RIP Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce has died at the age of 71. I heard Bruce for the first time when I was 13 years old, at which point in time Cream released "Fresh Cream," their first LP. Bruce's harmonica work on that and subsequent Cream releases was something...
Video of the Day 4 September 2014: Brandon Bailey, “People Take My Soul”
This piece is a very impressive performance involving looped and live harmonica, beatboxing, singing, and percussion. The harmonica is a Natural Minor (haven't checked the key) played in second position. Bailey uses two vocal mics, both apparently direct to the PA, one for the vocals,...
Video of the Day 22 June 2014: Jason Ricci and the Blue Rivieras, “Scratch My Back”
Jason Ricci has been pretty quiet for a little while. It's great to see him here in fine form, using a big auto-wah sound on this blues classic. There's been a lot of noise about this video on the Modern Blues Harmonica forum, much of...
Video of the Day 25 April 2014: Jason Rosenblatt with Shtreiml
This piece shows Jason Rosenblatt in performance with a killer oud player. The music is hot, loaded with Middle Eastern sounds, and full of blistering harmonica runs played to perfection. if you don't like this, you don't like harmonica. Catch Shtreiml (based in Montreal) when...
Video of the Day 21 February 2014: Boris Plotnikov, “Vinnebago”
Boris Plotnikov of Ekaterinberg, Russia has featured on this site before. (About 4 or 5 times, in fact. Just type "Plotnikov" into the search window in the upper right corner of this screen and see what comes up.) Boris has just released his first full-length...
Video of the Day 13 February 2014: Blu Bop, “Sinister Minister”
Paul Messinger's work with his band Climb Jacob's Ladder has previously featured on this site, and now Paul has a new project that's all about the music of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Paul's got the goods: great sound, great technique, great ideas--and his bands...
Video of the Day 26 November 2013: Tijn Berends, Irish Reels
This video, by Tijn Berends, a member of the Netherlands-based folk duo Itchy Fingers, was recorded in May 2013, obviously at home. Berends has a nice touch on the harmonica; the lines are played swiftly and cleanly, with ornamentation suited to the style. (Love those...
Video of the Day 14 November 2013: Koko Taylor with Little Walter, “Wang Dang Doodle”, 1967
Wow. Koko Taylor with a festival band that includes Little Walter and Hound Dog Taylor, with Sonny Terry looking on askance. The band grooves with relaxed intensity, and every once in a while Koko shouts hard enough to make the hair stand up on your...
Video of the Day 1 November 2013: Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, “The Long Way”
Just in time for our interview series with Jackson Kincheloe, harp player for Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, comes this video, their latest. The music was produced by Randy Jackson of Journey/Mariah Carey/American Idol fame, and it's a ripper. Check out the cool rhythms...
Video of the Day 19 October 2013: The Shoos with Rob Paparozzi
Rob Paparozzi met the Shoos when the latter were busking in the street, and we've highlighted a video of that performance on our site. The jam led to a recording gig, and here's the result. Rob's solo starts at around 2:07.
