Last Updated 6/23/08

1. What is your view of music theory?
2. Do you give workshops? What materials to do you make available at workshops?
3. How do you learn music?
4. Which piano do you prefer?
5. What songs do you work on for the piano? What is your concept of composing?
6. When did you begin playing?
7. What is stride piano?
8. What are you doing when you reach inside the piano? (this also includes information on the song An African in New York)
9. How do you play the rapid repeats in the right hand at the end of Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel, and during the song Moon?
10. What is your concept of pedaling on the piano?
11. Why do you never mic the piano during a concert?
12. What are the solo piano dances?
13. What do you call the styles of piano you play?
14. Who are your main influences on piano?
15. Who was Professor Longhair?
16. Who was James Booker?
17. Who is Henry Butler?
18. Who was Teddy Wilson?
19. Who was Fats Waller?
20. How do you feel about playing different pianos at each concert?
21. Is there any sheet music of your recordings available?

1. What kind of harmonica do you play?
2. How do you get the bass and chords at the same time as the melody on the harmonica?
3. How do you get the constant drone note that you play on the harmonica?
4. Who are your main influences on harmonica?
5. Have you recorded any harmonica?
6. How do you tune the harmonica?
7. What harmonica tunings do you use?
8. What are some good harmonica sites?

1. Is that a "Slack Key" guitar that you play? Why does it have more than six strings?
2. Who was Ted Greene?
3. Who was John Fahey?
4. What is your favorite guitar piece?

1. What information can you give me on the music business and how to get my music recorded?
2. You have mentioned your favorite music growing up was instrumental pop and R&B hits from the 50's and 60's, can you name some of those?
3. Have you been inspired and influenced by Chinese classical and traditional music?
4. What is your favorite song?

Answers

Piano Related Questions

What is your view of music theory?

Totally essential for the approach I have (I very rarely use written music). A great place to start is by learning chords: the first building block is the Major chords - then the minor chords, then the sevenths (the Major, minor, and dominant sevenths), then the augmented, diminished, and half-diminished chords, then ninths (major & minor), sixths (major & minor), then thirteenths and elevenths, and so on.

I encourage everyone to then study music theory, which is how these chords relate to each other – the tendencies, and the “rules”, which you can then break. It is an excellent way to understand and memorize music. You can then analyze written scores (I always analyze recordings – when learning a song, I usually like to hear many versions of it, and as many different versions by the same artists as possible as well – sometimes I take the uneducated route first, just playing what I remember of a piece, and making variations, then educate myself later – I find I often keep my variations).

Many Northern American musicians who play jazz, rhythm & blues, rock, and folk use music theory extensively. I recommend asking your music teachers to teach you music theory, if they don't already, and, again, the best place to start is with learning the chords.

Here is a chord chart and some information that I pass out when I give workshops.

Do you give workshops? What materials to do you make available at workshops?

I enjoy giving workshops when I can for any age group, time allowing and there is no charge. I do make materials available, the concert programs from the solo piano concert, the solo guitar concert and a workshop sheet of cords, intervals/ear training, and modes. I also go over how I play solo harmonica, solo guitar (in open G Major tuning D-G-D-G-B-D - from the lowest pitched string to the highest), and if a piano is available, the three solo piano styles I play melodic folk, stride piano, and New Orleans R&B.

How do you learn music?

I use the Marantz PMD-201 2-speed monaural Music Study Recorder. It has a speaker so you don't have to use headphones, pitch control to vary the speed and (most importantly for me) a half-speed switch which lowers the music one octave in the same key. It may not be exactly in pitch at half speed (it's often a half-step or a quarter-tone low), but you can use the pitch control to tune it to the piano. It also has a built-in microphone for taping, and a built-in speaker (it is a mono machine). They also make similar machines for CDs, and I haven’t tried them, but I have heard good things about them. Good sources for getting them are: Homespun: PO Box 694, Woodstock, NY 12498, phone 800-33-TAPES or www.homespuntapes.com/, and search under “Marantz” ; and also the Martel Company www.martelelectronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv, and search under “Tape Recorders”, and then under “Professional Recorders.”

Which piano do you prefer?

The nine-foot Steinway concert grand works best overall for what I do. It really depends on the individual instrument though.

What songs do you work on for the piano? What is your concept of composing?

About 80% - 90% of what I work on are R&B, slow dance songs, Soul, Rock, a bit of Latin, etc., for the solo piano dances I play. The other 10% - 20% are songs for the concerts: melodic pieces, stride piano, and Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts soundtrack pieces.

About 95 % of all the pieces I play are by other composers almost all North American. My temperament is much more that of an interpreter than as a composer. The composer who I have played the most songs of is Vince Guaraldi (46 songs). Very few of the pieces I have arranged by other composers were originally solo piano pieces – only 13 overall ever.

I compose 1 or 2 songs a year, and it happens occasionally, without any planning or intent to compose, as I am practicing, and it always happens at the piano, as opposed to in my head away from the instrument. Sometimes it happens when I am inspired by the Season, Montana, etc., and sometimes it just happens without any feeling at all. Most of the songs I compose, however, evaporate away in a day or a week. The ones that stay get used for a concert, or a recording, or a dance.

Most of my practicing is working on the musical languages of R&B piano - most specifically the great New Orleans pianists Professor Longhair (the founder of the New Orleans R&B piano scene in the late 1940s), James Booker (whose language is basically the way I think of playing in terms of), and Henry Butler, who is the pianist I am studying the most.

Also, on the guitar the languages I improvise in are Hawaiian Slack Key, Appalachian/American folk music, and popular standards. On harmonica, I play songs from three traditions: Appalachian, Celtic, and Cajun.

Some songs just get used for one function. I just see where each song goes, what it is to be used for. I have no personal mythologies or philosophies, or any connection to any movements, etc. - I am simply dealing with just these three elements: the music (the songs on the three instruments), the seasons & the places which give me the inspiration to play, and gratefully, the audience to play for.

When did you begin playing?

I had a few piano lessons as a kid, but wasn’t interested and quit. I was always an avid listener when growing up, especially to instrumental music, and especially to organists. Finally, in 1967, when I heard the Doors, I had to start playing organ. I learned chords and music theory, and studied recordings of organists, especially the great Jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Then in 1971, when I heard recordings of the great Stride pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller (1904-1943), I switched immediately to solo piano. I never played any music from the great European classical tradition, nor have any desire to. My approach is entirely North American, rather than European and I treat the piano as an Afro-American tuned drum.

What is stride piano?

"Stride" piano basically means that the left hand "strides" between a bass and a chord while the right hand plays the improvisation. It is an older jazz piano tradition, played most predominantly between the 1920s and the early 1940s. Stride piano came some out of the ragtime tradition of Scott Joplin and the other great ragtime composers from the early 1900s, but the tempos are much faster, there is much more improvisation, and more harmonic development. Some of the greatest stride pianists were Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904-1943), James P. Johnson (1891 -1955), Willie "The Lion" Smith (1897-1973), and Donald Lambert, just to name a few. The great post-stride pianists Teddy Wilson (1911-1986), Art Tatum (1909-1956) and Earl Hines (1905-1983) could play fantastic stride piano as well. Three of the pianists who are the bridge between ragtime and stride are Eubie Blake (1883-1983), Luckey Roberts (1887-1968) and Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941).

Some great later and contemporary stride pianists are also Dick Hyman, the late Ralph Sutton (1922-2001), the late Dick Wellstood, the late Joe Buskin, Mike Lipskin, Jim Turner, Tom McDermott, Brad Kay, Judy Carmichael, Marcus Roberts, Butch Thompson, and Barry Gordon (note -there are two pianists with the name Barry Gordon – the one referred to here is a different person than the one who has some recordings out).

Good sites for stride piano are:
http://members.aol.com/midimusic/stride.html,
http://stridepiano.com/index2.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/

Five music books covering covering stride playing are available from Songbooks Unlimited, Music Books Now, Dept. 903807, P.O. Box 639. Holmes, PA 19043, phone 800-527-6300, online at www.musicbooksnow.com:

1. HARLEM STRIDE PIANO (913459) - a sheet music book containing 26 classic swing-era solos by the greatest pianists of the 1920s and 1930s
2. JUDY CARMICHAEL'S INTRODUCTION TO STRIDE PIANO (971366) - newly revised edition contains arrangements, practice drills and a new CD.
   
3. JUDY CARMICHAEL'S - YOU CAN PLAY STRIDE PIANO (948869) - includes song book, easy 'how-to' drills, special tips and a CD.
   
4. JUDY CARMICHAEL'S COMPLETE BOOK OF STRIDE PIANO (91657) - contains eight stride piano classics and preparatory jazz exercises.
5. DICK HYMAN: PIANO PRO (935957) - teaches the user how to play runs like Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson. Also contains insights, "how-to"s, and musical tips.
   
   

What are you doing when you reach inside the piano?
(this also includes information on the song An African in New York)

One of four things:

1. Muting the strings - usually on the closest part of the string(s) toward the keyboard, with the left hand and playing the keys normally with the right hand. The right hand playing is similar to playing guitar, as the thumb plays the lower notes and the fingers play the higher notes - (see Dubuque on the PLAINS album, Forbidden Forest on the FOREST album; the end of the song Cast Your Fate to the Wind, on the album LINUS AND LUCY – THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI; on the song My Wild Love, from the album NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY: THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS: and on the song Pine Hills, from the 20th Anniversary Edition of the album WINTER INTO SPRING.
   
   I also do this on the end of the live version of the song Woods, muting the very low notes, on the live version in the SUMMER SHOW, and also on the song An African in New York, that I play live sometimes in the SUMMER SHOW). It is a four part song and part of the first part was inspired by the work of the great South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (AKA Dollar Brand), and all of the Africans who have immigrated to New York - and in fact, all New Yorkers.
   
   
2. Plucking a string - at the beginning and near the end of the live version of the song Woods, in the SUMMER SHOW – here a note is plucked with the left hand an octave lower than the same note played normally on the keyboard with the right hand to fatten it up, as if there is a bowed bass – I also do the same thing in the introduction of the song Cast Your Fate to the Wind, on the album LINUS AND LUCY – THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI. I pluck low bass notes also on the beginning on the song My Wild Love, from the album NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY: THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS. Also on the song Midnight, from the album DECEMBER, I pluck the strings for the whole song.
   
   The strings can also be scraped with the nail, although I have not done that on any songs yet.
   
   
3. Tapping the strings - see the first part of the song Tamarac Pines on the FOREST album – I don’t do this when I play this song live, as a medley with the song Colors, from the AUTUMN album, in the WINTER SHOW, as it is inaudible.
   
   
4. Playing a harmonic chime - by lightly touching a string at a certain place with the left hand, and plucking it with the right hand, like it is done on the on the guitar (sometimes done near the end of the live version of the song Woods, from the AUTUMN album, in the SUMMER SHOW).
   
   

How do you play the rapid repeats in the right hand at the end of Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel, and during the song Moon?

I use my thumb and middle finger, and you can substitute the index finger for awhile if the middle finger gets tired. I also, inspired by Bluegrass mandolin players, sometimes let the little finger hit notes above the notes that the thumb and middle finger are playing, and it hits notes half the time that the thumb and middle finger hit notes. It does sometimes give the aural illusion that the little finger’s notes are being played as rapidly as the ones with the thumb and middle finger.”

What is your concept on pedaling on the piano?

