Learning Resources for Chromatic Harmonica PLayer

Bohemian

Chromonica

Lango-Django wrote: »

Now, if you would be so kind as to explain jazz etiquette 101 to that harmonica guy who occasionally shows up at the local jam session and keeps playing during everybody else's solo, I'd be very grateful...

Lol if I see him I'll give him a talking to! Guys like that give the instrument a bad name. But it's not the instrument's fault....

Bones

Lango, one thing he could do would be to take it away from his mouth for a bit.... Hand him a beer and some chips.

Lango-Django

Take it AWAY from his mouth?

Nope, can't honestly say that particular thought occurred to me, Mike...

rgrice

Why not take up clarinet?

Russell Letson

You could tell the story about Groucho, his cigar, and the lady with lots of kids.

pickitjohn

I was on another road trip and had Djangology 10 CD set on my iPod.
When I got to the 4th CD I was Blown Away with Larry Adler.
I had to listen to the four tunes several times each. Sounded like they were having a blast and the play off each other was Phenomenal.
Stéphane Grappelli on paino was a treat.
I remembered this post and thought I'd add my discovery...
Only to find it had been previously discussed and I must of been to busy to appreciate at the time.


Stéphane Grappelli (paino); Django Reinhardt (guitar solo); Joseph Reinhardt, Eugène Vées (guitar); Roger Grasset (bass) -
I Got Rhythm
My Melancholy Baby
Lover Come Back To Me
Body And Soul

Here's a search result that will give you all of them to hear.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Larry+Adler+&+Django

and the old posted one here



Gypsy Jazz Harmonica Why Not
especially of Larry Adler abilities.

Jazzaferri

I think that's your call Will.....

sneuge

Hi,

I'm new here and am browsing around so hopefully it's not considered bad etiquette to contribute to an old thread.

I would say that playing gypsy jazz on chromatic harmonica is like playing it on any other instrument. You initially have to build up your technical chops, so the resources listed in this thread, such as Max De Aloe's book, are useful for that.

Then there is the language, which you can learn by transcribing or record copying the masters or just soloists you like. I can't recommend this highly enough, otherwise it's too easy to fall into the trap of playing scales or something else that isn't really the music.

Then you need some concept of how to improvise... this can be informed by however much theory you think you need, your ear, the transcriptions etc. Then you're into playing with other people and trying to hear and play things by ear.

Sorry if that seems like very generic advice... it is just meant not to get bogged down in thinking the chromatic harmonica is wildly different from other instruments and instead making music as soon as possible. Also, it kind of mirrors my experience or at least it would now be the advice I'd give, given all the mistakes I've made!

There is a list of recorded gypsy jazz on harmonica here.
http://www.harp-l.com/pipermail/harp-l/2011-December/msg00170.html

I play harmonica with The Tolka Hot Club. Here are some of our tunes recorded live: