You've never heard a band with just harmonicas before? Use the following links to visit the websites of the world's finest harmonica groups, harmonica trios, and harmonica bands past and present. The only instruments you will find in these ensembles are harmonicas.
"With their first hit, "Peg O' My Heart" in 1947, The Harmonicats gained international recognition as one of the premier harmonica talents in show business history. They have been listed in the Encylopedia Brittanica, Guinness Book Of World Records and enjoy a place at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC."
"As a former member of the Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals, I have amassed a considerable library of collectables, including many photos, posters, playbills, autographs, etc."- Bill Walden. Click for more on Johnny Puleo and here also.
Quoting Libby Huebner in Just Jazz: "Backed by a driving rhythm section, these three jazz virtuosos blow up a storm on their bass, chord and chromatic harmonicas while masterfully interpreting contemporary and classic jazz arrangements, pop and country tunes. The sheer novelty of this unusual group draws people in and its exceptional music keeps 'em glued to their seats... If you've never heard jazz harmonica before, do yourself a favor and check out this trio and its top notch rhythm men: the harmonica never sounded so sophisticated."
The Original Harmonica Band was a Los Angeles-based group, formed in 1976, and was featured at two SPAH Conventions (1986 & 1988) during their tenure. Sadly, they are no longer together, but they were recognized as one of the top performing/recording groups. Based on the Minevitch/Puleo act, they included a female bass harper, Conley Day, who was supreme. Their music and arrangements were nonpareil. The arranging was handled primarily by both Bill McLean and Dave McKelvy, but all members shared their input. Originally formed with Michael Scott (leader), Michael Burton (chord), Jimmy Curtale (chromatic), Don Powell (chromatic), Conley Day (bass) and Felix Silla (little guy - comedy), they did have some personnel changes over their 14 years of existence. There were three members who remained thruout: Michael Scott, Conley Day and Michael Burton. Later members included Bill McLean, Eddie Gordon, Dave McKelvy, Gary Popenoe, Kevin Thompson and Joe Gibb.
"The three musical brothers, Gerry on bass, Don on rhythm chord, and Frank on lead, started at an early age . . . as perfectionists of tone quality as well as electronic enthusiasts, the three consistantly strive to produce the "big band sound" on harmonicas."
"A trio from Olten, Switzerland in the style of Jerry Murad's Harmonicats. The group consists of Rudy Frey (lead), Heinz Stampfli (bass), and Ernst Duerler (chord). The group was formed at the testimonial of April 1981 in Danvers, MA, USA which included Pete Pedersen and Norm Dobson. The Tramps Trio specializes in 'the American sound' in their homeland of Switzerland."
The "picca-trio" is a harmonica-trio from Leichlingen (near Cologne) in Germany and consists of the following members: Uli Ott (lead-harmonica), Moses Post (chord-harmonica), and Rainer Wolter (bass-harmonica).
"Professional performing trio for Festivals, Shows, Concerts, Corporate Functions, etc. Light Classical, Popular Standards, Blues, Jazz- 1920s to the present. CD, video and audio cassettes available to purchase."
"Fata Morgana is a harmonica quartet from the Netherlands. The group plays
musical pieces from various styles in arrangements that are written
exclusively for the quartet by two of its members, Rob Janssen and Ronald
Kamminga. Since the group started in 1980, they played over 300 concerts in
9 different countries. "Fata Morgana" competed in the senior group section
of international harmonica competitons five times and reached three first
and two second places. So far, they have released 3 CD's."
"The Adler Trio has become an integral part of IsraelŐs cultural scene and has won international reputation as harmonica virtuosos. The Trio's rich repertoire ranges from classics to pop, from soul to country and western, the sound of Israel, Ethnic and the Jewish music. With Michal Adler-Gronich on Lead, Dror Adler on Chords and Jacob Kol on Bass, The Adler Trio has thrilled audiences in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands England Uruguay, Japan Taiwan, Hong Kong and, of course Israel itself. The Adler Trio has released 8 LP records and 7 CDs."
"The HarpBeats -- harmonica duo extraordinaire Phil Caltabellotta (chromatic harmonica), and George Miklas (chord harmonica). Perform with live band, wind ensemble, orchestra, or accompaniment tracks. Available to book venues worldwide."
"South American Professional Harmonica Trio from Chile. At the site you can see our biography, photos and MP3s. For the moment, the site is only in Spanish, but no problem to send commentaries in English. We will soon also have a site in English."
"Our objectives are, cultivate, promote and preserve the history of Harmonica, the way to play as the trios and groups of old, always with HARMONICAS different and forgotten, that many harp players the new generation, never had contact, saw or heard something like . We want to demonstrate that the harmonic had a glorious past, even before Tuesday its acceptance as a musical instrument. We know that it comes in several styles of music, ranging through its sound of the countries of Blues, Jazz, Country, Classical and Popular Music. The harmonica can be considered alone or accompanied, what few know is that it may be accompanied same!"
"The Portarlington Harmonica Band was formed by Richard Armstrong some years ago to encourage persons to play the harmonica or mouth organ.
The band provides musical entertainment for the enjoyment of the players and audiences alike, thus promoting well being, welfare and health for all through the love of music. The Band play at retirement villages, nursing homes and clubs throughout the Bellarine Peninsula, and regularly perform on board the Tall Sailing Ship Enterprize in Portarlington and Geelong. Other events include the Portarlington Mussel Festival and the Australian National Celtic Festival."
"The harmonica ensemble "ANIMATO" was founded in 1978 in Szczecin, Poland. Since 1992 the group consists of four musicians: Jerzy Grzesiukiewicz (chromatic), Marek Jaroszynski (chromatic), Piotr Bielinski (chord) and Piotr Wodarczyk (bass). The "Animato" during its existence have given concerts at home and abroad: in Bulgaria, in Sweden and several times in Germany and Italy. The ensemble have in the repertoire few hours of different kinds of music including popular classical pieces, jazz standards and world hits of light music in their own original arrangements. They are double laureate of international harmonica festivals where they achieved first and second prize."
"The project Walterama began when a group of musicians felt the need to celebrate one of the most revolutionary harmonica players of the Blues, Little Walter. However, the idea of a simple tribute didn't please and these musicians decided to go beyond that. Settled that, six musicians formed the project Walterama, which is based on the songs of Little Walter to produce original compositions, which show the harmonica potential into musical experiences still little explored by the instrument, such as the use of the instrument like a horn section..."
Armonauti is new harmonica trio from Italy. Features common to all three musicians are curiosity and appetite for innovation that led them to propose new technical solutions, innovative tunings for the realization of this project. The trio offers a repertoire of folk music and Italian songs with original arrangements and songs of his own composition. Gianluca Caselli plays the chromatic harmonica and bass; Gianni Massarutto playing the diatonic harmonica, cello harmonica and chords harmonica , Gianandrea Pasquinelli plays the polka harmonica and diatonic harmonica.."
"This Harmonica Quartet called Svang offers a fresh and unusual take on Finnish folk and popular styles like the tango, and on Balkan, Swedish and completely original folk music, by using only the mouth harp, the harmonica, in forms small and large including the chromatic, diatonic, harmonetta and bass."
"From Mesa, Arizona, meet The Nostalgics, Harmonica Trio + One, through the website of drummer Jack Sheldon. Led by Dick Lawrence, the Nostalgics have performed in the Phoenix metropolitan area for well over 30 years. They brought Jack on in November 2001, recorded a CD, and continue to please audiences at public and private functions state-wide. Giving back to their community over the past 6 months, Dick Lawrence (chord) and bassist Terry Lewis taught a group of 75 grade school children to play, and they made a big local splash with a well-attended concert at the end of their school year!"
If you have a harmonica-related website and would like it listed here, please email us with the web address, site title (or player's name), brief description, and the page it should be included on. Also, if you find any 'dead' links or have changed the URL to your site, let us know so we can make the update.
To open any of the pages in a new browser window, right-click and select "OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW" ("NEW WINDOW WITH THIS LINK" in Netscape). Macintosh users should click and hold on the link until you can select the same option.
Dave explains the value of not just learning a scale up and down, but dividing it into smaller "bite-size" chunks, which can then be used as blues riffs.
Here are Dave Gage's sons, Brody and Alex, now called the Brothers Gage, back when they were 10 and 12 year old kids. This video shot in 2015, is an unedited take playing an improvised blues and country based jam and having a bunch of fun.
One plays rhythm beatbox harmonica while the other takes a solo. They are both playing a standard key of "C" 10-hole diatonic in 2nd Position (which is also known as "Crossharp"). They both learned to play harmonica around age 5 and now also sing, play guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. The key to getting good is consistency. They still practice every single day.