One of the things I love about the piano is its sustain. I like this sustain better than the sustain of strings, organ, or synth, so that is one of the reasons I always play solo, to hear that sustain (the other reason is that is how I hear music in my head, is solo – what I am really, is a solo instrumental player that uses the piano, guitar, and harmonica. About 95 % of the songs I play are adaptation of songs by other composers, very few (nine) which were originally solo piano pieces by the original composers - what I do is the opposite of most arrangers – I go from big to small, adapting band and ensemble pieces to solo (most arrangers go from small to big, conceiving arrangements for the band or ensemble at the keyboard. So I sustain as much as I can, because I want a big sound. Also I spent my first few years of that I played on the organ, so I got used to having different sounds, having sustain, and a fat sound.

For Stride Piano, I have the exact opposite approach – there I often just briefly pedal the bass notes, to give them a fatter sound, like a string bass.

I also take off my shoes to minimize the sound of the foot pounding on the floor, and to have better control on the pedals.

Why do you never mic the piano during a concert?

I like the total acoustic sound, and I play better that way, and I dislike the sound with a mic for my ways of playing. I am influenced some by the sounds of electronic instruments, but I reflect those influences on acoustic instruments. Playing the piano wears my nails down, so I play the guitar with just the fingertips of the right hand, and I have to generally mic the guitar to be heard. I have more of a tolerance for a mic on the guitar. And as long as I am using a P.A. for the guitar, I use it for talking and the solo harmonica as well. However, the best situation for me is a very small hall, with no mic at all.

What are the solo piano dances?

The solo piano dances I do, is where the piano is a one man band kind of thing which go 3 hours or more, of one long medley of R&Bsongs, slow dance songs, Soul, Rock, Vince Guaraldi Peanuts pieces, and a bit of Latin, Blues, and occasional waltzes (these are not Modern Dance/Ballet piano dances). I do on the average 5-8 dances a year as benefits for service organizations.

My concept of the piano, whatever style I am playing, is a band approach (a North American approach, rather than the European classical orchestral approach). Basically the left hand is the bass and rhythm, and the right hand is the lead singer and sometimes an additional rhythm, and the whole thing is the drummer.

What do you call the styles of piano you play?

I play three styles:

1. R&B piano – Inspired by the great New Orleans R&B pianists from the late 1940s onward, especially: Henry Butler, the late James Booker , the late Professor Longhair (the founder of the New Orleans R&B piano scene, much like the late Gabby Pahinui is the father of the modern Hawaiian Slack Key guitar era), as well as Dr. John and Jon Cleary. The vast majority of songs, about 90% I play are in this style, and they are mainly played at the solo piano dances I do, but I use some songs played this way at concerts and recordings (especially on the recordings LINUS & LUCY – THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, and NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY – THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS. Three albums are planned of the songs I play at the dances.
   
   
2. Stride Piano –(see # 5 above) – I play just a few songs in this style now. It was the main thing I worked on in the early 1970s, but over the years my main approach became R&B piano.
   
   
3. Folk Piano – this is a combination listening as a kid to the instrumental R&B and rock, and American folk music. This is the melodic style I came up with in 1971, when I had switched from organ to piano, and I was mainly working on stride piano, and I wanted something that was complimentary to that – melodic and simpler, and using the sustain sound of the piano that I love. The majority of songs on my recordings are in this style (and it is rural in nature, rather than urban), and I like to stay within the theme of the album. About 10% of all the songs I play on piano are in this style.

Who are your main influences on piano?

Primary Direct Influences (extensive studying of their musical languages):
{Keep in mind that each musician is really their own category, and that categories only tell you what someone doesn’t do, and that only narrows things down a bit – one has to hear each one to get a cognition}

1. James Booker - New Orleans R&B pianist (1939-1983) - His musical language is the main way I think in terms of playing the piano. I learned more from his album Junco Partner than any other album ever.
2. Henry Butler – New Orleans Jazz and R&B pianist - Pianist I’m studying now, and have been studying for 17 years, still just scratching the surface of what he does.
3. Professor Longhair – New Orleans R&B pianist (1918-1980)
4. Thomas “Fats” Waller -Harlem Stride pianist (1904-1943). Also visit www.fatswaller.org
   
5. Teddy Wilson –Stride and Swing pianist (1912-1986)
   
   Secondary Influences
   
   
6. Dr. John – New Orleans R&B pianist
   
7. Jon Cleary – New Orleans R&B pianist
8. Ray Charles (1930-2004)
9. Earl Hines (1905-1983) Stride and Swing pianist
10. Vince Guaraldi – Jazz pianist/ composer (1928 -1976)
11. Abdullah Ibrahim (AKA Dollar Brand) - South Africian pianist
12. Philip Aaberg – Montana pianist/ composer (the only melodic pianist I have ever studied)
13. Oscar Peterson – Jazz pianist
14. Art Tatum - Jazz and Stride pianist (1909-1956)
15. Don Lambert - Harlem stride pianist (1904-1962)

Who was Professor Longhair?

Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd 1918-1980) was the founder of the New Orleans R&B piano scene in the late 1940s. His influences were the blues and Boogie Woogie pianists of the 1920s and the 1930s, especially Meade Lux Lewis (1905-1964), Pine Top Smith (1904-1929), and Jimmy Yancey (1898-1951), as well as blues pianists in New Orleans, such as Archibald, Sullman Rock, Kid Stormy Weather, Robert Bertrand, and Isidore “Tuts” Washington (1907-1984), as well as New Orleasns music in general, and the Caribbean music he heard. He was the reason I began playing again in 1979, after I had quit in 1977, when I heard his album with his first recordings from 1949 and 1953, NEW ORLEANS PIANO (Atlantic 7225), and especially his beautiful track from 1949, Hey New Baby. Called “Fess”, and beloved and inspirational to all who heard him, and the foundation of it all to me and many others, he had many inventions (as they were called by the great New Orleans pianist and composer Allen Toussaint) on the piano. He always put his own deep, definitive, unique and innovative way of playing on every song he composed or arranged. His playing, and his whole approach speaks volumes. New Orleans R&B piano starts here.

Called “Fess”, and beloved and inspirational to so many who heard him, Professor Longhair inspired and influenced many pianists, including Dr. John (Mac Rebennack), Henry Butler, Allen Toussaint, the late James Booker, Fats Domino, Jon Cleary, Huey “Piano” Smith, Art Neville, the late Ronnie Barron, Harry Connick, Jr., Tom McDermott, Amasa Miller, Josh Paxton, Davell Crawford, David Torkanowsky, Joe Krown, and others.

New Orleans has a wonderful and incredible R&B piano tradition, beginning with the late Professor Longhair’s recordings in 1949, and continuing today. Some of the other great R&B pianists playing there today are Alan Toussaint, Jon Cleary, Art Neville, Fats Domino, Davell Crawford, Joe Krown, Joshua Q. Paxton, and others. Professor Longhair also influenced and inspired the late James Booker, and the late Ronny Barron, as well as these great new orleans piansts who are living outside new orleans now: Dr. John (Mac Rebennack ), Heuey Smith and Harry Connick Jr. For listing of live performances and information on New Orleans music in general, see OFFBEAT MAGAZINE.

Fess had many inventions on the piano (as they were coined by the great New Orleans pianist and composer Allen Toussaint.) He always put his own completely unique and innovative stamp on every song he played, whether it was an original composition or a masterful interpretation of another composer’s song. At least 11 of his inventions are:

Extended notes from the ROCK 'N' ROLL GUMBO album.

[Note---occasionally the record labels are listed here---but usually not----they are listed as needed to differentiate them from other albums of Fess and others that have the same or similiar names]

Fess is lovingly featured in the late Stevenson J. Palfi's great documentary PIANO PLAYERS RARELY EVER PLAY TOGETHER along with the great New Orleans pianists Alan Toussaint and Isidore “Tuts” Washington- Video available from Alligator Video at 1-800-344-5609. Alternate Professor Longhair site is http://www.offbeat.com/fess/fesshome.html

My favorite albums of his are:

1. 1. Fess’ “Rhumboogie” (or Rhumba-Boogie) syncopated left and right hand playing style - see the song Hey Now Baby from the albums NEW ORLEANS PIANO and ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT and BIG EASY STRUT:THE ESSENTIAL PROFESSOR LONGHAIR; and the song Her Mind is Gone from the albums CRAWFISH FIESTA and BIG CHIEF and BALL THE WALL! LIVE AT TIPITINA’S 1978 and BYRD LIVES!
   
   
2. Push beats on left hand notes – sometimes for one note, and sometimes throughout a whole phrase – especially see the song Hey Now Baby from the albums NEW ORLEANS PIANO and ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT; the song Walk Your Blues Away from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO; and the song Tipitina from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO.
   
   
3. Rapid right hand triplets - see the song Hey Now Baby from the albums NEW ORLEANS PIANO and ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT; the song Hey Little Girl from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO; and the song Her Mind is Gone from the albums CRAWFISH FIESTA and BIG CHIEF.
   
   
4. Double note crossovers - especially see the song Hey Now Baby from the albums NEW ORLEANS PIANO, and ROCK & ROLL GUMBO, and THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT, and also especially the song Hey Little Girl from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO album.
   
   
5. Two hand rolls – see the introduction of the song Ball the Wall from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO, which has a unique two hand roll with single notes in the left hand and chords in the right hand, followed by octave rolls in the right hand with single notes in the left hand, with the hands crossing sometimes; and the same rolls on the song 501 Boogie on the album HOUSE PARTY NEW ORLEANS STYLE –THE LOST SESSIONS 1971-1972; and on another version of the same song, with the title Boogie Woogie on the out of print LP album THE LAST MARDI GRAS, and this same track with the title 501 Boogie (with part of the introduction edited off) is on the album RUM AND COKE; and on the introduction and in the middle of another version of the same song, with the title Ball the Wall aka 510 Boogie, on the album BALL THE WALL! LIVE AT TIPITINA’S 1978
   
   And there is a similar roll in his instrumental piano break in the song It’s My Fault on the album CRAWFISH FIESTA;
   
   and the incredible two hand drum roll technique in his instrumental break on the song Every Day I Have the Blues on the album LIVE ON THE QUEEN MARY (One Way Records S21 56844), and on the albums THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT and BYRD LIVES!; and the same technique the song It’s My Own Fault on the album BYRD LIVES; and on the song Gone So Long, near the end of the song, on the album BYRD LIVES! (Night Train Records).
   
   
6. His wonderful and distinctive piano phrases for the chord progression of the late Earl King’s (1934-2003) song Big Chief - his later version of these piano phrases for Big Chief is on the albums THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT and CRAWFISH FIESTA. His first version of these phrases was on his 1964 recording of Big Chief, reissued on the compilation album with Professor Longhair and other artists titled COLLECTOR’S CHOICE –FEATURING PROFESSOR LONGHAIR (on Rounder Records), and it was also reissued on the compilation album with various artists MARDI GRAS IN NEW ORLEANS (on Mardi Gras Records). It is amazing how he came up with this one… and all the others – what Fess said in an interview with the late filmmaker Stevenson Palfi about how he came up with things was that “I just dream ‘em up” – that is the key right there.
   
   
7. His distinctive phrase for the IV chord (the C chord in the key of G, and the F chord in the key of C) – see the song Mean Ol’ World from the album ROCK & ROLL GUMBO; and in his instrumental break on the song It’s My Fault from the album CRAWFISH FIESTA; and the song Gone So Long from the albums HOUSE PARTY NEW ORLEANS STYLE–THE LOST SESSIONS 1971-1972 and MARDI GRAS IN BATON ROUGE; and the song Hey Now Baby from the albums ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT.
   
