harmonica Archives - Bluegrass Today

Bluegrass Harmonica – Art Stevenson

Although harmonica is far more closely associated with blues than it is to bluegrass, Art Stevenson proves it can provide a perfect fit regardless. Although he’s also made his mark as a guitarist, vocalist, producer, and bandleader for the past 30 years, he continues to instill the sound of harmonica within bluegrass realms, whether it’s in a selective role or with more prominent positioning.

His new album on White Oak Records, Bluegrass Harmonica, could be considered a compilation of sorts, one that contains songs that have been performed live, tracks that have been previously recorded, and others that represent a sampling of new, heretofore unreleased material. Despite the disparate origins, it holds together remarkably well, given the fact it wholly delves into traditional tunes and the occasional standard as gleaned from the pens of Bill Monroe, Fred Rose, and Jimmie Rogers. So too, with Stevenson’s harp setting up the tome and tempo, it conveys a joyful and jaunty feel overall, from the strut and stride of Sail Away Ladies, Gold Rush, and Married Life Blues, to the homespun hoedown feel typifying Pick A Bale Of Cotton, the swing and sashay of Handsome Molly, and the steady shuffle that drives Sally Goodwin, and Bringing in the Georgia Mail.

Stevenson’s collaborators — Audie Blaylock (mandolin), wife Stephanie Stevenson (bass, vocals), Bruce B. King (mandolin), Chris Silver (lead guitar, mandolin), Gary Barite (mandolin), Lonnie Bowden (jaw harp, banjo, vocals), Tom Boyarski (lead guitar), Sam Pankratz (guitar), Oscar Noetzel (banjo), and Dale Reichert (banjo, dobro) — each add an essential element, particularly Reichert, whose precise picking seems to soar on any number of these instrumental excursions — Girl I Left Behind and Black Mountain Rag in particular. Nevertheless, Stevenson still manages to take center stage, his harp filling out the role normally given to a fiddler’s finesse. Likewise, his yodel on When It’s Peach Picking Time In Georgia affirms the comfort and caress that beloved song traditionally calls for.

Likewise, even the most familiar fare — Orange Blossom Special, Old Joe Clark, Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain among them — is imbued with an invigorating energy that transforms what may seem old into something that definitely feels new again. That’s because Bluegrass Harmonica, its unassuming title aside, is dominated almost entirely by a giddy, good time feel accelerated by a feeling of unmistakable, unabashed enthusiasm.

An astute expression of skill and celebration in equal measure, Bluegrass Harmonica finds Stevenson tapping tradition and neatly fitting it into contemporary confines. There’s certainly nothing that’s more satisfying than that.

North Carolina Breakdown – Cary Moskovitz

While there have been several recordings based around interpretations of old time tunes on the harmonica, Cary Moskovitz from Chapel Hill, NC takes it a step further. North Carolina Breakdown is a collection of instrumental pieces that are played on the free-reed wind instrument, but in the same register as the fiddle.

Moskovitz took a minimalist approach with the instrumental backing and that was an appropriate choice. While featured on harmonica of course, Cary also accompanies himself on rhythm guitar and banjo. This instrumental configuration especially works on Old Sally Goodin’ which Moskovitz learned from the legendary Kentucky fiddler, Art Stamper.

It’s obvious how much these pieces are patterned after the fiddle player’s arrangements. On tunes like New Five Cent Piece, Climbing the Golden Stairs, and Sugar In The Gourd, the different instrumental components such as phrasing and timing are spot on.

Waynesboro, Billy In The Low Ground, and Rye Straw are slower pieces that are each played in the same tempo. While these are good tunes in their own right, having them back to back made for a bit of a plodding listen. The title track North Carolina Breakdown, however, moves along at a nice steady pace.

Duck’s Eyeball is the most captivating tune on the recording. Featuring just harmonica, the use of double stops was particularly impressive and yet another example of how closely Moskovitz patterned his arrangements after old time fiddlers.

This album closes with an original composition by Cary, Charles Murphy Waltz. Though it was written in modern times, Moskovitz captures the old time feel in this tune perfectly.

North Carolina Breakdown is an intriguing release. Cary Moskovitz has demonstrated some unique capabilities of the harmonica. Though he says he considers learning these fiddle tunes “an interesting and challenging process of translation,” he does so reverently and effectively.

