collapse

* Member Info

 
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
She said 'daddy, is that my train?' I say 'I ain't keepin up with the train time, I'm tryin to make a few dimes - Bukka White, Special Streamline

Author Topic: Great Solo Harmonica Performances  (Read 7563 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Johnm

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 13190
    • johnmillerguitar.com
Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« on: January 14, 2016, 12:41:24 PM »
Hi all,
I realized a while ago that quite often it seems as though harmonica is shown off to best advantage in solo settings.  I thought it might be fun to start a thread where folks could post particular favorite performances of solo harmonica.  I'll start the ball rolling with a couple:

Deford Bailey's "Alcoholic Blues":



Turner Junior Johnson's "When I Lay My Burden Down":



Robert Diggs' "Someday Baby":



I think what I especially like about solo harmonica performances is how well you can hear the player's tone.  Anyone else have some favorites?

All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: March 18, 2018, 09:09:16 AM by Johnm »

Offline Johnm

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 13190
    • johnmillerguitar.com
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2016, 01:01:20 PM »
Yes, it's playing fine for me, Frank.  Is that William Grant?  Pretty cool the way you pre-cued it!  That is a beauty.
All best,
Johnm

Offline Mike Billo

  • Member
  • Posts: 211
  • Howdy!
    • Mike Billo
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2016, 01:24:11 PM »
DeFord Bailey's "Davidson County Blues" is a Masterpiece


as is "Wilkes County Blues" by Gwen Foster (my favorite Old-Time Harmonica Player)


Offline Lignite

  • Member
  • Posts: 244
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2016, 02:12:30 PM »
This one has always been a fave of mine;


Offline Prof Scratchy

  • Member
  • Posts: 1731
  • Howdy!
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2016, 02:31:54 AM »







Offline Lastfirstface

  • Member
  • Posts: 383
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2016, 07:21:25 AM »

Offline oddenda

  • Member
  • Posts: 596
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2016, 01:40:50 AM »
Some Peg Leg Sam would be appropriate here. A master and a monster (Lignite can vouch for that!).

pbl

Offline frankie

  • Member
  • Posts: 2431
    • Old Refuge
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2016, 06:44:09 AM »
Some Peg Leg Sam would be appropriate here.

Sure would...  I would have posted his Reuben, but it's not on Youtube...  Fast Freight Train is a close second - with Baby Tate on guitar!


Offline Kadens

  • Member
  • Posts: 16
  • Howdy!
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2016, 07:30:43 AM »
Great tunes above, thanks!
My favourite all time harmonica solo recording is this version of La Cucaracha by Walter Horton:
http://www.jeffersonbluesmag.com/images/stories/horton/wh2_lacucaracha.mp3
In the recording Horton says he played that tune as long as he played harmonica.

Other songs from the same session (in a garage) are found in the middle of this page: http://www.jeffersonbluesmag.com/articles/internationell-blues/124-horton-big-walter-120
In the past anyway, this record was not easy to come across.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2016, 07:35:24 AM by Kadens »

Offline Lastfirstface

  • Member
  • Posts: 383
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2016, 07:45:45 AM »

Offline Johnm

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 13190
    • johnmillerguitar.com
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2016, 12:34:56 PM »
I'm glad you enjoyed the Turner Junior Johnson and Robert Diggs tracks, Anthony, and I should mention, they each have several additional tracks up on youtube.  Just search for them by name and you'll find them.  You may find that you prefer some of the other cuts that I didn't post, too.  That's always a bonus!
All best,
Johnm

Offline Johnm

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 13190
    • johnmillerguitar.com
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2016, 02:29:37 PM »
Hi all,
Here's one I've always loved--sure like his singing, too.



HARMONICA SOLO

Hangin' around and foolin' about sure get you down
Sure get you down, sure get you down
Hangin' around and foolin' about sure get you down
If you hang around and foolin' 'bout too long

Police and the High Sheriff come a-ridin' down
Ridin' down, ridin' down
Police and the High Sheriff's come a-ridin' down
And you know you don't want to go

HARMONICA SOLO

Hangin' around the skin game will sure get you down
Sure get you down, sure get you down
Hangin' around the skin game will sure get you down
If you hang around the skin game too long

Police and the High Sheriff come a-ridin' down
Ridin' down, ridin' down
Police and the High Sheriff's come a-ridin' down
And you know you don't want to go

HARMONICA SOLO

Thirty days in the jailhouse will sure get you down
Sure get you down, sure get you down
Thirty days in the jailhouse will sure get you down
If you stay in the jailhouse too long

God's in the road, rider, come and carry you down
Carry you down, carry you down
God's in the road, rider, come and carry you down
And you know you don't want to go

HARMONICA SOLO X 3

All best,
Johnm
« Last Edit: January 17, 2016, 12:04:41 PM by Johnm »

Offline lindy

  • Member
  • Posts: 1241
  • I'm a llama!
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2016, 06:34:08 PM »
There's a few YouTube videos of Phil Wiggins playing solo, this one was nicely shot in a recording studio.



Lindy
« Last Edit: January 16, 2016, 11:31:01 PM by lindy »

Offline bnemerov

  • Member
  • Posts: 239
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2016, 08:11:08 PM »
Hi Johnm,
Hadn't heard the Ollis Martin track before....sounds to me like the song is the prototype for Billy Grammer's hit "Gotta Travel On" written by, among others, folksinger Paul Clayton.
Odd how these musical ideas get around, eh?
best,
bruce

Offline Johnm

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 13190
    • johnmillerguitar.com
Re: Great Solo Harmonica Performances
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2016, 06:47:38 AM »
Hi all,
Here are a couple more, from Palmer McAbee:



and from Jaydee Short:



All best,
Johnm

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal