Pat Missin has created the best harmonica site on the internet. Everyone ought to visit it at least once so they are aware of the vast amount of knowledge he has assembled on all aspects of harmonica.
One web page contains a selection of vintage harmonica performances recorded between 1904 and 1940. It includes recordings and historical information about Pete Hampton, Professor Dickens, Arthur Turelly, H. J. Woodall, Henry Whitter, Borrah Minevitch, Moore and Freed, Sandlin Brothers, William Haussler, Haussler and Coutlee , W.V. Robinson, W.W. MacBeth, Gwen Foster, Willie “Red” Newman, John Sebastian and Rhythm Willie.
Four soloists were mainly responsible for rise in the popularity of the chromatic harmonica in the 1930s, 40s and 50s – Larry Adler, John Sebastian, Ronald Chesney and Tommy Reilly. They were all entertainers and the music they played came from musical shows, classical music and folk music. This programme is introduced by Larry Adler and it contains examples of the music they all recorded on 78rpm records.
There were other performers and they will be featured on future broadcasts.
Major Chromatic Harmonica Soloists.
1 , Ruth Etting , If I could be with you , 0:00 2 , Larry Adler , Smoke gets in your eyes , 0:30 3 , John Sebastian , Ritual Fire Dance , 4:00 4 , Ronald Chesney , Whispering/Margie , 7:15 5 , Tommy Reilly , Can anyone explain, Autumn Leaves , 10:17 6 , Larry Adler, Claire de Lune , 13:15 7 , John Sebastian , Maiden with the Flaxen Hair , 16:20 8 , Ronald Chesney , Fantasie Impromptu , 18:20 9 , Tommy Reilly , Traumerie , 21:35 10 , Larry Adler , Body and Soul , 24:00 11 , John Sebastian , Malaguena , 27:07 12 , Ronald Chesney , Volare , 30:36 13 , Tommy Reilly , Jealousy , 32:57 14 , Larry Adler , Bolero , 35:40 15 , John Sebastian , The Harmonica Player , 39:08 16 , Ronald Chesney , The Flight of the Bumble Bee , 40:49 17 , Tommy Reilly , Hora Staccato , 42:57
Norman Ives died in 2015. This collection is from the wide range of blues, rock, ballads, country, and international harmonica music which he sold on cassettes in the 1990s. These tapes introduced me, and many others, to the potential of the harmonica.
This is a tribute to Norman, who introduces the first track. He had run an important mail order harmonica business in Caistor, Norfolk, UK, since the 1980s.
1 – Intro – Norman Ives – 0:00
2 – Harmonicats – Peg O’My Heart – 00:23
3 – Rory McLeod – Bansheesh Dance – 02:28
4 – Charlie Musselwhite – Hard Times – 07:32
5 – Fingers Taylor – Harpoon Man – 11:18
6 – Rowland Van Straaten – Orientango – 14:52
7 – Charlie McCoy – Pots and Pans – 18:06
8 – Norton Buffalo- So Much To Say – 20:13
9 – Cajun – Indian On A Stump – 23:48
10 – J.J.Milteau – The Hook – 27:22
11 – Deford Bailey – Fox Chase – 29:54
12 – Little Walter – Quarter to 12 – 31:15
13 – Paul Orta – Wailing at Weavers – 34:34
14 – Sonny Boy Williamson – Help Me – 37:52
15 – William Clarke – Blowing like Hell – 40:59
16 – Stagg McMann – Pinetop Boogie – 43:41
17 – Mox Gowland – Hollor For More – 46:41
18 – Sonny Terry – Change The Lock On The Door 50:17
19 – Jim Darby – Snake Dance – 53:43
20 – Walter Horton & Carey Bell – Have Mercy – 57:17
21 – Lee Oskar – The Immigrant – 61:01
22 – Paul Lamb – Snake Skin Jump – 65:06
23 – Junior Wells – Messing With The Kid – 67:32
24 – Blues Birdhead – Mean How Blues – 71:08
25 – Don Les – Check to Cheek – 74:26
26 – John Hammond – Cat Man Blues – 77:28
27 – John Popper/Blues Travelers – But Anyway – 81:30
28 – Randy Charles – I’m so Lonesome I could cry – 85:37
29 – George Harmonica Smith – Situation Blues – 88:03
30 – Ted Roddy – Honky Tonk Rhythm – 91:37
31 – Michael Herblin – M’pyramid – 97:15
32 – Pete Madcat Ruth – Froggy Went a’Courting – 99:53
33 – J Geils Band – Wammer Jammer – 103:15
Imagine you are back in the 1950s. Tune your AM Radio to the BBC and listen . The harmonica was heard in many radio comedies, variety and serious music shows in the 1950s.
Here are some examples featuring Tommy Reilly, Larry Adler, Ronald Chesney, Max Geldray, The Morton Fraser Gang and The Three Monarchs. Shows mentioned include Dixon of Dock Green, The Grove Family, The Navy Lark, Educating Archie, The Goon Show, Workers’ Playtime, and Variety Bandbox.
Light Programme , Opening , 0:00
Workers Playtime , Essex , 0:16
Tommy Reilly , Medley , 0:31
Tommy Reilly , Dixon of Dock Green , 4:42
Tommy Reilly , Family Joke, The Navy Lark , 5:58
Educating Archie , Ronald Chesney , 9:25
Ronald Chesney , Blues in the Night , 12:05
Ronald Chesney , Hora Staccato , 16:35
Variety Bandbox, , 18:07
Morton Fraser Gang , Medley , 18:15
Morton Fraser Gang , Body and Soul , 20:24
Three Monarchs , Beer Barrel Polka, 23:10
Three Monarchs , Small Talk , 25:05
Three Monarchs , Bach goes to Town , 28:52
Max Geldray , The Goon Show , 30:09
Max Geldray , Side by Side , 31:46
Max Gelday , So Rare , 32:54
Light Progamme , Larry Adler Programme 1 , 34:20
Larry Adler , Smoke gets in your Eyes , 35:10
Larry Adler , Holiday for Strings , 38:40
Larry Adler , Genevieve Film Music , 42:04
BBC Light Programme, Closedown, 48:43
More popular harmonica group favourites from the 1940s and 50s are from a large collection of recordings assembled by John Bryan (1924-2014) who built up contacts and friendships around the world who exchanged music with him. This broadcast covers tracks from many harmonica groups and soloists. See also Part 1, Old Harmonica Favourites.
1. Dick Hayman – Saturday night in the Central Park – 2:07
2. Dick Hayman – Tootle oolie dooley – 2:41
3. W. W. Macbeth – Listen to the mocking bird – 1:03
4. W. W. Macbeth – Carry me back to the old Virginny – 1:16
5. Luciano – Esmeraida – 0:47
6. Luciano – Gipsy melody – 0:34
7. Morton Frazer Gang – Caravana – 2:45
8. Morton Frazer – Chelsea – 2:21
9. Nelson y su conjunto – De buen humor – 2:31
10. The Snapshots – Limehouse blues – 2:23
11. Cappy Barra Harmonica Gentleman – Voodoo – 2:42
12. Hotcha Trio – Saloon bar rag – 2:54
13. Ronald Chesney – Chiqui chaqui – 2:12
14. Los 5 Acordes – El jazz me entristece – 2:13
15. The Multicats – Avalon – 2:39
16. Tommy Reilly – Swiss merry go-round – 1:55
17. Trio Candido – Premier flirt – 1:49
18. The Herold’s Trio – Swing polka – 2:01
19. Roberto Abularach – Sombrero de copa – 2:49
20. Os Harmonicistas – Dinah – 1:49
21. Los Armonica Tango – El entreriano – 1:58
22. Walter Gomez & Picaros – Popurri italiano – 3:02
The history of the harmonica is told by the performers and the music they recorded. Most of the major music collectors have died but this website shares some of the recordings from their collections – shellac, vinyl, cassette and reel to reel tapes, CDs, film and video tapes. It includes all music styles and harmonica types.
These popular harmonica group favourites from the 1940s and 50s are from a large collection of recordings assembled by John Bryan (1924-2014) who built up contacts and friendships around the world who exchanged music with him. This broadcast covers tracks from many groups and soloists. Some of the tunes are from the period of the musicians’ recording ban in the 1940s. Harmonica players had not been allowed to join the Musicians’ Union and so were brought in to accompany singers. As a result of their success harmonica players were finally admitted to the MU. See also Old Harmonica Favourites – Part 2.
1. POLKA DOTS – Intermezzo – 2:48
2. HARMONICATS – I love you – 2:34
3. PLEHAL BROTHERS – Saturday – 2:34
4. PLEHAL BROTHERS – Dalbacks – 2:27
5. DON RIPPS – Its a dew dew dewey day – 2:06
6. TOMMY REILLY – Family joke – 2:22
7. THE MULCAYS – Caravana – 2:15
8. LARRY ADLER – Sur le chein de Bahama – 2:35
9. TRIO HARMONIE – June night – 2:00
10. TRIO HARMONIE – Get up on the stairs – 2:39
11. MORTON FRAZER’S – Gang medley number one – 2:13
12. HILL BILLY’S TRIO – La danse des petite loups – V2:52
13. TOOTS THIELEMANS – The Sheik of Araby – 2:08
14. HARMONICA GENTLEMEN – In our old home town – 2:50
15. HARMONICA GENTLEMAN – Am I all of your future? – 2:30
16. HOTCHA TRIO – Goody goody – 2:47
17. CARL FREED – Ridin’ the reeds – 2:41
18. PHILARMONIC TRIO – Two o’clock boogie – 2:20
19. THE MADCAPS – Limehouse blues – 2:16
20. BORRAH MINEVITCH – Jamaican rumba – 2:34