What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 596 #642)

This week was about continuing to strengthen use of the fills Joe talked about last week: the root (2 draw), the full 2 draw bend (b7 and even flatter) and the dirty half step draw on the 3 (b3) and the short phrasing choices that connect them.

Why are these powerful? Because often when we hear something "bluesy", it's not the note so much as the sound, and these have it. Remember, keep that b3 a little on the sharp side for dissonance. And you're reinforcing poor bending habits of you're telegraphing the bends with unnecessary movement of your face, jaw and eyebrows! Stay relaxed and bend in your mouth.

Class Notes

• Harmonica Hoedown 2020 tickets now available! The show is Feb 18 at Martyr's featuring Joe Filisko & Friends, James Conway, Bob Kessler & Graham Nelson Trio, and the Lucky Ducks. 

Talkin' Blues Podcast: Shoji Naito Interview
The Talkin' Blues Podcast's Mako Funasaka has a great interview with Shoji Naito. Find out how he goes from kids' melodies in Toyoto, Japan, to three blues cassettes to being a member of the Eddy Clearwater Band in Chicago: podcast.

"There's something about playing live music. When you see somebody playing that same music live, somehow it's more powerful than listening on Spotify or YouTube."     - Shoji Naito


- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew