Tuesday, December 13, 2011

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 249 #292)

Recital Rehearsal!!!

Class time this week was primarily devoted to rehearsal of recital songs.
Joe did take some time to share a couple Christmas songs though and to use them as a starting point to review the five harmonica sounds to consider and master:
  1. Clean single notes (tongue on the harp)
  2. Chords, defined as 2 or more holes played at once (tongue off the harp)
  3. Splits (tongue on)
  4. Dirty notes and splits (tongue on)
  5. Percussive vamping (chord played with tongue off, then single note played with tongue on)
Get your traditional blues happening - "When in doubt, keep your tongue on the harmonica." - Joe Filisko
And practice your chording and vamping on tunes like Jingle Bell Rock!
___________
CORRECTION: There was no flood of letters to the editor, but we know we goofed last week when attributed vocals on Hate To See You Go to Muddy Waters. Nope, that is Little Walter!
                CD Releases!!!

                - Brought to you by our man-in-Tucson, Big Jim:


                This amazing value (Two dollars per disc!!!!) is a treasure trove of common & obscure blues-r&b- rock & roll releases by some of the biggest names in roots music. Housed in a cube lift off lid box which holds 25 mini lp sleeves of releases from the COLUMBIA / SONY/ VOGUE family of labels.........some of these have never been released as a cd before and some have been out of print for a while.......This is a quality FRENCH IMPORT with a booklet in both english & french.........Some of the highlights for me include HUBERT SUMLIN & HIS FRIENDS....a French VOGUE release from 1971 with JOE CARTER- BILLY BOY ARNOLD & FRED BELOW and a never before reissued RCA album by PERCY MAYFIELD called PERCY MAYFIELD SINGS as well as the hard to find JOHNNY OTIS SHOW LIVE AT MONTEREY 1971 and PETER GREEN/ OTIS SPANN release called BIGGEST THING SINCE COLOSSUS.

                And from Adam Gussow comes this new release:

                All the music I've loved comes together in Southbound; the mix ranges from urban and country blues through a pair of contemporary smooth-jazz instrumentals by trumpeters Chris Botti and Rick Braun that I've roughed up. With Jerry Jemmott’s help, I turn trumpeter Hugh Masekela’s 1968 pop-jazz perennial, “Grazing in the Grass” into a foot-drum-driven disco groove with some bump-in-the-trunk. There’s also a funky wailing remake of the “Sanford and Son” theme (with Mississippi jazz man Bill Perry, Jr. on keyboards) and an overblow workout on “Alley Cat,” an early 1960s lounge hit by Danish pianist Bent Fabric.

                Southbound is anchored by a couple of original compositions. “Home to Mississippi” evokes the life of a traveling musician with a rockabilly vibe and some juke-joint harp. “Old McDonald in Mississippi” is—well, let’s just call it a double-entendre, adults-only meditation on "frolicking rural farmlife" in the Deep South.

                For the holiday season, Southbound is available ONLY as a zip file download (big fat WAVs or mp3s) from Modern Blues Harmonica by way of Tradebit. Complete ready-to-print liner notes included! The harp keys are listed, to facilitate jamming along. 11 tracks, 42 minutes, $10. Click either link below and you'll be taken to a page at Tradebit where you can listen to a nine-song preview reel:

                Southbound mp3s
                Class Notes
                • Recital #17 happens on December 17 (wow, #17 on the 17th!) starting at 7:30pm. Here's the Set List! Impersonate a professional by being early for your time slot and work to make your between song and between performer transitions quick! Review the recital checklist to eliminate trouble.
                • This session of Old Town classes is over. Classes resume January 9, 2012.
                • Enjoy the holidays! YouMissedMonday is going to take time off too unless there is late-breaking news. See you again in early January when classes resume.
                    Pizza Party!!!

                    Our own Ginny Morin is throwing a pizza party and all of Joe's current students are welcome to come and bring your dates/spouses. Plan to pitch in on ingredient costs.

                    Ginny Morin
                    5812 N. Fairfield
                    Chicago, IL 60659

                    Sunday, January 8, 2012
                    3pm
                    Please RSVP to Ginny

                    - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                    Tuesday, December 6, 2011

                    What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 248 #291)

                    Hate To See You Go!!!

                    By special request Joe's moving on from Temperature to full-blown one chord study and this week it is Hate To See You Go. You can trace one chord roots back through tunes like She's Alright, Rollin' Stone, and Still A Fool all the way to Catfish Blues recorded by Robert Petway in 1940. As Joe says, you have to look hard for "original" songs and frankly, they don't tend to exist. The blues is a rich, layered history!

                    As for Hate To See You Go, this is wonderful call and response between Muddy Waters and Little Walter on guitar and harp. Yes, that's Walter laying down the guitar riff that makes this song powerful. Joe has transcribed an harmonica-friendly version of the riff in case you need to teach it to a band on the spot or want to make it part of your arrangement.

                    When working to solo over one chord tunes, keep these things in mind:
                    • Note the tone and mood of the song. Typically one chord tunes are very minor pentatonic or blues scale based. If that's the case, you should keep your note choices in those scales as well.
                    • Think (and play) in 1, 2 or 4 bar phrases. One chord tunes are organized and you should be too.
                    How to practice this song? As luck would have it, our own Shoji Naito has a play-along track ready for you: Hate To See You Goal.
                                  Ron Sorin and the Blue Coast Band CD Release!!!

                                  We're excited to announce that our local harp legend, Ron Sorin, has released a new CD, Lake City! This disc is loaded with special guests: Tad Robinson, Mark Skyer, Marty Binder, Harlan Terson, Mark Wydra, Ken Saydak, John Brumbach, Pete Benson and James Wheeler! You can find this on CD Baby if you can't wait for his visit and CD release party in B1, January 16!

                                  Congrats Ron!
                                  Band Communication!!!

                                  - Confused about how best to communicate your songs to the band? Here's a nice offer for help from Al Taylor:

                                  "At the upcoming recital, it is important that performers give the band concise instructions. It's best if you give a card with your song information to the band right before you perform, as well. Feel free to contact Al Taylor (taylorar2010@gmail.com) for advice on reducing your band instructions to a minimum."
                                  Class Notes
                                  • Recital #17 happens on December 17 (wow, #17 on the 17th!) starting at 7:30pm. Here's the Set List! Impersonate a professional by being early for your time slot and work to make your between song and between performer transitions quick!
                                  • Next Monday, December 12, 2012 is the last class of this session. Classes resume January 9, 2012.
                                      Holiday Blues!!!

                                      Need some Christmas blues? How about these hot releases from Kid Anderson that feature some terrific harp players: Rick Estrin, John Nemeth, Paul Oscher and Mark Hummel. Kid plays guitar with Rick Estrin & the Nightcats and runs his own recording studio. You need these discs to make your holiday listening complete!


                                      Kid Andersen & Friends - Christmas At Greaseland, Red Volume

                                      - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                      Tuesday, November 29, 2011

                                      What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 247 #290)

                                      Temperature, Alternate Take!!!

                                      You're still running a Temperature! This week it's the Alternate Take #1 from Little Walter!

                                      This solo is a combination of low-down, killer blues and jazzy swing stuff. It launches with the 5-2 split, the most serious blues sound you can get from a harmonica. Then, cleverly, he repeats that. Repetition, repetition, repetition!

                                      Now for the swing: the figure at the end of bar one is, as Joe puts it, playing behind the beat. It is Walter playing with the time and syncopating that is so cool, and if you like it, get a big dose of it again over bar seven!

                                      Other interesting things in this solo?
                                      • It is unusual for Walter to play a breathing pattern, but check out bar 4 for a nice one.
                                      • Bars 7-9 are full of "unusual stuff" as Joe puts it, but of course Walter plays it as though it were normal.
                                      • Note too his use of the root note (six blow) over the V chord. Not usually a wise decision, but phrasing strength and rhythmic pulse are everything and he makes the six blow work here.
                                      Ron Sorin and the Blue Coast Band CD Release!!!

                                      We're excited to announce that our local harp legend, Ron Sorin, has released a new CD, Lake City! This disc is loaded with special guests: Tad Robinson, Mark Skyer, Marty Binder, Harlan Terson, Mark Wydra, Ken Saydak, John Brumbach, Pete Benson and James Wheeler! You can find this on CD Baby if you can't wait for his visit and CD release party in B1, January 16!

                                      Congrats Ron!

                                      Two New Jams!!!

                                      Get out and play at these two upcoming jams:

                                      Open Mic at the Horseshoe
                                      Wed, November 30th, 8pm
                                      4115 N. Lincoln
                                      Hosted by the Amoreys/Andy Willis

                                      Chicago's Old Time Jamboree at Dolce Casa
                                      Sat, December 3, 7:00pm
                                      4749 N. Damen
                                      Hosted by The Wren & the Whistler
                                      (BYOB. No cover.)

                                      Band Communication!!!

                                      - Confused about how best to communicate your songs to the band? Here's a nice offer for help from Al Taylor:

                                      "At the upcoming recital, it is important that performers give the band concise instructions. It's best if you give a card with your song information to the band right before you perform, as well. Feel free to contact Al Taylor (taylorar2010@gmail.com) for advice on reducing your band instructions to a minimum."

                                      Class Notes
                                      • Recital #17 happens on December 17 (wow, #17 on the 17th!) starting at 7:30pm. Here's the Set List! Impersonate a professional by being early for your time slot.
                                      Special Gig Notes!!!

                                      Morry Sochat & the Special 20s are hosting a very special Holiday Party this Saturday, December 3 at the Smoke Daddy.

                                      If you're a veteran of blues at the Smoke Daddy, you know there used to be a two-part stage on either side of the door. It was crazy and people walked right through the bandstand, but hey, it was cool! Word is Morry is building a stage to replicate that old feel so that he has room for his full horn section and all the special guests that night! Now that's commitment to putting on a great show, so get out to support him! Free entrance, right through the stage, and great blues and BBQ! Details at youmissedmonday on the Hear Live Harp tab!

                                      Re-Release!!!

                                      We remember Steve Guyger raving about the Finnish band he played and recorded with when he visited B1, so this CD from Helge Tallqvist is worth checking out:

                                      Back in stock at Bluebeat is Helge Tallqvist playing George Smith, complete with a talking track of George himself!


                                      - thanks to Big Jim for the tip!

                                      - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                      Tuesday, November 22, 2011

                                      What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 246 #289)

                                      Temperature!!!

                                      Heat up on a cold November night by working on Temperature from Little Walter! This is likely the first in a series of tunes we'll be studying from Walter, which ties in with our friend Shoji's recent obsession with Little Walter play-along tracks! We love this theme!

                                      This is primarily a one chord tune with a 12 bar solo section. Joe viewed it as a nine bar form over this one chord...and Shoji counted it as an 8 bar form with 3 extra beats, so there you go!

                                      There is no disagreement though that the power of this "blue-collar, meat and potatoes solo that hits you with tone" is rooted in the blues scale, which is primarily inhale notes in second position. There are a minimum of exhale notes on the page. As Joe says, if you want to have maximum blues impact in your playing, you cannot be exhaling 50% of the time. Your body may want to exhale, but that is not blues playing!
                                                  Argentinian Harp Players!!!

                                                  - thanks to our newest B1 friend, Eduardo, for sharing this list of harp players from his native Argentina who you should check out:

                                                  Harmonica Players from Argentina that you can find onwww.grooveshark.com

                                                  - Walter Gandini

                                                  - Adrian Jimenez (Chicago Style)

                                                  - Chevy Rockets (Rock n' Roll / Blues band) whose lineup has had various good harmonica players...(and a great singer Joe Cocker style)...you might want to listen to a bluesy version of Nostalgias, a traditional tango.

                                                  - Luis Robinson y Los Champagne Jumps

                                                  - Franco Luciani: The country's best chromatic player by far....he plays a lot of tango and argentine folk music.

                                                  - Mariano Massolo: probably regarded as one of the best techincally....he plays more jazz than others and some overblows.

                                                  ...on youtube you can find all of the above plus:

                                                  - Sandra Vazquez: for example you can search "La mama de Jimmy - León Gieco y Sandra Vazquez"

                                                  - Natacha Seara
                                                  Ron Sorin and the Blue Coast Band CD Release!!!

                                                  We're excited to announce that our local harp legend, Ron Sorin, has released a new CD, Lake City! This disc is loaded with special guests: Tad Robinson, Mark Skyer, Marty Binder, Harlan Terson, Mark Wydra, Ken Saydak, John Brumbach, Pete Benson and James Wheeler! You can find this on CD Baby if you can't wait for his visit and CD release party in B1 in January!

                                                  Congrats Ron!
                                                  Two New Jams!!!

                                                  Get out and play at these two upcoming jams:

                                                  Open Mic at the Horseshoe
                                                  Wed, November 30th, 8pm
                                                  4115 N. Lincoln
                                                  Hosted by the Amoreys/Andy Willis

                                                  Chicago's Old Time Jamboree at Dolce Casa
                                                  Sat, December 3, 7:00pm
                                                  4749 N. Damen
                                                  Hosted by The Wren & the Whistler
                                                  (BYOB. No cover.)
                                                  Class Notes
                                                  • Next week in class you should be ready to practice transitions - play the end of one song and launch quickly into the next so that you can make this happen at recital. Impersonate a pro!
                                                  • Congratulations to David Kachalon, Ginny Morin and Skip Landt for leading their band Strictly Jug Nuts to a win in the battle of the jug bands!
                                                  - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                  Tuesday, November 15, 2011

                                                  What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 245 #288)

                                                  I Don't Know!!!

                                                  That is not a sarcastic remark. We do know what you missed - the last installment of the George Smith study series, a song called I Don't Know.

                                                  George only blows 12 bars on this tune, but they are great! Cool call and response. And check out his heavy use of dirty notes and octaves on that high harp to get a full, gritty sound. Watch the timing on bar 10!

                                                  Was he really playing a Db harp? Not likely since they were a rare tuning at the time. More likely the song's recording shifted at some point.

                                                  George, so long for now. It's been great studying ya! And Joe, welcome back!
                                                              Tuning Table!!!

                                                              Our apologies for the oversight last week - we forgot to mention that our own beloved Highway RickEy taught two great sessions last week on tuning your harps. This was a great introduction to the idea for most and made it clear that some simple tuning is within our grasp! Particularly with Rickey's fabulous invention, the Tuning Table, to aid us. If you don't have one, get with the program! This ingenious little device is highly endorsed by our own harp tech extraordinaire, Joe Filisko!
                                                              Vintage Tube Amps For Sale!!!

                                                              Our friend Ray Kunst has two vintage tube amps for sale. Great harp amps! Email Ray if you're interested:


                                                              Vintage Tempo Colortone 49 Tube Guitar Amp Late 50's early 60's by Merson Products, 3 tubes, about 3-5 watts output.
                                                              Tempo (Merson) MDL Colortone 49
                                                              8” speaker
                                                              RCA Electron Tubes
                                                              A Real Beauty!
                                                              Gritty, raw and surprisingly loud for such a little amp.
                                                              Pickup only.
                                                              $425.00


                                                              Vintage Silvertone (Dano) Meteor MDL 1430 1950's
                                                              6” Speaker
                                                              GE Tubes
                                                              One of them is a 12 AU6
                                                              A Real Beauty!
                                                              Gritty, raw and surprisingly loud for such a little amp.
                                                              Pickup only.
                                                              $425.00
                                                              Filisko Show Tonight!!!

                                                              Hurry, get down to the Harlem Avenue Lounge tonight to catch the Filisko solo show!
                                                              Class Notes
                                                              • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. Sign up sheets are due November 14 and should include short bio info on the back.
                                                                  Special Gig Notes!!!

                                                                  News is that the James Cotton show this week has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for April.

                                                                  Also, Charlie Musselwhite has two shows this week, including one with the great Duke Robillard on Saturday.

                                                                  - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                  Tuesday, November 8, 2011

                                                                  What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 244 #287)

                                                                  Long Distance Call!!!

                                                                  Muddy Waters. Little Walter. What else is there to say? That's killer blues - the best harp, slide guitar and vocals you'll ever find.

                                                                  Shoji recommends you listen to Long Distance Call for a taste of these two master bluesmen in action. It was a masterful evening of teaching last night too as Shoji presented this song. His main points were these:
                                                                  • Looking at the transcription it seems the notes are rather simple. Mostly inhale, rarely above hole four, all blues scale, very little hand technique. Bends, yes, but in the end, there are only five notes here. Simple.
                                                                  • Now look at the rhythmic notation. It is difficult!
                                                                  This is what Shoji means when he keeps saying you have to play the right notes at the right time! We have to get beyond learning notes and technique and spend practice time counting and understanding rhythm and timing. Brilliantly presented, Shoji, thanks!

                                                                  Get your play along track here: Shoblues
                                                                              Instant Music: Harmonica Workshop for Kids and Families!!!

                                                                              B1 has a new friend - long-time Old Town kids music teacher, Jason McInnes who is leading workshops for kids and families on Sunday, November 13 - children only at 1:00pm and family class at 2:30pm. If you have kids or know someone who may want to introduce their kids to harp playing, this should be a fun way to get them started!

                                                                              Jason also leads the monthly Gather-All for musicians at Old Town to come together and play. Catch it this Friday, November 11, 2011.
                                                                              New Releases - Correction!!!

                                                                              Apologies to Flavio for having his name reversed last week - our Portuguese is, um, non-existent. It should read:

                                                                              Flavio Guimaraes - AND FRIENDS

                                                                              The friends part means Joe Filisko, Rick Estrin, Steve Guyger, Gary Smith, Peter "Madcat" Ruth and Charlie Musselwhite - wow, a who's who of harp players on this new release, so check it out!


                                                                              Howlin' Wolf Complete Chess Masters - 4 CDs of the Wolf!
                                                                              FREE John Nemeth Show Tonight!!!

                                                                              Yes, you miserly bunch of harmonica players, FREE!

                                                                              Bone dropped into B1 last night to let us know that SPACE is offering free entrance to John Nemeth's show this evening if you tell the door you're with the Old Town harmonica class. If it happens that you're reading this and you're not currently registered, no worries. You are welcome to take advantage of this offer. SPACE wants a full house - come make it happen! Showtime is 8:00pm.

                                                                              Did we mention it is free?
                                                                              Class Notes
                                                                              • Joe Filisko will be back in action next week! All classes and private lessons run as normally scheduled.
                                                                              • There will NOT be a drop in blues jam next week. That was something Grant and Al could do because Shoji's room was available, but with Joe back, that will no longer be the case. Grant is looking into the possibility of doing that once a month in another room - stay tuned.
                                                                              • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. Sign up sheets are due November 14 and should include short bio info on the back.
                                                                              - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                              Tuesday, November 1, 2011

                                                                              What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 243 #286)

                                                                              Summertime!!!

                                                                              It may be cooling off outside, but it was Summertime in B1 last night! Shoji taught the Gershwin classic, as performed by the great Miles Davis - you may notice he has a slightly different take on the melody, but who can argue with Miles?!

                                                                              Summertime is its own form, in Bb when Miles does it, Shoji has moved it to A to make it work with a C harp. You can argue about whether Shoji is playing first position or fourth, but you can't argue the 2 draw full bend is a challenging melody note! Shoji points out you can move the melody up an octave on the C (or perhaps a low C) and then play the whole melody without bends.

                                                                              If you've been wondering what Shoji means when he keeps saying, "play the right note at the right time", give Miles' version a listen while studying Shoji's rhythmic transcription and perhaps it will sink in!

                                                                              Shoji has made a practice track available for online play-along for a few days: Summertime.
                                                                                          Open Jam!!!

                                                                                          Grant Kessler and Al Taylor will be hosting an open jam next Monday from 3:30-5:30. This is very casual - stop by anytime to play, listen, or ask questions. We'll be in the room Shoji usually teaches in, just south of the Old Town main entrance in the old "soccer club" building.
                                                                                          New Releases!!!

                                                                                          - thanks to our buddy Big Jim for tipping us off about these:

                                                                                          Guimaraes Flavio- AND FRIENDS

                                                                                          The friends part means Joe Filisko, Rick Estrin, Steve Guyger, Gary Smith, Peter "Madcat" Ruth and Charlie Musselwhite - wow, a who's who of harp players on this new release, so check it out!


                                                                                          Howlin' Wolf Complete Chess Masters - 4 CDs of the Wolf!
                                                                                          Class Notes
                                                                                          • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now! Sign up sheets are due November 14 and should include short bio info on the back.
                                                                                          • Emphasis will be placed on reducing the time between songs at recital this time. The next two weeks is a great time to practice playing the end of one song and launching a second song in short succession. Shoji and the B1 Band welcome this if you'd like to work on it!
                                                                                          • Joe's out of town November 7. His private lessons won't happen, but all group classes will proceed as normal with master subs Zoe Savage and Shoji Naito in charge.
                                                                                          - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                                          Tuesday, October 25, 2011

                                                                                          What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 242 #285)

                                                                                          The Highway RickEy Show!!!

                                                                                          While Joe is gallivanting around Europe with Eric, Highway RickEy is dimming lights and firing up computers and projectors in B1! This was not smoke and mirrors; it was a truly great lecture on the use of Media Center and Amazing Slow Downer to organize your music files and improve the quality of your practice.

                                                                                          RickEy began by distinguishing between "practicing" and "playing". If you're spending time working to improve, that is practice and it should be thoughtful, it should include a timing device like a metronome or a practice track and it will be hugely improved with a tool like the Amazing Slow Downer. If you're playing in a performance setting, for friends or even just to amuse yourself, relax and have fun. "Play" should be fun, after all, that's why we make music. But remember to take "practice" seriously.

                                                                                          Amazing Slow Downer is computer software (runs on PC, Mac and iPhone) that allows you to change the pitch and speed of a song as well as develop short loop segments. This is a fabulous way to practice! RickEy demonstrated the program and shared practice methodologies with us.

                                                                                          He also outlined how to use Media Center to organize and tag your music library. For PC users, this is a fantastic program to organize, sort and call up songs and playlists - again, great ways to improve your practice regimen.

                                                                                          Both programs are linked on the YouMissedMonday website gear tab.

                                                                                          The computer is your friend for a higher quality of practice - put it to use! As RickEy says:

                                                                                          "Master less, but master something!"
                                                                                                      Open Jam!!!

                                                                                                      Grant Kessler and Al Taylor will be hosting an open jam the next two Mondays from 3:30-5:30. This is very casual - stop by anytime to play, listen, or ask questions. We'll be in the room Shoji usually teaches in, just south of the Old Town main entrance in the old "soccer club" building.
                                                                                                      Class Notes
                                                                                                      • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now! Sign up sheets are due November 14 and should include short bio info on the back.
                                                                                                      • Emphasis will be placed on reducing the time between songs at recital this time. The next two weeks is a great time to practice playing the end of one song and launching a second song in short succession. Shoji and the B1 Band welcome this if you'd like to work on it!
                                                                                                      • Joe's out of town October 31 and November 7. His private lessons won't happen, but all group classes will proceed as normal with master subs Zoe Savage and Shoji Naito in charge.
                                                                                                      • We hear a harmonica player left a kit full of harps at the Matchbox recently. If they're yours, give the club a call. This is a good reminder we should all put our names and phone numbers on our harp cases!
                                                                                                      - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                                                      Tuesday, October 18, 2011

                                                                                                      What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 241 #284)

                                                                                                      George Smith!!!

                                                                                                      In case you ever had any doubt about George Smith's harp skills, not that you did, but in case you need very definitive proof, Joe would point you to bars nine and ten of his solo on Love Life. Try smoothly sustaining those two bends on any harp, let alone an F harp, and you'll know why George is in the list of elite players! Killer bends, beautiful tone and they make perfect musical sense outlining the chord changes on those two bars.

                                                                                                      In talking further about bends like this, Joe pointed out you need two skills to accomplish this:

                                                                                                      1 Muscle memory/mouth control to physically accomplish the bend.

                                                                                                      2 The ear to hear it and hold it.

                                                                                                      Shoji listened to the tune in class and outlined the chord changes for the intro this way:

                                                                                                      / I I I I / IV IV IV IV /
                                                                                                      / I I IV IV / V VI V /

                                                                                                      Although George plays notes outside the blues scale on this solo, he is still relying heavily on blues scale phrasing.

                                                                                                      Remember these words of wisdom when practicing with your F harp:

                                                                                                      "Treat it as though it were a weapon. Like a gun, never point it at anything you don't intend to shoot." - Joe
                                                                                                                  Level Four Workshop Next Week!!!

                                                                                                                  - Joe will be out of town the next three weeks and instruction is in Shoji and RickEy's hands. Rickey has this on tap for next week:

                                                                                                                  Workshop: How to Practice and Organize Your Music
                                                                                                                  As taught and explained by Harmonica Einstein!

                                                                                                                  A must attend class on how to practice, including numerous tips to help you streamline and expand your practice time.
                                                                                                                  Featuring two premier computer music tools:

                                                                                                                  Media Center 16 from J River (PC)
                                                                                                                  Free trial available at jriver.com

                                                                                                                  Amazing Slow Downer (PC, MAC, & iPhone)
                                                                                                                  Free trial available at ronimusic.com

                                                                                                                  Topics covered with Media Center:
                                                                                                                  Logically storing your music on your computer.
                                                                                                                  Tagging songs to enhance sorting options, i.e., by song key, harp key, tempo, etc.
                                                                                                                  Creating and using playlists - the lifeblood of keeping your goals focused.

                                                                                                                  Topics covered with Amazing Slow Downer:
                                                                                                                  Importing and managing playlists.
                                                                                                                  Loops - creating, using, and saving.
                                                                                                                  Independently changing pitch and speed.
                                                                                                                  Hotkeys for controlling speed, pitch, and loops.
                                                                                                                  Exporting to use with your mp3 or cd players.
                                                                                                                  Shoji Naito Selling Play-Along Tracks!!!

                                                                                                                  What could be better than harp play along tracks recorded by the guitar and harmonica playing genius in the Eddy Clearwater band? Shoji has years of teaching experience too and has built a great catalog of song-specific tracks. They are now available at his site for download and can be purchased through PayPal (no account necessary, just use your credit card).

                                                                                                                  Get 'em here!
                                                                                                                  Position Playing Workshop At Old Town!!!

                                                                                                                  Bob Kessler (no relation!) from the Black Willoughbys stopped by class last week to announce a workshop he's teaching at Old Town. On Saturday, October 22 at 1:00pm Bob will be teaching how to play in positions beyond first, second and third. As he explained, playing in new positions can move you out of improv ruts and give unique sounds to your playing. Sign up and learn how to approach 4th, 5th, 6th and even 11th position!
                                                                                                                  Bruce Iglauer Talks Walter Horton!!!

                                                                                                                  "Someone once said that if Little Walter were playing harp like a tenor sax, Big Walter played it like a bass clarinet." - Bruce Iglauer

                                                                                                                  The October 11 issue of Blues & Rhythm Magazine has a great interview with Alligator Records owner Bruce Iglauer. He describes connecting Walter Horton with Carey Bell for a record and gives a lot of behind the scenes insight into Walter Horton's character and possible reasons for not being more well-known. A must read for Horton fans!
                                                                                                                  Class Notes
                                                                                                                  • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now! Sign up sheets are due November 14 and should include short bio info on the back.
                                                                                                                  • Emphasis will be placed on reducing the time between songs at recital this time. The next three weeks is a great time to practice playing the end of one song and launching a second song in short succession. Shoji and the B1 Band welcome this if you'd like to work on it!
                                                                                                                  • Joe's out of town October 24, 31 and November 7. His private lessons won't happen, but all group classes will proceed as normal with master subs Zoe Savage and Shoji Naito in charge.
                                                                                                                  - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew


                                                                                                                  Tuesday, October 11, 2011

                                                                                                                  What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 240 #283)

                                                                                                                  George Smith!!!

                                                                                                                  Our guests and special events are wonderful, but it's good to be back to the rhythm of "normal" class, which means Joe was pulling lessons from a great George Smith tune, "Early One Monday Morning".

                                                                                                                  Studying this transcription and listening to the song, you should learn:
                                                                                                                  • George is sticking almost exclusively to the blues scale, which can also be put this way: "Basic Blues Harmonica Wisdom - when in doubt, inhale."
                                                                                                                  • Speaking of note choice, he also uses the 5 draw sparingly and uses inhale notes on the 3 hole almost as passing tones rather than landing there. This is a great jumping off point for beginning improv players - use the three hole sparingly until you have mastered the bends.
                                                                                                                  • George's hip, swing phrasing comes from creating rhythmic tension...he ends a lot of phrases prior to the downbeat.
                                                                                                                            Jimmy Gordon In the News!!!

                                                                                                                            "You got to be beautiful inside," says Bellows Falls harmonica player Jimmy Gordon, "or it’s not going to come through in your music."

                                                                                                                            Harmonica ace player and customizer, Jimmy Gordon, was recently interviewed in the Brattleboro Reformer. Read here about his playing and his struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. Then head over to this link to pick up a copy of the killer CD he's just released, MS Blows, featuring tracks from a who's who list of harp players!
                                                                                                                            Shoji Naito Selling Play-Along Tracks!!!

                                                                                                                            What could be better than harp play along tracks recorded by the guitar and harmonica playing genius in the Eddy Clearwater band? Shoji has years of teaching experience too and has built a great catalog of song-specific tracks. They are now available at his site for download and can be purchased through PayPal (no account necessary, just use your credit card).

                                                                                                                            Get 'em here!
                                                                                                                            Position Playing Workshop At Old Town!!!

                                                                                                                            Bob Kessler (no relation!) from the Black Willoughbys stopped by class last night to announce a workshop he's teaching at Old Town. On Saturday, October 22 at 1:00pm Bob will be teaching how to play in positions beyond first, second and third. As he explained, playing in new positions can move you out of improv ruts and give unique sounds to your playing. Sign up and learn how to approach 4th, 5th, 6th and even 11th position!
                                                                                                                            Class Notes
                                                                                                                            • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now!
                                                                                                                            • Joe's out of town October 24, 31 and November 7. His private lessons won't happen, but all group classes will proceed as normal with master subs Zoe Savage and Shoji Naito in charge.
                                                                                                                            - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                                                                            Tuesday, October 4, 2011

                                                                                                                            What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 239 #282)

                                                                                                                            Jelly Roll Johnson!!!

                                                                                                                            Introducing Kirk Jelly Roll Johnson last night, Joe spoke of his skillful playing and minimalism, making the point that "...if you can't say it with a few words or notes, you may never get it said."

                                                                                                                            It was an interesting introduction in light of "Mrs. Jelly Roll's" comment at the end of the night that she didn't think her husband could talk that much! Obviously B1's interest in him and his playing brought the soft-spoken Jelly Roll out of his shell! We were blown away by his thoughtfulness and beautiful playing!

                                                                                                                            Jelly Roll described his learning curve and influences: his dad taught him to play by tongue-blocking right from the start and that's all he knows. He learned by listening to Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, Sonny Boy II and of course Charlie McCoy. It was McCoy who gave Jelly Roll his strong sense of melodic playing.
                                                                                                                            He spoke a lot about working in the studio, addressing questions about how booking, pay and creative decisions happen. A few of his key points:
                                                                                                                            • Deliver what they want.
                                                                                                                            • Play what the song needs.
                                                                                                                            • Don't waste anyone's time.
                                                                                                                            His great summary quote on these topics was:

                                                                                                                            "Rarely do you get to advance the art of harmonica playing in the studio."
                                                                                                                            Jelly Roll also gave some nice, clear advice on playing with and behind a vocalist:
                                                                                                                            • The diatonic is a vocal instrument, so be careful with it behind a singer.
                                                                                                                            • Play in the holes.
                                                                                                                            • Listen to the lyrics and attempt to understand and capture the mood of the song.
                                                                                                                            • Make the notes count.
                                                                                                                            It was a wonderful night with a wonderful person and performer. Thanks, Jelly Roll!
                                                                                                                                      Willie "Big Eyes" Smith!!!

                                                                                                                                      Dave Specter checked in with us and shared this photo from a few years back when Willie performed on the main stage at the Old Town School. That's Joe on harp behind him too and his son Kenny "Beady Eyes" Smith on drums. Thanks for the memory, Dave:

                                                                                                                                      Hohner Sponsors Harmonikids!!!

                                                                                                                                      - We've reported previously on the great work that Gary Allegretto does with his organization Harmonikids. Hohner recently announced a partnership with Harmonikids:

                                                                                                                                      Hohner, Inc. is proud to announce the company’s alliance withHarmonikids, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing harmonicas & the joy of music into the lives of special needs children.

                                                                                                                                      Hohner, Inc. has partnered with Harmonikids founder, artist, educator and 2011 Keeping Blues Alive Award recipient Gary Allegretto, to provide harmonicas and musical instruction to children beset with a wide range of physical, emotional, and/or economic challenges. Harmonikids’ seminars and events have introduced children throughout the world to the healing and restorative powers of music since 1985, utilizing the harmonica to create unique avenues for music therapy and education in environments ranging from children’s hospitals to tsunami-ravaged North Sumatra.

                                                                                                                                      Each child participating in a Harmonikids event is gifted with his or her own Hohner harmonica and afforded the rare opportunity to receive musical instruction and inspiration from a professional musician and educator in a supportive and nurturing environment. Clay Edwards, President of Hohner, Inc. recently commented, “Hohner endeavors to be a part of everyone’s musical life. If music provides an outlet for these children to express themselves and their condition, then by all means we have an obligation to support and foster it. Harmonikids is a first class organization with its heart in the right place and Gary Allegretto couldn’t be better in relating to the children."
                                                                                                                                      Annie Raines!!!

                                                                                                                                      Annie Raines does not make it to Chicago often and this is no exception, but she is within striking distance on October 29 if you are up for a road trip!

                                                                                                                                      2011 Deep Blue Innovators Blues Festival
                                                                                                                                      Jerry Portnoy Launches Harp Instructional Website!!!

                                                                                                                                      Our good friend and 2010 Chicago Blues Harp Bash headliner, Jerry Portnoy is launching his own instructional website for harp players called Harp Junction. Jerry is a smooth, skilled storyteller and has chosen wisely to use video blog posts as his teaching medium. He is fantastic on camera and has years of stage experience with Muddy Waters to inform his comments. What more could you ask for?!

                                                                                                                                      His site also features play-along tracks, a forum for harp players to ask questions and the opportunity to email your questions directly to Jerry. Check it out and learn from the best!
                                                                                                                                      Class Notes
                                                                                                                                      • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now!
                                                                                                                                        Joe Filisko Speaking This Week!!!

                                                                                                                                        Joe is speaking at the USF Songwriters Guild at 7:00 P.M. this coming Wednesday October 5th! Bring your own music for constructive advice and feedback, and listen to Filisko discuss his own philosophies of music and writing.

                                                                                                                                        The Songwriters Guild will be held in the DARA (Digital Audio Recording Arts) studio (N407) at the University of Saint Francis, 500 Wilcox Ave, Joliet, IL 60435.

                                                                                                                                        - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                                                                                        Tuesday, September 27, 2011

                                                                                                                                        What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 238 #281)

                                                                                                                                        Orange Blossom Special!!!

                                                                                                                                        Joe first took some time last night to review acoustic mic hand technique. Get your Sonny Boy down with these pointers:
                                                                                                                                        • Create a very small cup or chamber with your hands, behind the harmonica. When doing this you'll have a lot of harp sticking out to the right side, which is just what you want. Position this protruding harp part near the microphone for killer tone!
                                                                                                                                        • If you are tempted to actually cup the entire vocal mic within your hands, BEWARE! Yes, Jim Liban does it, but he has extremely good internal volume control. If you can't play verysoftly, you are in danger of hurting eardrums and possibly causing feedback. Leave the mic on the stand.
                                                                                                                                        In honor of our guest next week, Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson, Joe shared his transcription of the country classic, Orange Blossom Special. The original recording is Johnny Cash with Charlie McCoy on harp, romping through crossharp train whistles, chordal playing and a fast fiddle melody. As our own Highway RickEy would say, "Let's see you do it!"
                                                                                                                                                  Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson to Visit B1!!!

                                                                                                                                                  Another amazing, Nashville-based harmonica player will grace B1's big red carpet. Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson will visit B1 on Monday, October 3. Jelly Roll Johnson has recorded with a long list of popular country artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Kenny Rogers, Guy Clark, Lee Ann Womack, and many others. His unique sound has been heard on over 50 gold and platinum albums, including three Grammy winning albums by Randy Travis. Learn more about Jelly Roll Johnson and mark your calendars now!
                                                                                                                                                  Jerry Portnoy Launches Harp Instructional Website!!!

                                                                                                                                                  Our good friend and 2010 Chicago Blues Harp Bash headliner, Jerry Portnoy is launching his own instructional website for harp players called Harp Junction. Jerry is a smooth, skilled storyteller and has chosen wisely to use video blog posts as his teaching medium. He is fantastic on camera and has years of stage experience with Muddy Waters to inform his comments. What more could you ask for?!

                                                                                                                                                  His site also features play-along tracks, a forum for harp players to ask questions and the opportunity to email your questions directly to Jerry. Check it out and learn from the best!
                                                                                                                                                  Class Notes
                                                                                                                                                  • The Bash was terrific...but we ended up with fewer good photos of the six performers (and the band) than we'd like. If you have photos from that night that you're willing to contribute to the B1 promotional machine (Bash website, primarily), please email us:info@youmissedmonday.com.
                                                                                                                                                  • Our winter recital is on the calendar, December 17. You should start planning and practicing your songs now!
                                                                                                                                                  - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew

                                                                                                                                                  Tuesday, September 20, 2011

                                                                                                                                                  What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 237 #280)

                                                                                                                                                  Gary Smith!!!

                                                                                                                                                  We've had two wonderful days of Gary Smith this week - first the Chicago Blues Harp Bash #4 on Sunday followed by Gary visiting B1 during class on Monday.

                                                                                                                                                  The Bash was a huge success and Joe couldn't be happier with everything. Performances by Jimmie Meade, Katsu Kosaku, Morry Sochat, Ron Sorin and Grant Kessler were fantastic and all huge hits with the audience. All that lead up to a stellar show by our headliner, Gary Smith, Mr. Massive Tone!

                                                                                                                                                  SPACE was a near full house, so thanks to all who came out. An event this large comes off thanks to lots of people backing up Joe:

                                                                                                                                                  Jaime Viehweg - Bash website
                                                                                                                                                  Marianna Delinck Manley - poster design
                                                                                                                                                  Jeff "Bone" Reynolds - ticket sales
                                                                                                                                                  Highway RickEy - photography and Sonny Jr. amp
                                                                                                                                                  Kirk Manley - gopher, YMM and poster signing
                                                                                                                                                  Al Taylor - YMM
                                                                                                                                                  Shoji Naito - soundchecking the band, amp, guitar extraordinaire
                                                                                                                                                  Dave Barrett - connecting us with Gary
                                                                                                                                                  Michelle Filisko - merchandise table manager
                                                                                                                                                  Grant Kessler - gopher, YMM
                                                                                                                                                  Billy Flynn, Mike Flynn, Steve Bass - the band
                                                                                                                                                  Jake, Dave Specter and the rest of the staff at SPACE
                                                                                                                                                  Harlan Terson - sitting in on bass
                                                                                                                                                  Andy Willis - breathtaking caricature sketches
                                                                                                                                                  Jim Reeves & Erin - sound engineers, SPACE
                                                                                                                                                  Ray Sarna - coming from Costa Rica
                                                                                                                                                  Andy Garrigue - coming from Virginia
                                                                                                                                                  Elizabeth Hess - coming from Florida
                                                                                                                                                  Tom Gilmore - coming from South Haven, Michigan
                                                                                                                                                  And all of you - for buying tickets and CDs, bringing friends out, and promoting the show on Facebook

                                                                                                                                                  courtesy of Andy Willis

                                                                                                                                                  Gary's B1 visit was a treat! He had a lot of great wisdom on topics ranging from tone to singing to learning to play.

                                                                                                                                                  Regarding tone, he broke it down into four categories to work on and improve:
                                                                                                                                                  1. Tongue block. No excuses. Do it, that's where big tone comes from.
                                                                                                                                                  2. Hands. He demonstrated various hand/mic positions.
                                                                                                                                                  3. Mic. Find a hot mic - this is definitely one of the tone components.
                                                                                                                                                  4. Amp. The second gear component is your amp and he described various amp sizes and characteristics.
                                                                                                                                                  Sharing a couple quotes from Gary:

                                                                                                                                                  "You're learning a language; instead of Spanish you're learning "Bluesish".

                                                                                                                                                  Asked how he feels about singing, he says he enjoys it and doesn't think of himself as a singer but rather:

                                                                                                                                                  "...an interpreter of blues lyrics."

                                                                                                                                                  Gary talked about the elements he thinks about in an extended instrumental improv piece and he stressed that improvisation is certainly "the goal". He followed that up with a great swinging example.

                                                                                                                                                  Hanging in the corner and lobbing wonderful questions to Gary was "Grandpa" Jim Liban! It is always a special treat to have him join us from Milwaukee, and he and Gary really seemed to enjoy the back and forth. It often felt like the rest of us were just fortunate to be a fly on the wall while the legends held court.

                                                                                                                                                  Jim was even coaxed into singing and playing a tune with Gary - certainly a high point for us all. Huge thanks to Gary for making the trip from San Jose to entertain us two nights in a row!
                                                                                                                                                            Willie "Big Eyes" Smith!!!

                                                                                                                                                            Willie Smith drumming at Chicago Blues Harp Bash, 2008

                                                                                                                                                            (photo Grant Kessler)


                                                                                                                                                            - The B1 crew certainly has warm feelings for Willie Smith. We were thrilled to have him drum with us at our Chicago Blues Harp Bash in 2008 - we will miss him. Our friend Bob Corritore did a fantastic job memorializing Willie Smith recently:

                                                                                                                                                            "RIP Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - January 19, 1936 to Sept 16th, 2011.

                                                                                                                                                            It is with great sadness that we report the unexpected passing of one the true greats of the blues, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Willie passed away this morning of a stroke. He was 75 and was musically active until the very end. A brilliant drummer, harmonica player and vocalist, he represented the true essence of Chicago blues, and was highly regarded by all as an undisputed master. He was an alumni of the Muddy Waters band and wore those stripes with honor.

                                                                                                                                                            Willie was born in Helena, Arkansas in 1936, and started playing harmonica at age 17, shortly after moving to Chicago. His harmonica first appeared on record in the 1950s gracing recordings by Arthur "Big Boy" Spires, and Bo Diddley (Willie played the harmonica on the Diddley classic "Diddy Wah Diddy"). At some point in the mid to late 1950s he started playing drums and in 1959 began his long association with Muddy Waters. Smith's drumming first appeared on record on Muddy Waters' 1960 album release of Sings Big Bill Broonzy. Smith had a real gift for drumming and his playing would help to define the later Muddy Waters Band sound. Many of us remember the classic Muddy Waters lineup of Muddy, Willie, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, and Calvin "Fuzz" Jones.

                                                                                                                                                            In June of 1980 members of Muddy's band struck out on their own and formed the Legendary Blues Band which eventually found Willie as the lead vocalist, showcasing his stellar, down-home vocals. Willie released his first solo album, Bag Full of Blues in 1995, which firmly established him as an artist in his own right. Willie would revive his first instrument in later years, and in 1996 he would release Way Back, which debuted his new direction, and showed him to be a solid harmonicist. His final recording, Joined At The Hip was a collaboration with the now deceased Pinetop Perkins, and it it earned the two a Grammy in the Traditional Blues category.
                                                                                                                                                            .
                                                                                                                                                            We have just touched upon a few of the many recordings of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith whose discography as both a frontman and a sideman represents the highest of heights in the blues. Willie had a strong work ethic and was a consummate professional, and as a result he worked relentlessly. He won numerous BMAs (Blues Music Awards) as "Best Blues Drummer", and he always carried great bands with him. Of note is the wonderful management of Patricia Morgan, who helped guide the later part of Willie's amazing career, and the impressive booking of Blue Mountain Artists. Also thanks to Willie for bringing out the wonderful talent in his band with Jimmy Mayes, Bob Stroger, "Little" Frank Krakowski, and for his wonderful collaborations with other Muddy alums.

                                                                                                                                                            Willie leaves his greatest legacy with his son Kenny "Beady Eyes" Smith, who has become one of the world's greatest blues drummers and carries on his father's sound and tradition. Prayers for all of Willie's family, friends, fellow musicians, and fans as we say goodbye to one of the greatest blessings of the blues. We love you "Big Eyes". To visit Willie "Big Eyes" Smith's website click williebigeyessmith.com."

                                                                                                                                                            Note for those in or near Chicago, full details of memorials and services are described on his website. There is a musical celebration of life at Rosa's Thursday, September 22, a full day of visitation on Sunday, September 24, and funeral services on Monday, September 25.
                                                                                                                                                            Class Notes
                                                                                                                                                            • Collectible, autographed posters of the Bash are still available! See Joe.
                                                                                                                                                            - Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew