Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 206 #249)

"Leave the Gun; Take the Cannoli!!!"

Turns out that in addition to all the usual life lessons you may draw from the movie The Godfather, you can also use it to improve your bending!

Joe's transcription this week is the Godfather Waltz which is a fourth position tune (A harp) that will test your mettle on all the two and three draw bends. Play this eerie melody right and you'll be nailing the bends... and entertaining your family.

Here's how to think about it. Use your F harp to define the sounds on the three hole draw. Looking at the harmonica charts included with Joe's transcription, you'll see the F and A harp. Note that on the F, one draw, one draw bend and one blow are the same notes as the three draw half step bend, whole step bend and step and a half on the A harp. (If you prefer to use a low F, play the same notes on the four hole.) Play the notes on the F harp; then play them on the A harp. They should sound the same.

The next step is to work on the Godfather Waltz melody. Don't hesitate to use some vibrato by "chewing" with your jaw a little.

Work at it, or you'll be "swimming with the fishes"!

Maxwell Street Photos!!!

Check out this site for great historical photos of Maxwell Street with some blues tracks playing in the background: Maxwell Street.

Class Notes
  • Recital highlight CDs from the 15th recital are now available. Take a CD and make any donation you can to the class fund which makes it possible for Joe to hire incredible musicians (Shoji Naito, Highway RickEy and Gavin Tun) to back us all at these recitals.
Jim Liban Field Trip!!!

We're road-tripping to the Milwaukee area to see Jim Liban perform this week. Join us there and reach out to Grant if you want to carpool.

The Jim Liban Trio
(Jim Liban, Perry Weber, Jimi Schutte)

Hector's On Delaware (Mexican Restaurant)
Thursday, January 20
9-12pm
3040 S. Delaware
Bay View, WI 53207

- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew