Songs with Harmonicas. Which are the best?

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

The Hurricanes-- Had To Play The Blues
Expertly-written, with an incredible harp break.

Just kidding, the Canes have probably played with 5 better harp-players this week alone. It WAS a career highlight, though. We had a blast recording that. I could have played it much better, but I'm still proud that I got to do it.

I like most of John Popper's work, there are a lot of players now because of him, but for me, anything by Sonny Boy Williamson II (Aleck Miller) is must-listen. I feel he took harmonica to a new level of maturity and classiness, yet wasn't snobby about it. I've read he didn't even carry his own harps, and never endorsed a brand or model, he would literally play whatever was around.
Obviously, anything by Little Walter or James Cotton will give you a clue as to what blues harp really is, and Richard Sleigh is probably my favorite local player.
This guy, from our friends' band, Bailey's Crossing from Carlisle, is pretty amazing, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojZyWO8s ... lated[url]
His name escapes me, but he plays with a bunch of bands from there to Philly, blues/country/jazz/bluegrass, and he has world-class control and tone. I'm glad I don't have to follow him onstage. This clip isn't even all that impressive compared to what he can really do, he burned the place down at Smoked Counttry Jam a few years ago. Right at the end of this video, the cameraman sums it up with two words:"Holy Crap."
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songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

Speaking of the Canes, they used to have a harpoon-player named Barney, from Texas. Don't cut heads with that cat. I did, and got schooled. The dude has it all... chops, lungs, and more soul than you, your dad, mom, sister, brother, extended family, and everyone you ever knew. After a half-hour, I needed an oxygen tank and something to hide behind. The guy probably FARTS in pentatonic scale.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

songsmith wrote:The guy probably FARTS in pentatonic scale.

Doesn't everybody?????????

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

Here are 2 favorite harp blowers of mine, maybe not too well known any more.

Norton Buffalo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWQe1IGu ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTTp0nit ... re=related

Charlie McCoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeqKbL5U ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVn12wI1 ... re=related

robinhood · Post by **robinhood** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

i must say im glad this thread was started. I'm loving listening to all these songs, and with picking up the harmonica soon, it's giving me some material to go with.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Friday Jul 27, 2012

Magic Dick from The J. Geils Band does some cool stuff

The J. Geils Band - Whammer Jammer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLD_Lv98 ... re=related

Magic Dick explains "Whammer Jammer"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKsd2Nc1 ... re=related

The J. Geils Band - Rage in the Cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3X9BW1ylg4

J. Geils Band - Flamethrower

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUnZYnqEKJk

J. Geils Band - Centerfold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAqFiXmSmgQ

J. Geils Band - Give It To Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqKgQxmp84g

J. Geils Band - Ain't Nothing But A House Party

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3z9PJvX ... re=related

PanzerFaust · Post by **PanzerFaust** » Saturday Jul 28, 2012

When I saw Blackfoot in concert I was seated behind the sound board and the harmonica intro to Train was done with the sound guy throwing in an old cassette tape!!! I couldn't believe it....

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Sunday Jul 29, 2012

PanzerFaust wrote:When I saw Blackfoot in concert I was seated behind the sound board and the harmonica intro to Train was done with the sound guy throwing in an old cassette tape!!! I couldn't believe it....

That was because the harmonica part on the record was played by Rickey Medlocke's grandfather, "Shorty" Medlocke, who also wrote the song. Shorty, played the introduction, which features sound effects of a train's wheels and whistle, on a harmonica. Nobody in the band played harmonica.

Shorty made several contributions to Blackfoot's music. He wrote the Top 40 hit "Train Train", and played harmonica on the track. He co-wrote the song "Fox Chase" and gave the song a short introduction. He co-wrote "Rattlesnake Rock 'n' Roller" and played banjo on the track. Shorty had also appeared on Blackfoot's 1975 debut album, No Reservations, singing a version of "Railroad Man" (which he also wrote).

Some more of Shorty's harmonica work.

Blackfoot - Fox Chase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBrSpVK5_kg

VENTGtr · Post by **VENTGtr** » Monday Jul 30, 2012

"Zep-Nobody's Fault But Mine

StumbleFingers · Post by **StumbleFingers** » Monday Jul 30, 2012

VENTGtr wrote:"Zep-Nobody's Fault But Mine

Zep records had some amazing harmonica sounds! "When the Levee Breaks" is epic. Robert Plant wasn't a virtuoso or anything, but they nailed the swampy voodoo vibe to a tee.

Speaking of frontmen who dabbled in harmonica... on Van Halen's "The Full Bug", I always thought Diamond Dave's harp solo crushed Eddie's too-brief guitar solo.