Harry Pitch took inspiration from Larry Adler and like him he was an entertainer who worked hard to build a successful career. They were both more interested in the music rather than technique, but Harry was always a jazz player. This audio biography shows how Harry’s long musical career covered all areas of music on […]
Month: October 2015
Harmonica History in Books
Harmonica History in Books. Today’s harmonica world is the result of the pioneering activities of manufacturers, composers, performers and amateur players. A lot has happened in the last 100 years but it is not very well documented or understood. These books provide some of the backgound to the artists and the way the music developed. […]
National Poetry Day 2015 – Blues Medicine – Hylda Sims
Hylda was one of the Skiffle/Blues pioneers in London in the 1950s. She was part of the City Ramblers and is still playing this style of music in clubs in 2015. This poem or free song, Blues Medicine, is Hylda’s homage to the Blues. It is about the need for some blues medicine which can come […]
National Poetry Day 2015 – Borrah Minevitch and the Rascals
Dedicated to Borrah Minevitch – Johnny Puleo and all Harmonica Rascals Although regarded by some folk as crude and simple toys the pleasure of harmonica were shared by scores of boys A youth called Borrah Minevitch selling papers on the street would play mouth-organ melodies his customers to treat In a theatre show on Broadway […]
New Orleans, London, Memphis, Manchester… British Blues before the 1960s
This was the title of a talk given by Lawrence Davies on Saturday 26 September 2015 at the National Jazz Archive in Loughton, Essex, UK. Blues researcher Lawrence Davies talked about the story of early British blues as seen through the collections of the National Jazz Archive and his own research. Blues, ‘hot’ jazz and […]