If he eat pussy like he play harp, he a motherfucker

[waveclipper]

allegedly said by Muddy Waters when enthusing about 'Magic Dick'

I've always appreciated a bit of slick harp work, particularly after having my ears properly opened a fair few years back by Mr Chester Burnett on 'Moanin' at Midnight.' Still gives me a chilly little shiver...



and naturally enough started looking into, um, 'motherfuckers' such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter...



and even though it tends to be the diatonic harp players that really get the gooseflesh creeping for me, I still thoroughly enjoy a gifted chromatic tooter...



My current favourite has to be Sonny Terry, hilarious patter between songs and such a truly great musician - possibly thee ultimate motherfucker!?



I have a few harps, my personal favourite being the Seydel 1847, but I really like the Hohner Special 20 and I think the Lee Oscars play quite well out of the box. I can't do overblows and my bending abilities are dependent on using a decent harp but I am tempted to try a little home customisation on my crappy old 'bluesband' harps (have already tried bending the reeds slightly with the piece of paper trick but didn't seem to help make them bend any better) - wondering if any of you folks may have any tips?
Any recommended listening for aspiring harmonica mofos - post em here!
Cheers!

[innerflight]

caught this guy on Jools last night, never heard of him before, shit hot

Edit - just noticed the supa bender also

[chankgeez]

caught this guy on Jools last night, never heard of him before, shit hot

Never heard of Jools before or never heard of Tony Joe White?

This is another subject not to get me allegedly started on.

Since Sonny Terry is a current favourite, let's start with my favourite Brownie & Sonny clip:

[chankgeez]

Don't forget 'em w/ the great Earl Hooker:

[chankgeez]

[HorseyBoy]

^ Absolutely LOVE "Hoodoo Man Blues". Great harp from Junior and some of Buddy Guy's best playing as well. Every track is killer.
The blues harp was actually my first instrument. Started playing when I was about 14 or so, with help from a Sonny Terry instructional book that also had a little plastic record inside. A year or so later I picked up the guitar. Played harp with a couple of bands in my 20s but these days I barely play at all, even though I always have a couple lying around. When I do pick one up I'm always surprised that I can still actually play, although I run out of puff after about five minutes. Sadly, it's the same result these days when I'm eating pussy

[anemochore]

My current favourite has to be Sonny Terry, hilarious patter between songs and such a truly great musician - possibly thee ultimate motherfucker!?

This will now and forever be the soundtrack in my head when I'm eating pussy.

[Laservampire]

For me the ultimate blues harp performance is the 1957 studio recording of Muddy Waters' "Got My Mojo Workin". Little Walter was fuckin' amazing.

[psycho*daisies]

+1 on Hoodoo Man Blues!! Junior & Buddy - MuthaF#%er$!
My band used to play Snatch It Back & Hold It, live...really tough do the original justice, though.
If ever in Chicago, pay Jazz Record Mart a visit - an institution!!
...where i got my vinyl copy -delmark records is based there, basically.
Pretty sure they keep having it pressed, as well as Magic Sam West Side Soul, Sleepy John Estes and other stuff...

[jreeves47]

Living in Chicago I have little patience for harp. That said, hoodoo man blues and jazz record mart are as cool as they come.