Harmonica Lesson on Jazz Blues Riff: Part 2
Thu, 06/27/2013 - 12:37pm
Topics: harmonica, Howard Levy
I just put up Lesson two on the famous Jazz Blues riff tune from before. This harmonica lesson deals with other aspects of playing - putting fills between a riff that you don't know, and building a solo by making the last idea of one chorus the first idea of the next one. Hope you check it out - it's in the the Intermediate Section but you can just click on the picture or links to get there.
New Harmonica Lesson on Classic Jazz Blues riff
Thu, 06/13/2013 - 9:42am
Topics: harmonica, Howard Levy
I just added a new harmonica lesson inspired by one of the greatest vibes players in the history of Jazz. It consists of one bluesy lick repeated three times, a type of Jazz/Blues minimalism. This is the first of three harmonica lessons I recorded on this tune.
It's a great tune for Blues players who want to get into Jazz. In my solo, I used no overblows or overdraws, so you can be an Intermediate player and be able to play everything that I played here. I also demonstrate how to build a solo from riffs, which makes this lesson valuable to everyone, no matter what your level. Parts 2 and 3 will follow soon! You can find the lesson in the Intermediate Section or just click on the picture to get there.
Interview with Howard Levy: Harmonica Extraordinaire
Thu, 05/30/2013 - 10:41am
Topics: harmonica, Howard Levy
AW: What is it about the diatonic harmonica that made you want to dedicate your life to it? When did you first hear the instrument?
Howard: I first got into the harp when a high school friend played some Chicago Blues albums for me back in the late '60's: Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, etc. I fell in love with the sound -- growing up in NYC, I had never heard Blues or Blues harmonica.
AW: When did you first start playing harmonica? Who first taught you how to play harmonica?
Howard: I started playing after my friend the drummer taught himself how to play. I went to Manny's Music on W. 48th St. in NY, bought a Blues Harp for $2.25 cents, took the subway to my friend's house and said: "Teach me how to play the Blues". Well, he said that he couldn't explain how he bent notes, that it was all inside the mouth, the position of the tongue, that it was by feel, like learning to ride a bike. That was the end of my first harp lesson -- it was frustrating!
AW: What is it about the diatonic harmonica that made you want to dedicate your life to it? When did you first hear the instrument?
Howard: I first got into the harp when a high school friend played some Chicago Blues albums for me back in the late '60's: Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, etc. I fell in love with the sound -- growing up in NYC, I had never heard Blues or Blues harmonica.
AW: When did you first start playing harmonica? Who first taught you how to play harmonica?
Howard: I started playing after my friend the drummer taught himself how to play. I went to Manny's Music on W. 48th St. in NY, bought a Blues Harp for $2.25 cents, took the subway to my friend's house and said: "Teach me how to play the Blues". Well, he said that he couldn't explain how he bent notes, that it was all inside the mouth, the position of the tongue, that it was by feel, like learning to ride a bike. That was the end of my first harp lesson -- it was frustrating!
Howard Levy at World Music Festival 2013
Tue, 05/28/2013 - 10:51am
Topics: harmonica, Howard Levy
Hohner has released some great footage of Howard Levy playing harmonica at the recent World Music Festival in Innsbruck, Austria. Howard performed with the Hohner Accordion Orchestra 1927, playing a new arrangement of his piece "Concert for Diatonic Harmonica and Orchestra" that had been arranged by the conductor Johannes Baumann. The piece itself is a testament to the all of the musical possibilities of the diatonic harmonica, as Howard uses many of the bending and overblow techniques that he teaches his harmonica lessons online at ArtistWorks. There's a great moment as the rest of the orchestra stops playing to listen and watch Howard play his incredible rendition of "Amazing Grace" on harmonica, they're all captivated by the music.
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