonica on his film soundtracks.
John Sebastian has a good DVD instructional video learning system. Annie Raines did Blues Harmonica Blueprint. I ordered Blues Harp by Tony Little Sun Glover, which is not available in CD but I bought the book because I don't want to miss anything you did.
I still have my copy of the book and record.
He didn’t teach him anything, he motivated him, which is worth a lot more. Just because a man is taught doesn’t mean he will apply it, but if a man is motivated he will teach himself AND apply it. Nothing can stand in the way of someone who’s driven.
If threatening a child with getting his throat cut with a knife is such a Great motivation to learn, why isn’t it used in schools and universities? Probably because it is horrible child abuse. Sonny Boy Williamson 2 was obviously a mean old drunk.
in that book, Tony told us to put your harp in water to make it sound louder, not suggested nowadays.
Thumbs up!
Thank you master Adam! I play harmonica for my soul and try to learn best I can. I watch a lot of your and some others videos but I also try to playing by ear. The more I play, I realized how much I dont know to play! :-) Thank you for your teaching, for your RUclips videos and God bless you! All the best from Serbia!
In 1970 I went to a "Blues Night" at the Nite Cap Lounge in Brooklyn. Paul Oscher was playing harp and on a break I was playing some. He gave me 3 'tips' - 1. Keep your hands open for volume 2. Always 2 draw, never 3 blow 3. Stop listening to country music. I couldn't obey that 3rd one because I was already playing banjo and would be playing pedal steel guitar in a few years. I also met Blackie Shackner once. He worked at the big Library. I should have pursued Oscher.
I knew Paul fairly well; he was an occasional figure at the Dan Lynch jam sessions in the 1980s, and we traded the blues harmonica teaching gig at the Guitar Study Center. I visited his classes several times. He had his own style, a sort of Wolfman Jack autodidacticism that made him a figure of great mystique for those who took his classes. I don't get the "stop listening to country music thing," and it's worth pointing out that Bobby "Blue" Bland and Muddy Waters both loved and sang/played country music.
I do remember the Night Cap!
Hi, Adam. I met you here in Clarksdale at Levon's when you were playing there recently. I'm from Houston most recently. I really enjoyed this video. I had almost forgotten the book I read so many years ago, Blues Harmonica by Tony Glover. I bet I still have it laying around somewhere. Also, I had wanted to talk to you about your classes on Southern Culture. Years ago, I tried and tried to find some kind of formal structured program to study the blues. I'll be heading to Oxford soon to spend time in the library. Thanks again for being you.
ron
very good . i love this kind of stuff .
I still have Butterfield book
Never had CD
Fantastic story, I some sort of the same thing with a great bluesharp player John La Grand ...hahaha,... best thing he did, he said...
"Sodemieter op man,ik heb het ook allemaal zelf moeten doen"...
Oh gosh. Just look at my last vid. Learned from Adams video. He's made me cool. Keep watching Adam. He's great. I'm going to have to sign up for some lessons from him.
Cool video i need to go too more blues clubs
Old thread but still pertinent. Answer: Records as in LP's, trial and error, occasionally you ran into somebody who knew something
Your videos are great, your learning style is great ! and I see you have a lot to teach about life , that is my style.I would like to be the grasshopper, can you be my master , and pass down all of your knowledge .
Brilliant video,i am hopefully emerging out of a very severe depressive episode so have not been able to practise much.However i watch your videos and love the website too,but this video has a lot of really good advice and information in it.One particular thing(hobby) etc can open up many strands of thoughts and ideas.Really interesting stuff thanks Adam :)
My master was Jerry Portnoy, and we taped each lesson on cassettes
I did exactly the same thing with my teacher, Nat Riddles. Still have the tapes.
I have studied mixed martial arts for 42 years. Harmonica player since 1969. There are great martial arts teachers and some real punks. Just like harmonica players. I once gave after a show a compliment to Rod Piazza. Punk...rude...cocky...did I say punk. Its All Good
Thanks for your input.I have watched your harp videos, they have helped me greatly on the harp. I mainly play guitar, drums and piano. Self taught, except for piano.It has always been; either you have it in you or you dont.All good musicians will not waste their time on someone that has not taught themselves about time signatures and intonation. Then they will take the time to show tou a few things.Until then they played WE.C Fields. Get away from me son you bother me. Case in point the best guitar that I ever knew took me under his wing until I played Jeff Beck "Led Boots"..
There is a great book. I cannot remember the name. Was about Motown and the race riots. Black musicians would put their lives on the line to protect their white musician friends.
I lived in Austin for 10 years. Everyone wanted to play withe Double Trouble. SRVs band. ruclips.net/video/S5-QOoo18xQ/видео.html. Me on the guitar. My friend was drunk and called her his whatever and played it. My friend, her drummer wanted me to sing it but she has a grand eggo..
One more addendum. SRV played in Lou Ann Barton's band. He never sang on stage until that b didnt show up for a gig one night and he sang. The rest is history.
cheers Adam, I Really Enjoyed this Video
What about LPs. I learned quite a bit from blues albums. Just thought I’d mention that. Thanks for your great lessons.
Yes, 95% of my early learning was from copying LPs. I've still got pretty much all of them. At some point I'm going to do a series of lessons about them.
THANKS YOU GOODNESS 🌟❤️🖤💚🤎 FAMILY DAPHNE COTTON ALWAYS 💜,
love this thanks!
how about teaching me, I am 73 and love the harp, I will travel to learn, been watching videos for quite a while but having a hard time learning by myself
Thought inspiring and insightful. Makes all the sense ine world. For every other thing in life I got "good" at, I always had a human master of relative sorts. Why would playing harp be any different I ask myself.... The truth. Thanks for all your hard work.
hi Adam I love your channel I'm going on a year since I first picked up my harp and i haven't put it down since. My question to you is how do I find a master harp player to learn from where are some places I might wanna look? I live in Albuquerque nm
Albert Segura go online. Lots of guys teach via skype. Unless you live in a place like Austin. Then it's easy to find one. Michael Rubin is a great teacher. Tell him I sent you. Google him.
one important resource in the 60s-70s was Tony Glover's Blues Harp book.
Yes! I got that when I began playing back in 1974 at age 16.
Can u make jazz harmonica tutorials please
Oral transmission, to me, is truly something deeper and more intense/ real. Obviously not to say you can't learn something in several other ways but, I dunno, seems almost 'mystical'. BTW, thanks for the history lesson!
I wish I could find a master in my area damn
Fantastic Video Adam. Gave me alot to think about.
Ill tell Steve Guyger to blame you when I start following him everywhere. 8^)
He's definitely a good choice for a blues harp master. I still remember the first time I saw him, in 1985. I saw about three feet away, directly in front of him. He was a badass, even then. I think he'd just come off the road with Jimmy Rogers.
Guyger has an incredible tone. He is Amazing. Dennis Gruenling is another player thats within a few hours. Its just hard to spend that kindof time watching and learning from a player like that ... all while working a full time job. Especially if you have to drive an hour or two just to get to them.
Guess the only solution is to quit my job and live in Jason Ricci's basement. He & Kate would be cool with that right?
Gussow's classic blues harmonica videos
Thank you Adam. I hung on to every word! I remember you told a story once where you said that harmonica cant be written exactly.
where you had a couple of drinks in you and you were trying to figure out A Rythm technique in a Book kinda like Ah Eah Ah Eah and you figured it out. sound Familer Friend. Thank you for this
Can someone Please send me photos or pdf of this book? Because where i live this book is priced around $35 and I cannot pay this much.
As a martial artist, hearing the story of Sonny Boy and Junior reminded me of many Master-Apprentice "introductions". Many a would-be student has had the door slammed in his face by the master...often more than once. It's a way of testing one's dedication, weeding out those who aren't truly serious. In a world full of people who would have taken Sonny Boy's words to heart and given up, kudos to Junior for turning that rejection into fuel.
On top of all the different permutations of Master-Apprentice relationships, one cannot overstate the importance of comping, another tool in the pre-digital age...and today. If one's ear and basics are solid, it's amazing what one can learn by just sitting in a room and listening to "the good shit" again and again, sometimes just a few seconds at a time, "Building your vocabulary by studying and emulating the great poets." Of course, when it comes to that human-to-human connection in the digital age, formats like Skype and Facetime, while not in the same room, offer one-on-one real-time interaction...for those with the time and money for such lessons. Otherwise, I know I've said this before, but I will never be able to thank you enough for all you given away via RUclips and www.modernbluesharmonica.com.
Teach me sir, where are you?
SATAN and Adam is my favorite ,and probably the best, coming of age account in the Blues Harp context. I know you mentioned Bob Shatkin ,and Nat Riddles ,your other mentor ,in the dedication to that book,so I was surprised that you didn't mention Bob's class at The New School , in this clip -where he taught so many players. (I think you taught that class for a while -is that true?)He always said that the traditional method of mentoring was that the teacher said to the student "Make the harmonica say"-and the student was obligated to try to replicate what the teacher had played... I saw you speak at the Bob Shatkin Memorial at the Brooklyn public library-and play _ I gave you a. D harp to play because you hadn't expected to play -but people wanted you to -and were glad that you did. I also was present at the Memorial you organized for him at the now defunct Chicago Blues club in NYC that you were instrumental in organizing and promoting -so I am not accusing you of slighting his legacy... I came into Bob's tapecolleection that included his plans for his history project on the harp that he called "The Devil's Toy"- and much else He was obsessed with Rhythm Willie among many other lesser known players. I donated Bob's collection to the Blues Library at U Miss which is where he said he wanted it to be preserved ,(where you are) ...I hope people are consulting it so that his mentoring still goes on...His tone, acoustically,without a microphone is still to my ears the best I ever heard . (I go by Dave Rubin )
I didn't mention my own blues harmonica class at the New School, which I began teaching the same fall I began playing with Mr. Satan; it just didn't seem relevant. I taught the class for four or five years, then handeded it off, delightedly, to Bob--when I began touring, I believe. I taught it again, for a year or two, in the late 90s. I visited the class a couple of times when Bob was teaching it. He was definitely a guru. He gave off guru vibes. You're right about his thing for Rhythm Willie: he spoke a lot about him, but I didn't appreciate RW until I got a CD of his best stuff much later. I'm glad you like Mister Satan's Apprentice. There are three new chapters of Satan & Adam material in my new book, "My Family and I: A Mississippi Memoir," forthcoming in February 2025. You will want to read it!
I look forward to the new book. I saw you and Mr Satan at the Dan Lynch on St Marks Place-where you played the Ray Charles What I'd Say solo on harp which astounded me-and still does !-bringing the harp into the "overblow era",as you told me you intended to do when I ran into you at Manny's-while you were at Princeton-explaining to me that mastering contemporary styles, the "new paradigms" was important to you -the instrument shouldn't be relegated to a specific era's style if I understood you correctly, that is ,by analogy,you wouldn't want. to be exclusively playing Dixieland in the be-bop era ,without of course sacrificing any of your devotion and mastery of the older styles -as your playing, scholorship and teaching so profoundly demonstrates...Got such a kick out of you talking about the Glover book, -but as I imagine Bob would point out -he didn't mention Big Walter-@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726
I got some basic lessons from a David Barrett beginner series and then I was just copying licks of the record
Sonny seems like a real gent...
Yeah, people used to talk to each other face to face. Nothing against the internet but you wouldn't believe what a hard time I've had getting people to play music with me face to face. I'm not some kind of a🤬hole or anything. I'm a nice enough person. But music is a social thing. People are supposed to do it with each other. So many musicians either think they're not good enough or maybe they think they're too good to play with you and they just want to sit on their own and play their own music their own way. But that's not how you learn. Get out into the real world every once in a while. Meet people. Play music. Make love. Live.
Wow. That is some story told by Junior Wells.
Sad story. Another creepy old guy abusing a child.
Started playing in '75. Imitated LP's. That's it. Had a buddy who was a good player. Encouraged me but simply told me. You gotta teach yourself by feel. No such thing as a harmonica teacher.
I was self-taught for the first 10 years, but then I met a guy, Nat Riddles, who transformed my playing by showing me a few key things that I couldn't have figured out on my own. So I'm a believer in doing the hard work by yourself, but I also think that a good teacher can make a huge difference.
I had the same experience actually with a single lesson from a very good harp player who is totally self taught. He specializes in old timey stuff. He drew a diagram of a harp with all the bends. I had been playing for years and I didn't even know how many draw bends were on each key. When I was 9 I heard a blues harp song on the AM (was no FM) radio and was blown out of my chair. I told my parents that I wanted lessons. My Dad went to the local music store guy who was a straight up blues guy. He sold harps and he owned a record store as well. Remember the days they were always combined? Told my parents the same thing, "No such thing as Harp lessons. Gotta teach yourself." He sold them a Marine Band for $4.50 and I was totally baffled by it. If the friggin' guy had simply sold them a blues harp record at that time, I think I would have started. Shame and it just doesn't make sense that he didn't wanna simply make the sale of an album. So of course I agree with you. But where I lived there was no true harp players that would have taken me on especially at 9 years old. Began playing with an obsession at 17. Muddy, Little Walter. Charlie Musselwite, Butterfield, Magic Dick etc. Saw all those guys multiple times in small venues. We bought up the discount racks. Unfortunately that's where the black blues guys pretty quickly ended up - on the discount rack. I remember the white guys like us started making bucks and I was kinda pissed. Felt the black guys got ripped. On the other hand white guys started banging and listening to the blues. I also remember listening to 'rock.' Years later I realized it was straight up blues.
Hey man. Hope you remember me, I live in Egypt and you know there's not much harmonica going on around here. I learn from online resources and I am sure that they are by no means enough. So I was wondering if you could give me any advice or alternatives for finding a living breathing mentor.
Beginning riff?
I truly hope nobody sees that type of instruction as valid anymore, referring to Sonny and Junior. I've taught in other disciplines and that type of toxic authority has no place. Trust, diligence, sincerity, involvement, commitment, creating challenges, motivation, assessments, modifying, building up, are all teaching/mentoring skills. The greats will become great and with the right instruction everyone else can excel, open new pathways, and spread their passion to others. Weed em out and toughen em up is weak garbage.
Have you read Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey"? All the words you use are great; I admire them. But they're historically conditioned and reflect a far more rationalized E-school perspective than I think you realize. What you're smugly dismissing as "toxic authority" and "weak garbage" may not be certified by the FDA, but I've played with Larry Johnson and Sterling Magee, and those men, who came out of that school of hard knocks, carried both a fierce rage and a trickster's wisdom that would have laughed, richly, at many of your terms--even as they played incredibly powerful, nuanced, kick-ass music. Sincerity? Sure: you better believe I'll kick your ass. Assessments?!?! If you can't play, get the fuck out! Building up?? Never. That won't toughen you for the road ahead. I can't speak about how they teach jazz ensemble performance at the Eastman School, but I do know how serious blues guys communicate what the music is about, and the term "opening pathways," if I had dared to use it during the days and years I sent with those men, would have earned me an angry laugh, then a groove that forced me to step up to the plate. I have many teaching stories. Your pedagogical vocabulary can't begin to contain or account for them. This isn't to say that they're without value, just that they offer an incomplete, inadequate account of what the music, and education into the music, is about.
@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 I am surprised and appreciative that you took the time to respond to my post. You have over a decade of high quality detailed and nuanced videos posted for everyone in the world to see. Your channel has helped rich, poor, black, white, American, Brazilian, Eastern European, men, women, young and old all learn to play harmonica; to express themselves musically through a style that hits them in the soul. Your workshops are first rate, patient, and enabling despite background of participants. The methodology and technique of your teaching implies more than doing this to pay the bills. You're also a university professor. Despite coming from the school of hard knocks it seems you have seen the error in that pedagogical style, maybe not in your youth, but as demonstrated now. Truthfully I only wrote that in case there was a young 14 year old who came to this page looking to find a teacher and didn't have the vocabulary to know what a good teacher looks like. I'm not dismissing the skills of the the guys who came from that system, but it has long since passed it's hayday; if someone has the passion they don't need to be toughened up, they need to be lead.
I respect old blues players for developing the music under difficult circumstances. If some exhibited bad behavior, well, that’s in the past. Their methods of teaching would generally be considered abusive. I don’t think today’s learners need to be “toughened up” in order to play great music. Unfortunately many great musicians suffered childhood abuse. That is terrible.
The RUclips harmonica community is great.
What if your 64 years old and want to learn? Is 64 to old to learn the harp?
No, it's not too old. Whether you have any talent or not is an open question, but you can definitely learn enough in one year--in six months--so that people who know you will say, "I didn't know you could play the harmonica." I've seen it happen many times.