spah board of directors and officers

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AFTER THE SUCCESS OF OUR FIRST BIG SIX MODEL – THE CLASSIC
IN C IN THE TIN CAN – WE LISTENED TO THE PLAYERS WHO ASKED
FOR MORE KEYS. HERE IS OUR RESPONSE – THE BIG SIX SET –
CONSISTING OF SIX INSTRUMENTS IN THE MOST COMMONLY USED
KEYS: G, A, Bb, C, D, F. THE SIX COLORS OF THE COMBS AND
THE DESIRED KEYS CAN BE ASSIGNED FREELY, SO YOU MAY
CHOOSE YOUR INDIVIDUAL SET AND COLOR YOUR NOTES.
THE SEYDEL SETUP TOOL – WITH FIVE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS – ALL
YOU NEED FOR REED ADJUSTMENTS. COME TO OUR BOOTH AT SPAH.
Seite 1
Harmonicas
welcome to
spah 2012
49th Anniversary Harmonica Convention
Dallas, TX
Presented by
The Society for the Preservation and
Advancement of the Harmonica
Hosted by
HOOT, The Harmonica Organization Of Texas
Tuesday, August 14th — Saturday, August 18th, 2012
—follow the convention on twitter! #SPAH12—
Welcome!
Welcome to the 2012 SPAH convention in Irving, Texas. Your
SPAH staff, the HOOT, and hotel staff have all worked hard to
make your stay pleasant and, most of all, satisfying. SPAH thanks
everyone for their contributions and especially the great work of the
HOOT. As in past years, the SPAH staff will be wearing dark blue
SPAH shirts. Please feel free to ask any of them for assistance or
information you may need.
The entertainment this year is stellar as are the accommodations.
Seminars abound and we have many vendors in the exhibition halls.
Open mic continues and there are jazz jams on Thursday and Friday
evenings. The Blues Blow-Off starts cooking on Tuesday evening for
you early arrivers.
Last but not least, we have president-elect Winslow Yerxa and
vice-president elect L.J. Atkison roaming the halls and working with
the rest of us. Please congratulate them. I am sure they will want to
thank you for your vote and listen to your thoughts about SPAH.
Enjoy,
Tom Stryker
From the Host Club
The Harmonica Organization Of Texas (HOOT) would like to
welcome you all back to our great state. We are so excited to be able
to host the 49th SPAH convention and, with our great lineup of seminars and entertainment, we expect it to be one of the best. The Westin
Hotel is newly renovated and we feel sure that it is going to meet
all our needs and expectations for this great gathering of harmonica
friends.
If you have any questions or special needs, please don’t hesitate to
contact Jerl or Anne Welch, or any member of our four chapters and
we will be glad to help in any possible way. See YA soon!
And by the way: "YEE-HA", "howdy", "do wut", "fix’in", "pertnear", "jaw jackin", and "bowed up" are just some of the many
words accepted here in Texas…
See Ya,
Jerl Welch
Table of Contents
SPAH Corporate Sponsors���������������������������������������������� 6
Board of Directors & Officers����������������������������������������� 7
Featured Performer Bios:
Stan Harper�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������9
Jia-Ye He�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
Joe Powers�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������11
Cheryl Arena�������������������������������������������������������������������������������12
Michael Rubin�����������������������������������������������������������������������������13
Filip Jers��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������14
James Conway & Jean Sabot������������������������������������������������������15
Rupert Oysler������������������������������������������������������������������������������16
Tom Ball��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17
Marko Balland����������������������������������������������������������������������������20
Mitch Kashmar���������������������������������������������������������������������������21
Chris Bauer, George Miklas
& Phil Caltabellotta�����������������������������������������������������������������22
David Barrett�������������������������������������������������������������������������������23
Bob Herndon�������������������������������������������������������������������������������24
Jelly Roll Johnson������������������������������������������������������������������������25
Mike Caldwell�����������������������������������������������������������������������������26
Jerry Devillier������������������������������������������������������������������������������27
The Sgro Brothers������������������������������������������������������������������������28
Hotel Floor Plan������������������������������������������������������������ 18
Seminar Descriptions������������������������������������������������30-34
Filisko Teach-In Presenters�������������������������������������������� 19
General Information
Registration opens at 3pm on Tuesday, the 14th.
The Opening Ceremony will be held at 7pm on the
Open Mic stage, in front of the Trinity Ballroom.
Please keep in mind that all seminar and performance
information is subject to last-minute changes.
Look for SPAH staff members if you have any questions.
2010 - 2011
Corporate Sponsors
The SPAH Corporate Sponsorship Program benefits SPAH, its members
and the sponsors. The sponsors listed below have demonstrated their
dedication to the preservation and advancement of the harmonica by
actively participating in SPAH conventions and other activities and
by financially supporting the organization. They deserve the thanks,
recognition and support of SPAH members.
Hohner, Inc.
