DATE: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 23:16:39 CST From: Steve Jennings <100010.11~ompuServe.COM> Subject: Who am I? What is Harmonica World?
Seasons greetings from the depths of the English countryside. I'm Steve Jennings, and I've played harp for around 8 years now, using diatonics and chromatics mainly, though I've also had brief flirtations with both chord and bass instruments, as well as tremolo instruments - it's really a case of using the instrument that sounds right for the music I'm playing at the time. As far as styles go, I guess I play about 50% blues/rock and 50% classical, jazz, standards etc. I'm currently *very* into the playing of Don Les - he was the bass player with Jerry Murad's Harmonicats for 27 years (but don't let that put you off!) and now has a career (at the age of 70+ !) as a diatonic player, doing mainly pre be-bop style jazz versions of standards - he's a great player and very accurate and fluent. Harmonica World is a magazine, published every two months by the National Harmonica League, which is the UK national harmonica organisation - the equivalent of SPAH in the States, I guess. I am the editor of this amazingly wonderful publication, which usually contains an interview, record and product reviews, playing tips etc. It comes as part of a subscription to the club - rates are as follows:- UK 1st year - 19 pounds 2nd & subsequent years - 15 pounds
USA 1st year - $25.00 2nd & subsequent years - $20.00
Europe 1st year - 21 pounds 2nd & subsequent - 17 pounds
Rest of World 1st year - 23 pounds 2nd & subsequent - 19 pounds
the slightly higher charge in the first year is to cover membership card, badge, admin overheads etc.
Interviews in 1992 have been with Howard Levy, James Hughes, Brendan Power, James Cotton and Rick Estrin.
If anyone's interested, let me have your address and I'll send you a sample copy and application form etc.
Coming up in 1993 are interviews with Paul Lamb and Eddie Burks. Also (I hope) a series of hints & tips for diatonic players based on info from Don Les (see above). PLUS we're currently working on a series about "alternate" tunings for the harp - like the Lee Oskar / Hohner Natural minor tuning, Lee Oskar "Melody Maker", Hohner "Country tuning", Lee Oskar harmonic minor and their variants. I've collected a number of these alternatives, (about thirty now!), which are great fun if you're prepared to go "under the bonnet (hood?!)" to perform a bit of surgery.
re: the current debate about John Popper - the use of effects for harp isn't exactly new - my mentor, Johnny Mars used them on his first album in 1972, and still does - the problem then, of course, was that the range/quality/price combination wasn't right - some might say it stil isn't. For some *really* wild stuff with effects, have a listen to Madcat Ruth's opening track on "Madcat's Pressure Cooker Live at the Pig". Hendrix, nothing!