David Naiditch Plays Bluegrass and Swing Instrumentals… on harmonica

If you enjoy playing at the late night jams at summer festivals, you know the sinking feeling that comes over you when someone approaches the circle with a great big bag of harmonicas. If not a guaranteed jam buster, it generally means someone who is going to play constantly over top of the other instruments, and singers, blowing the same blues licks on every harp he pulls out of his sack.

David Naiditch has recognized this prejudice against his chosen axe in the bluegrass world, but he’s been able to overcome it easily when people actually hear him play. He employs a chromatic harmonica – the big one with the little push button on the side – which allows him to play all of the notes of a scale. In his hands, and with his skill in interpreting fiddle music, Naiditch will make a believer out of the harshest skeptic.

Starting out with the typical diatonic harmonica as a young man in the 1960s, David became proficient enough in the blues style to teach at music stores in Los Angeles where he grew up. It was only thirty years later that he took up the chromatic harp, and it opened up whole new vistas for him as an artist. Exploring new sounds led him into gypsy jazz, swing, and yes… bluegrass.

David’s latest album, his seventh, is called David Naiditch Plays Bluegrass and Swing Instrumentals, and features him with a group of Nashville hot shots on a set of familiar tunes. For the grassy numbers, Jake Workman is on guitar, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, and Dennis Crouch on bass. David Grier and Aaron Till make appearances as well, and German guitarist Joscho Stephan handles the swingy stuff.

Here’s a sample with the album’s opening track, a fiddle tune medley made up of Texas Gals, Billy In The Lowground, and Denver Belle.

David Naiditch Plays Bluegrass and Swing Instrumentals is available now wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can find the tracks at AirPlay Direct.

Fiddle tunes for harmonica by David Naiditch

There’s no harmonica in bluegrass!

David Naiditch has been known to joke that harmonica players are about as welcome at bluegrass festivals as the mosquitoes that come out to gnaw on the jammers. He may be right, though I suspect that he would be well received anywhere he goes in bluegrass.

Harmonica has never been a primary musical instrument in our music, though the reedy tone and vocal-like sustain makes it in many ways similar to the fiddle. With his new record, Bluegrass In The Backwoods, Naiditch has demonstrated that it is possible to blow the harp in a Kenny Baker style, and to play a fiddle tune as smoothly as any Blue Grass Boy.

Since the great folk scare in the 1960s, David has been pursuing the instrument in the Los Angeles area, starting with blues on diatonic harmonicas before eventually moving to a thumb-operated chromatic harp on which he mastered country swing, Django Reinhardt-inspired Gypsy jazz, and bluegrass. He’s taught, performed, and recorded in LA for quite some time, and released his first bluegrass album, Bluegrass Harmonica, in 2010 tracked with Eric Uglum, Christian and Austin Ward, and Pat Cloud.

Bluegrass In The Backwoods is a tour-de-force with the harmonica taking the fiddle’s role on a string of classic, and typically very demanding fiddle tunes, assisted by some of the top instrumentals in bluegrass. Sierra Hull, Rob Ickes, Stuart Duncan, Dennis Caplinger, Ron Block, Jake Workman, Eric Uglum, and the Wards all participate as Naiditch blows a big bunch of bluegrass.

Several Kenny Baker classics are on the bill. In addition to the title track, there is Jerusalem Ridge, Lonesome Moonlight Waltz, and Road To Columbus. Though the last three are actually Bill Monroe compositions, Baker has left his mark on them all, and David captures the smoothness and the lilt of his playing here. Also from Monroe comes Old Dangerfield, which gets a fine rendition.

Other strong numbers include favorites like Little Rock Getaway, Faded Love, and Gardenia Waltz.

It’s a very different sound for folks accustomed to hearing the bendy, slurry sort of harmonica associated with blues and country music. With the chromatic, and its ability to play all the same pitches of any other instrument, there is no need to overblow a reed to get specific notes, leaving a very fiddly sort of vibe.

All the playing is first rate, and even if you think you don’t like harmonica – or don’t think it belongs in bluegrass – give this one a listen. It’s a mighty catchy sound.