Bill Bucco
Harmonica Marketing
Manager
804-591-3741
www.hohnerusa.com
Suzuki Musical Instruments
Daron Stinton
Harmonica/School Division Manager
(800) 854-1594
www.suzukimusic.com/harmonicas
Rupert Oysler
(828) 262-1088
www.seydel1847.com
SPAH Board of Directors and Officers
Tom Stryker — President
L.J. Atkison — Vice President
Deb Anderson — Treasurer
Gene Hansen — Treasurer (Retired)
Elizabeth Atkison — Secretary & Convention Director
Phil Franklin —Membership Director
Roger Bale — Membership Director (Retired)
JP Pagán — Magazine Publisher
Paul Metris — Sergeant at Arms
Norm Dobson — International Liaison
Danny Wilson — SPAH Historian
Paul Davies — Advisor
Convention Staff
Elizabeth Atkison ­— Hotel Liaison, Volunteers
Winslow Yerxa, Paul Davies, Tom Stryker — Entertainment
LJ Atkison, Phil Duncan, Lee Taylor — Logistics, Vendors
Manfred Wewers ­— Seminars
Roger & Nancy Bale — Registration
Deb Anderson — Finance
Winslow Yerxa — Awards
J.P. Pagán — Program Book & Schedule
Douglas May — Convention Logo Design
Paul Davies, Chris Richards — Stage Management
Joe Leone — Jazz Jam
Gene Hansen, Rudy & Doris Michelin — SPAH Store
Jerl Welch — Host Club Activities
Rosemarie Maxey, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon — Youth Committee
So many others that are too numerous to list,
SPAH thanks you so much.
It all began when Stan was 10 and
he found a diatonic harmonica in the
street. About a week later, he bought a
5-minute instruction booklet for 10 cents
and learned the proper method of single
tone production. He saw an ad for a
Koch chromatic that he bugged his family
to buy, but in 1931 $2.50 was a lot of
money. He finally got it, a 10 hole, regular
tuning. A friend was studying piano and he matched the harmonica
notes with the piano and learned where they were and their names. He
got a book on how to read music and learned time values and keys. At
that point, he had never heard another harmonica player, so he learned
to play the tunes his friend played, mostly classical music.
Stan’s talent won him many contests. It was in a contest in the Bronx
that he met Charlie Leighton. Shortly afterwards, he joined a harmonica
band in Brooklyn that included Walter and Charlie Heepe, Alan Pogson,
Eddie Manson and George Fields. They played numbers that included
“Sheherazade,” “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and "Beethoven’s 5th."
Later he joined with others to form a quartet called the Revelers and
played in the Major Bowes Units. They broke into show business with a
“rather stout” fellow by the name of Stubby Kaye.
During WWII, he played with Eddie Shu. They enlisted together and
were assigned to a special unit put together to entertain the troops. He
gained valuable experience writing arrangements for the outfit’s topflight
orchestra and performing classical selections accompanied by a number
of excellent pianists in the troops.
In the mid-1950s, he organized an informal practice group that
included such great players as Charles Leighton, Victor Pankowitz and
Frank Mitkowski to play chromatic, Harry Halicki on chord, and Dave
Doucette played the bass parts.
Stan’s classical study and training has enabled him to present several
programs of baroque music in Carnegie Hall recitals in recent years. His
career has included performing frequently on the cruise ship circuit.
Asked if he regretted choosing the harmonica for a career, Stan said,
“I can honestly say that I have been extremely lucky with the way I’ve
earned my livelihood for all these years. Let me tell you that there are
a million things I may be sorry about, but I’m never sorry about the
harmonica. I might have liked a lucrative sideline—like being a thief.”
9
Featured Performer
STAN
HARPER
Featured Performer
JIA-YI HE
Jia-Yi He, a world-class harmonica
virtuoso, has received numerous
awards in international festivals and
competitions in England, Germany,
Israel, Japan and the United States. He
has served as a member of the judging
committees in the Asia-Pacific
Harmonica Competition in Taiwan,
Malaysia and Hong Kong. Mr. He has
appeared as a soloist with the China
National Symphony Orchestra, China
National Ballet Symphonic Orchestra and the Nassau Pops Symphony
Orchestra. He has appeared at many television stations including ABC
News, News 12 Long Island, Queens Public Television and Sino Television
in the United States. Mr. He has recorded harmonica music for a number
of movies, radio stations and CDs. He was invited to perform at the
General Assembly Hall at the United Nations. The New York Mets chose
him to perform a pre-game show at Shea Stadium in 2007. Currently, Mr.
He is a harmonica teacher at the Turtle Bay Music School in New York
City.
10
Harmonica virtuoso, Joe Powers is known for bending and blending genres from jazz to classical, hip-hop to world music, and Argentine
Tango. Since gaining a music degree from the University of Oregon he has
performed around the world, from Paris to Tokyo to tango-crazy Buenos
Aires. He won the Belgian Crystal Harmonica Award/Classical Division
in 2008. Powers has collaborated with renowned Tango maestros and has
appeared with groups as diverse as Pink Martini, British pop icon Jamie
Cullum, Sony jazz guitarist Yosuke Onuma, French blues legend J.J. Milteau, and the Ichikawa Symphony Orchestra in Japan. Most recently his
Tango quintet was featured with sold-out performances at one of North
America’s top Classical music series, the Oregon Bach Festival, sharing
the bill with super star violinist, Joshua Bell. His latest album, Just Duet!
(2012) features eclectic harmonica duos with 12 different instruments.
More information at: www.joepowers.com
Do you have a SPAH story
to tell or photos to share?
Tell me about it:
hheditor@mac.com
11
Featured Performer
JOE POWERS
Featured Performer
CHERYL ARENA
SPAH welcomes Cheryl Arena back to Dallas fresh off the plane
from her month long tour in Italy! The harmonica has brought her to
many exotic places and afforded her a wealth of wonderful experiences.
Hailing from the Boston area and living there most of her life, she began
playing harp and immersing herself in the blues in 1987. Boston was an
inspiring place to be as she was surrounded by so many talented
harmonica and horn players. Within 3 years she was playing in bands
and running blues jams around town, holding long-standing residencies at places like Wally’s Cafe, a stone’s throw from Berklee College of
Music and the Marketplace Cafe, located in historic Faneuil Hall. From
there it was time to hit the road and tour across the U.S., and abroad...
A few years ago she relocated to Dallas, TX, to escape the brutal
winters of the Northeast. But before leaving she recorded her first solo
effort, Blues Got Me, produced by Duke Robillard, which features seven
original songs and a fantastic backup band, including Duke himself on
a few cuts! So whether it’s playing acoustic in some little wine bar, on a
stage somewhere fronting her band, singing and playing with a 20-piece
orchestra in Dallas, giving harmonica lessons on Skype or teaching at
Jon Gindick’s Harmonica Jam Camps, which are held 4 times a year in
Clarksdale, MS, Cheryl’s beloved pocket pal is always close to her side!
For more info, visit www.cherylarena.com
12
Michael Rubin loves all
types of music. Like most
diatonic players, he developed
a love of blues music early on
but kept getting excited about
many different styles. His CD
Call of My Harp exemplifies
his excellence in a variety of
styles. He has performed on
Broadway in the Tony nominated musical The Civil War
and in bands featuring reggae
music, country gospel, blues,
punk, jazz and this time he
brings rock to SPAH. He has
performed with Ruthie Foster,
Linda Eder, Cyrille Neville,
John Popper and recently with
Huey Lewis.
“I am very excited that SPAH is in Texas. Being from Austin, it
enabled me to get one of my favorite bands to perform,” says Rubin. He
is talking about The Kalu James Band, which features original music and
an amazing singer songwriter from Nigeria. The band features Rubin on
diatonic, chromatic and bass harmonica. He has been with the band for
five years. He is currently on two of the band’s CDs, Dim the Lights and
Live. The band is currently in the studio working on a double CD that
will showcase their quieter side and then pull out the loud.
Rubin is also recognized for his teaching skills. Charlie Musselwhite
says, “I think your instructions are the best and when people ask me
about learning harmonica I tell them about you.” He teaches all levels
by Skype and has a 75-video-strong series on YouTube, “Meat and Potatoes Harmonica.” Don’t miss the beginner’s blues jam and join his table
at Joe Filisko’s Teach-In.
Rubin adds, “I am deeply honored to be asked to perform at SPAH.
SPAH is the greatest organization of its kind and I am a card carrying
member.”
13
Featured Performer
MICHAEL
RUBIN
Featured Performer
FILIP JERS
The internationally respected harmonica player Filip Jers (b. 1986) has
been called a “Swedish harmonica sensation” by the music critics in Europe. He plays all sorts of harmonicas; from the sophisticated chromatic
harmonica to the earthy bluesharp and the very rare and mysterious bass
harmonica. He also performs on jawharp, guitar and accordion.
His performance will be a mix of jazz and Swedish folk music. Jers
loves to improvise and compose music and moves easily between jazz,
blues, folk, world music, country, pop, rock, classical and film music.
He became double world champion on harmonica at the age of 18
at World Harmonica Festival 2005 in Trossingen, Germany. Since then
he has worked as freelance musician, playing studio sessions and teaching harmonica. He tours a lot and has visited 17 countries to play music,
including: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal,
Romania, Croatia, Holland, Finland and Canada.
Jers received his Masters degree in jazz from the Royal Academy of
Music in Stockholm in 2011, being the first harmonica player ever to
study there, and received the Alice Babs jazz scholarship in 2012.
Spiro, his first solo album, is a mixture of Folk, Jazz and Blues with
the soulful harmonica as its main focus. Jers composed all music and
plays all the instruments. In March, Jers released an album with Primus
Motor, a folk/jazz trio featuring harmonica, mandolin and double bass,
and is currently working on a CD with his jazz quartet.
Jers endorses Suzuki harmonicas.
14
James Conway is a Chicago-based musician who specializes in playing
the traditional music of Ireland on harmonica. Conway emulates traditional Celtic instruments such as fiddle and accordion on his mouth harp
by using advanced tongue and breathing techniques.
Harmonicist and mandolinist mostly in Celtic music, Jean Sabot comes
from Brittany (France) and he is known for his use of alternative tunings
on diatonic as well as chromatic harmonicas.
In October 2011, Jean and James performed together in the French
festival “Les Harmonicales” and they decided to come to the SPAH 2012
Convention.
Let Your Voice Be Heard.
Come to the SPAH Annual Meeting
Saturday, 3pm.
15
Featured Performer
JAMES CONWAY
& JEAN SABOT
Featured Performer
RUPERT
OYSLER
The harmonica virus affected
Rupert at young age. Barely nine years
old, he spotted a mouth harp in the
toy store window that he passed each
day walking to school, and it took several weeks of raking leaves and other
chores to earn the $1.75 to buy it.
The harmonica became Rupert’s
entrance key to the amazing and
mysterious world of music, and helped
him learn guitar, banjo, dobro, and
singing while participating in the folk
revival of the 1960s and 70s. He even shared in building a music store
and learning center, and almost made a living.
While always drawn to tinkering with the harmonica’s inner workings, Rupert delved deeper with the more complex chromatic, and with
the newer playing styles emerging on diatonic. Eventually he created a
video course on harmonica repair and customization. This led to a relationship with the wonderful team at Seydel Harmonicas, and Rupert has
joyfully worked with Seydel since their re-entry into the North American
market in 2006.
To all officers, members
and guests, I wish everyone
sincerely a wonderful
convention number 49 in
beautiful Dallas, Texas. To
all a safe journey home
with lasting memories.
—Norm Dobson
SPAH International Liaison
16
Born in Los Angeles
on Sonny Terry’s birthday
(October 24), Tom began
playing guitar at the age of
eleven and took up harmonica two years later. A
teenage member of the
Yerba Buena Blues Band in
the mid-1960s, he played
love-ins and Sunset Strip
nightclubs before leaving
the country for most of the
‘70s. In 1978 he came back
to the U.S. and teamed
up with guitarist Kenny
Sultan—a partnership that
still flourishes today and
has resulted in eight duo
CDs (most with Flying
Fish/Rounder,) and literally
thousands of concerts and festivals all over the world.
In addition to working with Kenny, Tom has played harmonica on
225 CDs, performed and sung on countless film soundtracks, TV shows
and commercials, recorded four solo guitar CDs, written five instructional books and authored a couple of novels.
Tom’s most recent studio projects include playing with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band on the soundtrack to the film Hoot, and with
Kenny Loggins on his latest three CDs, All Join In, How About Now
and Blue Sky Riders. It’s not hard to see why Tom has been on the cover
of both American Harmonica Newsmagazine and Harmonica World,
why Blues Revue called his playing “stupendous,” and why Sound
Choice magazine wrote, “The best acoustic blues act going, bar none!”
17
Featured Performer
TOM
BALL
HOTEL FLOORPLAN
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VENDOR
LECTURE HALL
DOGWOOD
CHINABERRY
ELM
PECAN
MAPLE
VENDORS
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SPAH STORE
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MULBERRY
TRINITY BALLROOM
COTTONWOOD
OAK BALLROOM
MAGNOLIA
MESQUITE
The BlueFire Grille, not pictured here, is adjacent to the hotel
entrance, across from the front desk. For questions about the location
of the fitness and business centers, please ask one of the hotel employees.
SPAH wishes to thank Joe Filisko for his support,
especially for bringing the best in the business to
share their knowledge with our convention guests.
SPAH 2012 Joe Filisko
Teach-In sessions
featuring the following experts:
Jimi Lee
Michael Rubin
Cara Cooke
Lonnie Joe Howell
Kirk “Jellyroll” Johnson
Dennis Oellig
Will Scarlett
David Barrett
PT Gazell
Grant Dermody
Ronnie Shellist
Featured Performer
MARKO
BALLAND
Marko Balland is a young and
talented french harmonica player
specialized in rock, hard rock
and metal rock. Born in 1963 in
Kabylia, a region in the north of
Algeria, he is taken to Paris that
same year by his parents who decided to move to back to France.
In 1979, at the sweet age of
16, he wins a guitar at a funfair
lottery and learns to play it by
listening to Led Zeppelin, Deep
Purple and ZZ Top.
In 1980, he discovers Big
Walter Horton and his harmonica
while watching the movie The
Blues Brothers. It’s a revelation!
He decides to switch instruments
and starts to study the masters of the Mississippi saxophone.
In 1988, at age 25, Marko discovers Jimi Hendrix in the Woodstock
movie. “I became an instant fan and decided to duplicate his music on the
harmonica,” recalls Balland.
In 2001, he records Adonf’experience, a tribute to the American guitar
hero gone too young. The album gets raving critics and establishes Marko
on the French music scene.
“That’s when I decided to play hard rock and metal rock”, says Balland. After different collaborations with top French musicians, in 2008
he records his first solo album, Mille et Un Réveils, on which he reveals
himself not only as a virtuoso on the harp but also as a powerful singer
and a solid performer.
In 2011, The release of Marko Balland’s second album, Dentelles
Hurlantes (Screaming Lace) really puts the unique style of this vocalist/
harmonica player on the music world map. Between blues and metal rock,
Marko Balland is without doubt the most rock-sounding harmonicaplayer
of his generation!
Marko Balland plays Hohner harmonicas exclusively.
20
Mitch Kashmar is a blues harp
player who comes from the west
coast of the U.S., specifically southern California, where the blues harp
sound was enormously influenced by
George “Harmonica” Smith, inherited by people such as William Clarke,
Kim Wilson and Rod Piazza.
While still attending high school,
Mitch began sneaking into his first
gigs with local bands in Santa Barbara using his brother’s ID. By 1980, he
formed his own group, The Pontiax,
continuing to perform throughout
the Santa Barbara and Southern California region. The musical styles of The Pontiax drew on a wide range of
influences including Chicago Blues, New Orleans R&B, West Coast Jump
Blues and Swing, Boogie Woogie, Louisiana Swamp Rock, Texas Blues
and straight forward Jazz.
Moving on to a solo career recording Crazy Mixed-Up World in ‘99,
Kashmar started making a name for himself and touring with his own
band but it wasn’t until his 2005 effort Nickels & Dimes, featuring guitar
great Junior Watson on Delta Groove Music’s label, that his stock really
began to rise. Kashmar was recognized two consecutive years in a row
by the Blues Music Awards with nominations in 2006 as Best New Artist
Debut and followed in 2007 as Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica.
When taking a break from his solo career, Mitch has also signed on for
active duty with the latest touring incarnation of the classic 70’s funk-rock
band War, and even made rock ‘n’ roll history appearing onstage alongside
legendary British rocker Eric Burdon & War for a reunion concert held on
April 21, 2008 at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Mitch’s blues harp playing is second to none for creativity, drive and
excitement. And he’s also just as witty and imaginative in the role of songwriter—his songs and harmonica playing have been used in major films
(White Wolves II, That’s What Love Is, starring Cuba Gooding and Gina
Gershon, The Love Guru, starring Mike Myers and Ben Kingsley). He’s
shared the stage with some of the biggest names in blues over the years
with Stevie Ray Vaughan paying him the ultimate compliment given from
one musician to another: “Can I sit in?”
21
Featured Performer
MITCH
KASHMAR
Featured Performer
CHRIS BAUER,
GEORGE MIKLAS &
PHIL CALTABELLOTTA
Downbeat Magazine proclaimed Chris Bauer “is an excellent harmonica player…with a free sense of swing and joy.” Chris performs
popular jazz standards on the chromatic harmonica with a repertoire
from upbeat bop tunes to cool Latin numbers to soulful ballads. His
most recent CD, In A Yuletide Groove was declared as “a solidly delightful mainstream take on holiday classics that makes you smile from
start to finish,” by Chris Spector of Midwest Record.
Phil Caltabellotta began playing harmonica at age 7, eventually
becoming one of the truly great chromatic harmonica artists of today.
Groups he played with include Bob Bauer’s fabulous Harmonikings, The
Electra Trio, Yellow Pine Harmonica Trio, Phil n’the Gap, Society Boys,
Melody Men, and The HarpBeats. He started playing jazz not too long
ago when he went to Charley Leighton’s house on Tuesdays, becoming a
member of Leighton’s Leightons. Phil’s most recent endeavor was taking
up the chord harmonica. He has also been a member of the GSHC for
37 years, a judge of the Yellow Pine Harmonica contest for seven years,
and is a retired NYC fireman.
George Miklas, chord harmonica player of The HarpBeats, began
playing harmonicas at the age of 4. His dad, Stephen Miklas, played for
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and Gen. George Patton. At 19, Jerry Murad
called George to join the famous Harmonicats for 1 year playing the
chord harmonica as Al Fiore retired. At age 28, Jerry called George
again to join Murad, but this time for 4 years on the bass harmonica as
Dick Gardner retired. George continued playing bass for the Harmonicats until Jerry’s death at age 76. George plays all harmonicas, tuba, bass
guitar, bass violin, and has sung bass in an opera—you might say that he
is the total bassman.
22
David Barrett is the world’s leading expert in blues harmonica education, blazing the way in every facet of its education for over twenty
years. By age 16, local legend Gary Smith took David under his wing as
a private student, as well as introducing him to the local blues scene. By
age 18 David was studying music theory in college and started teaching
harmonica at local music institutes. In 2002 David founded School of
the Blues in San Jose, California—the first school in the world for the
specific study of blues music. David is also the founder and head instructor of Harmonica Masterclass Workshops, founded in 1994—the first of
its kind for blues harmonica.
By age 20, David had released his first book, Building Harmonica
Technique, with Mel Bay Publications. This book was the first serious
blues harmonica method to be released in the market. David Barrett
is now the world’s most published author of blues harmonica lesson
material, with over 60 book/CD sets and videos published. David writes
a featured column for Blues Revue Magazine, HarmonicaSessions.com
and the Harmonica Masterclass Workshop Free eZine. He now focuses
the majority of his time creating lesson material for his students at www.
BluesHarmonica.com. Other instructors also participate in BluesHarmonica.com, such as noted educator Joe Filisko, as well as interviews
with players such as Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, Gary Smith, Steve
Baker and many more.
David is a Grammy Nominated blues harmonica player and performs regularly in the California Bay Area (San Francisco Blues Festival,
Monterey Bay Blues Festival, etc.) and abroad (Chicago, Germany, etc.).
David has recorded three albums, Serious Fun, We Are The Blues and
the History of the Blues Harmonica Concert.
23
Featured Performer
DAVID BARRETT
Featured Performer
BOB
HERNDON
Bob Herndon’s original instrument was the piano, but Jim
Lohman gave him one of his old
harmonicas and, since Bob knew
music, he picked it up quickly.
Together they formed a trio with
a friend and played from 1953 til
1958. Bob then joined Al Fontana
and Johnny Thompson and formed
The Harmonica Jazz Quartette
with a drummer. They broke up in 1964 and he went back to playing
with Jim Lohman until 1970 when he joined the Don Les Harmonicats
with Mildred Mulcay, which broke up in 1980. Bob is often seen at
SPAH playing his Harmonetta, an instrument he’s been playing since
1956. He also plays chord harmonica. He will be playing with jazz and
“American songbook” tunes with special guests Pete Blasberg and David
Naiditch.
Harmonicas for Health: A Guide to Breathing Better
by Mary Jane Gormley and Larry Vesely RRT
(Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Health Bloomington,
2009), 40 pp.
Order your own copies of this acclaimed book by sending
US$ 6 by check or money order (made out to HEARTEAM) to
Cardiopulmonary Rehab, IU Health Bloomington, P.O. Box
1149, Bloomington IN 47402. Shipping included in US.
Name
Address
Number of copies at $6.00 each (ppd)
Check/money order enclosed for
SPAH 2012
24
Featured Performer
“Jelly
Roll”
Johnson
Kirk “Jelly Roll” Johnson’s distinctive, soulful style of harmonica
has earned him critical acclaim,
numerous awards, and a place
among Nashville’s top session
musicians.
A native of Lake Charles,
Louisiana, Jelly Roll’s career has
spanned 39 years. He began playing harmonica at age 19 in Cleveland,
Tennessee. After touring with several rock, blues and country groups, he
settled in Knoxville to work with the Tommy Cole Band. From 1979 to
1989, Jelly Roll played concerts and club dates all across America with
Warner Brothers recording artist Con Hunley. The group opened for
acts such as Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, Loretta Lynn and Emmylou
Harris.
Since moving to Nashville in 1984, he has recorded with Trisha
Yearwood, Kenny Rogers, Etta James, Guy Clark, Lee Ann Womack,
Travis Tritt, Shania Twain, The Judds, Alan Jackson and many others.
His unique sound has been heard on over 60 gold and platinum albums,
including three Grammy winning albums by Randy Travis.
Jelly Roll has made numerous television appearances with various
artists, including Faith Hill on Late Show with David Letterman, Alan
Jackson and Jamie O’Neal on Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Trisha Yearwood and the Judds on the Country Music Association Awards Show,
and Con Hunley on Austin City Limits and Soundstage.
In 1998, Jelly Roll won the Nashville Music Award for Best Wind
Instrumentalist. After receiving nominations for 1998 and 2000, he won
the best Specialty Instrument Award for 2003 and 2008 from the Academy of Country Music.
Jelly regularly performs at Nashville’s world-famous Bluebird Cafe
with hit songwriters Fred Knobloch, Thom Schuyler, and Tony Arata.
Jelly Roll Johnson is an exclusive endorser of Hohner harmonicas.
25
Featured Performer
MIKE CALDWELL
A newcomer to SPAH, Mike Caldwell is no stranger to great harmonica playing. He’s made his living at it for thirty-five years backing
Country Superstars like Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, George Jones and
Boxcar Willie.
To the fortunate few who have had the pleasure of hearing him live
on the Country touring circuit, Mike is known for his blazing speed, pinpoint accuracy and tasteful note choices, all of which he attributes to the
influence of his harmonica hero Charlie McCoy. Mike’s playing made
such an impression on Charlie that he personally recommended Mike for
a Hohner endorsement and for the gig with Loretta Lynn when Mike
was only 23 years old.
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience Mike’s fine playing and
teaching at his SPAH performances and his “Craft Of Country Harp”
workshop. He’s the best-kept secret on the harmonica scene today, and
just might be the best harp player you never heard of!
Order online from:
Harmonica - Texas Style
texasmusicsupply.com
3 GREAT CDs FROM
Or Call Lonnie Joe at
806-438-1397
Lonnie Joe Howell
HOT TEXAS HARMONICA
Harmonica Roadhouse
Harmonica Jukebox
Join Lonnie Joe at the
Filisko Teach-Ins every day
and the Country Jams
every evening.
26
Jerry Devillier hails from Eunice, Louisiana, in the heart of Cajun
country. Descended from French-speaking Acadians who have proudly
clung to their heritage through centuries of adversity, first in Acadia itself
(today’s Nova Scotia) and later in Louisiana, Jerry remembers growing
up in a time when rural people had to walk to town and made their own
entertainment.
Isolation and poverty kept Cajun music local and undiscovered for a
long time, but Jerry played a significant part in bringing it to the larger
world. During the folk music revival of the 1960s, he played the Newport
Folk Festival as part of a Cajun group, sharing the bill with Peter, Paul and
Mary; Joan Baez; and Bob Dylan. Nowadays, Jerry is intimately involved
in running the Liberty Theatre in Eunice, which presents the finest in
traditional Acadian music.
Jerry’s unusual harmonica style is in the true (and rare) Louisiana
tradition exemplified by such icons as Isom Fontenot and Arteleus Mistric,
yet Jerry developed his style not from listening to other harmonica players,
but by emulating his father’s diatonic accordion playing.
Jerry Devillier is joined in his SPAH performance by Cajun fiddler
Brandon Moreau and guitarist Eric Noden, with appearances by Joe
Filisko, Grant Dermody, PT Gazell, Jelly Roll Johnson and Winslow
Yerxa.
27
Featured Performer
Jerry Devillier
Featured Performer
THE SGRO
BROTHERS
One Christmas when Dom was six
years old and Tony four, their father
gave them each a Hohner Marine Band
harmonica as a gift. They were fascinated by the instrument and immediately began to play some of the popular songs of that time. They practiced
endlessly. The more they practiced the
more they mastered the instrument.
When Dom and Tony were students at Wellsville High School they
were asked to perform in the Easter pageant. They played the “Old
Rugged Cross” on their harmonicas. From that time on, they were stage
struck. Later, both became inspired when they saw the famous Borrah
Minevitch Harmonica Rascals in the movies.
In 1951 The Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals were appearing
at Bill Greens Night Club in Pittsburgh. Dom and Tony decided to go
see the Rascals and while there, they met the start of the show, “Little”
Johnny Puleo. Johnny asked Dom and Tony to audition for him. Johnny
was very impressed with their performance. Two weeks later, Dom
received a phone call from Borrah Minevitch himself. He asked Dom
and Tony to take the next train to NYC... they did. Borrah wanted the
brothers to join the Rascals. It was a dream come true.
After the death of Borrah Minevitch in 1956 little Johnny Puleo took
over the Minevitch Rascals and it became Johnny Puleo’s Harmonica
Gang. Johnny immediately contacted Dom and Tony in NYC and offered them a contract to join his group. Johnny and his Harmonica Gang
appeared in some of the most famous places in the world.
Later, while operating their own night club, country music star
George Morgan, visited their restaurant and was very impressed when
he heard Dom and Tony play their harmonicas. George invited Dom and
Tony to perform on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. They performed
several times on the Opry and were the first harmonica duo to appear
on that stage. While in Nashville they were invited by Ralph Emery to
perform on his “Nashville Now Prime Time TV Show.”
The Sgro Brothers are still very active in show business. They appear
on many cruise ships such as the Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Holland
American, Costa, NCL and currently Princess Lines. They do conventions, festivals, work in Atlantic City and every year they play the NY
State Fair.
28
CONGRATULATIONS SPAH 2012
KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING,
IT IS GOOD FOR OUR SOULS
In Honor of: Donald Sanders
April 15, 1924 - May 29, 2009
Charles Lucas Forrest Scott Donald Sanders
HARMONICA TRIO
Kunming China 1944
~~~
COLLECTION OF LP RECORDS
by the Masters: Adler, Toots, Harmonicats, etc.
Merrelle Sanders, (972) 495-0886
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS
Bass × 4
L.J. Atkison
Join L.J. and special guests for a
bass harmonica workshop.
Wednesday
A.M. Beginners’ Blues Jam
Michael Rubin
Michael is a player and teacher who
can get you started. Both diatonics
and chromatics are welcome.
Celtic Harmonica
James Conway
James will cover jigs/reels/hornpipes, rhythmic chording,
tongue switching, alternate tunings
and ornamentation tricks.
Absolute Beginner
Paul Davies
If you are new to the harmonica
and/or the SPAH convention experience, Paul will get you started.
Chromatics 101
Virgil Cole
Need to start somewhere? This is a
version of Chromatic for Dummies.
Al & Judy Smith: Workshop
Judy (1985 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award) and
Al (1994 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award & 2011
Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement
Award) will take you through all
the basics and more for
chromatic, bass and chord.
(Pre-registration required)
Country Tuning & Natural Minor
Steve Baker
Steve will explain and demonstrate
two great ways of approaching
major key and parallel minor key
tunes. Bring your CT & NM harps
if you have them.
All About Chromatics Tom Stryker
An open forum to ask any question about chromatics (e.g, gigging,
recording, playing, maintenance,
marketing, pricing yourself, playing
with others, harmonica clubs…)
Harmonica Trios: Preserving and
Advancing the Tradition
Chris Bauer, Phil Caltabellotta &
George Miklas
Three of the best will show you
how it’s done.
Presenting the New Suzuki
Brendan Power
You will have to wait for the name
of this new diatonic harmonica.
Band in a Box 1
Gerry Sondreal
Join Gerry as he presents and demonstrates the wide world of BIAB
in two seminars dealing with the
basics and beyond.
Bring a laptop if you can.
30
Solo Performance Harmonica:
The Art of Doing It Yourself
Brandon Bailey
Learn how to play the diatonic
harmonica as a solo instrument in
performance and master the skills,
mindset, and various approaches to
being a solo musician with harmonica. Topics will include repertoire,
audience engagement, and styles.
Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement
Award) will take you through all
the basics and more for
chromatic, bass and chord.
(Pre-registration required)
Basic Chromatic Harmonica
Phil Duncan
Learn all the basics on the chromatic from the 2009 recipient of the
SPAH Award of Special Merit.
Blues Harmonica:
Mastering Nuances
Ronnie Shellist
It’s the little things that count. Bring
a C harp and Ronnie will show and
tell.
A Variety of Harmonicas:
The Spice of Life
Manfred Wewers
Everyone is invited to come and
learn about the different types of
harmonicas available and their uses
and a little music theory.
Cajun Music
Jerry Devillier
Join Jerry and special guest as they
explain and demonstrate the Cajun
Harp.
Vibrato “Plus”
Bob McFarlane
If you are going to learn, you
might as well learn from one of the
best (2006 Pete Pedersen Lifetime
Achievement Award). Bring a harmonica.
The Craft of Country Harp
Mike Caldwell
Mike will share some of his knowledge and skills gained in 30 years
of experience in country harmonica,
having toured with artists like Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, George
Jones and Boxcar Willie.
THURSDAY
3rd Position Playing Made Easy
Dr. Don McRee
Bring A, C, D, and G harps and
Don will help you to play in 3rd.
Decoding Standard Notation
Mary Jane Gormley
Bring a C harmonica to participate
in this workshop. If you don’t have
one, some will be available.
A.M. Beginners’ Blues Jam
Michael Rubin
Michael is a player and teacher who
can get you started. Both diatonics
and chromatics are welcome.
Filisko Teach-In
Join Joe Filisko (2001 Bernie Bray
Harmonica Player of the Year
Award) and all his special guests
for a variety of mini-workshops by
harmonica experts.
Al & Judy Smith: Workshop
Judy (1985 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award) and
Al (1994 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award & 2011
31
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS
The Future of the Chord
Tony Sgro
All chord players, and those wanting to, are invited to attend.
Tango Harmonica 101
Joe Powers
Bring your chromatic and Joe will
take you through the basics of a
music that has become his passion.
The Harmonica in Music Education
George Miklas
George will facilitate this forum to
discuss best practices on capturing the interest of various state
and local leaders to advance the
harmonica into the hands of 21st
century youth.
West Blowing, East Drawing:
Harmonica Popularity in Asia
Dr. Victor Yun
The harmonica world is changing.
Why, how and where is it happening?
FRIDAY
Making Backing Tracks with a
Computer
Bill Dulin
Bring a laptop and Bill will show
you how.
70 Years Playing Harmonica
Sgro Brothers
They received the Pete Pedersen
Lifetime Achievement Award in
2004, for a good reason. Dom and
Tony have seen it all and done it all.
And they will share that with you.
Overblow Techniques
Todd Parrott
For those ready to move to the next
level, Todd and guest TJ Klay will
show you how. Bring your harps.
A.M. Beginners’ Blues Jam
Michael Rubin
Michael is a player and teacher who
can get you started. Both diatonics
and chromatics are welcome.
Playing by Ear:
The Harmonica According to Phil
Phil Caltabellotta
If you’ve heard Phil play, you know
he has quite the ear. Bring your
chromatic and listen and learn.
Al & Judy Smith: Workshop
Judy (1985 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award) and
Al (1994 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award & 2011
Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement
Award) will take you through all
the basics and more for
chromatic, bass and chord.
(Pre-registration required)
The Quest for Tone
Charles Spranklin
Charles will discuss why tone is important and personal, demonstrate
the tone of iconic chromatic players
to link tone and taste, and provide
direction to achieve it.
32
Basic Diatonic
Phil Duncan
Learn all the basics on the diatonic from the 2009 recipient of the
SPAH Award of Special Merit.
The Hohner Instant Workshop:
A Complete Service Kit
Adam Hamil
Join Adam and enter the world
of harmonica repair as he demonstrates the new kit’s many uses.
Beginner’s Harmonica Workshop
Cheryl Arena
Bring a C diatonic and learn breathing and bending techniques, tongue
blocking, vibrato and tone, and
other harmonica basics.
Jazz Harmonica: Chromatic or
Diatonic? Or Both?
Filip Jers
How and why do you choose?
Filip will demonstrate and take you
through the process.
Chromatic Technique
Stan Harper
Stan received the Pete Pedersen
Lifetime Achievement Award in
2006 because he is one of the best.
So come and learn from the best.
Jia-Yi He: Tremolo Harmonica
Join “a master” as he demonstrates
the art of his craft.
Rhythm-atic Playing
Paul Davies & Dr. John Schaman
Participate in an interactive seminar that will demonstrate rhythmic
playing using two harps, a Low F
and standard G, and/or the medical
harmonica (harmonicaMD, diatonic chord harp). Bring them, if you
have them.
Country & Gospel Harmonica
Todd Parrott
Join Todd and special guests as they
take you through these musical
styles. Bring a C harp.
Customization: Part 1
Matthew Smart & Mike Fugazzi
Join Matthew and Mike as they
discuss and demonstrate the foundations of setting up a great playing
harp.
Rock, Blues & Metal Effects
Marko Balland
Join Marko along with Robert
Koch as he demonstrates his special
effects on the XB-40.
Filisko Teach-In
Join Joe Filisko (2001 Bernie Bray
Harmonica Player of the Year
Award) and all his special guests
for a variety of mini-workshops by
harmonica experts.
Using Looping in Live Performance
Brendan Power
Join Brendan, the 2011 recipient of
the Bernie Bray Harmonica Player
of the Year Award, as he demonstrates and shares some of his skill
and technique on both diatonic and
chromatic.
33
SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS
SATURDAY
Filisko Teach-In
Join Joe Filisko (2001 Bernie Bray
Harmonica Player of the Year
Award) and all his special guests
for a variety of mini-workshops by
harmonica experts.
Alternative Tuning for
Traditional Music
Jean Sabot
Jean is visiting from Brittany in
France to lend a fresh view of Celtic
musical traditions. James Conway
will be joining him.
Looping & Layering: Getting
the Most From the Gear
Richard Hunter
Learn how to use FX devices to
produce layered sounds for looped
performances from a player who
knows how to go solo. Bring a C
diatonic.
Band in a Box 1
Gerry Sondreal
Join Gerry as he presents and demonstrates the wide world of BIAB
in two seminars dealing with the
basics and beyond. Bring a laptop if
you can.
Play-A-Long with Herb
Herb Eck
Herb (2007 Bernie Bray Harmonica
Player of the Year Award) is back,
so bring a C harp and he’ll show
you how to play with others.
Breathe Easy(er):
Harmonicas in Therapy.
Cheryl Arena, Mary Jane Gormley,
Dr. John Schaman & Buddy
Wakefield (2003 Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year Award)
Come, learn and participate with
those actively promoting the health
benefits of the harmonica.
Playing Jazzy Blues on Chromatic
David Naiditch
This workshop is for those interested in exploiting the unique features
of the chromatic harmonica to play
the blues. Basic blues will be covered, followed by jazzier sounding
blues.
Celtic-Folk Music Workshop
Patrick O. Young
If you are interested in playing
tunes on the diatonic harmonica
that are in the Celtic music tradition, come and join Patrick.
Swedish Folk Music
Filip Jers
Participate in a workshop on Swedish folk music, including waltzes
and polkas, for both chromatic and
diatonic players.
Customization-Part II
Mike Fugazzi & Matthew Smart
Intermediate to advanced customization techniques to maximize
playability for all styles
34
al
s
es
Making Everything
Blues Harmonica
:
CD-ROM
text
m®
Easier!
™
Blues
a
c
i
n
o
m
r
Ha
Learn to:
s,
p!
•Play blues on harmonica
•Master techniques like bending,
tongue blocking, and chordal rhythm
•Connect with blues history and
the major players
Play-along exercises and songs
on the accompanying audio CD
Yerxa
Winslow Yerxa
Harmonica player, teacher, and author
6/1/12 6:36 PM
Winslow Yerxa’s Blues Harmonica For Dummies covers all
the important subjects: breathing, tone, bending notes, tongue
blocking, key positions, licks and riffs, blues song structure,
adding chromatic harmonica, using microphones, performing
onstage, blues harmonica history, and important recordings.
384 pages with audio CD.
Available now from Amazon (also as a Kindle e-book)