   
8. Two hand rolls ending with right hand broken octaves – see the introduction for the song Tipitina on the album ROCK & ROLL GUMBO ; and the song Willie Fugal’s Blues on the CRAWFISH FIESTA album. A related technique is the right hand broken octaves at the end of the song Mess Around on the albums ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THECOMPLETE LONDON CONCERT
   
   
9. Another aspect of his “Rhumboogie” (or Rhumba-Boogie) left hand, using the Latin Clave beat, with notes played on beats one, “two and”, and four – he used this on many songs, as this was his favorite left hand bass to play – for example, see the song Junco Partner on the albums ROCK & ROLL GUMBO; and the song Hey Little Girl from the album NEW ORLEANS PIANO (interestingly enough, this same Clave beat was the favorite solo guitar bass pattern of the late, great Hawaiian Slack Key guitarist Sonny Chillingworth [1930-1994], who was so revered and influential in Hawai’i).
   
   
10. His use of repeating the tonic chord (the I chord) and/ or a tonic chord phrase in the right hand, over the IV chord (for example, in the key of C, playing the C Major chord over the F chord bass, creating the tonality of an F Major 7/9 chord) - see the song Hey Now Baby from the albums NEW ORLEANS PIANO, and ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and THECOMPLETE LONDON CONCERT; and the songs How Long Has That Train Been Gone and Stag-O-Lee, from the album ROCK & ROLL GUMBO – these latter two songs are in the key of F, so here for the IV chord, he played the F Major chord over the B Flat chord bass, creating the tonality of a B Flat Major 7/9 chord. Fess also sometimes played a roll with the tonic Major chord throughout the whole chorus – see the song Doin’ It on the album ROCK & ROLL GUMBO and the song Gone So Long on the album HOUSE PARTY NEW ORLEANS STYLE–THE LOST SESSIONS 1971-1972 and MARDI GRAS IN BATON ROUGE.
    
    
11. His temporary altering of the rhythm within a song – see the song Mean Ol’ World from the album ROCK & ROLL GUMBO; and the song Everyday I Have the Blues from the album THE COMPLETE LONDON CONCERT; and the song Gone So Long from the albums HOUSE PARTY NEW ORLEANS STYLE–THE LOST SESSIONS 1971-1972 and MARDI GRAS IN BATON ROUGE.
    
    
    And more…
    

Who was James Booker?

James Booker (1939-1983) was the late/great New Orleans R&B pianist, who has been my overall biggest influence of how I think in terms of playing the piano. He was the first one to take R&B, soul music, New Orleans music, the blues and more and make a whole solo piano style out of those traditions. I learned more from his album JUNCO PARTNER than any other album ever. Some of his influences were Professor Longhair (1918-1980), Ray Charles (1930-2004), Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Art Tatum (1909-1956), Erroll Garner (1921-1977), Meade Lux Lewis (1905-1964), Albert Ammons (1907- 1949 ), Pete Johnson (1904-1964), Jelly Roll Morton (1885-1941), and many others.

He was musically fluent in all 12 major and minor keys. He was an outstanding organist as well, and his piano playing reflects that especially in his left-hand bass lines and his use of right hand, full-sounding chords and voicing. His unique, innovative, and deeply soulful arrangements of the songs he arranged often became the definitive and standard way of playing that song. His playing covered at least seven separate styles, and he had many inversions on the piano (the notes and the songs referred to here are from his JUNCO PARTNER album [Rykodisc 1359], which is the album I have learned more from than any other):

• NEW ORLEANS PIANO (Atlantic 7225) – 1949 and 1953 tracks - New Orleans R&B piano starts here.
  
• ROCK 'N' ROLL GUMBO (Dancing Cat 3006)
  
• THE LONDON CONCERT (JSP Records 202) - English import
  
• CRAWFISH FIESTA (Alligator 4718)
  
  

1. An R&B band style, with single note bass line and a partial chord in the left hand played within a hand span of an octave or a 10th interval. (On this album you can hear this style on Good Night Irene, Pixie, Make a Better World, Junco Partner, Blues Minuet and Pop's Dilemma)
   
   
2. A medium temp. hard winging stride style (stride piano meaning the left hand plays a bass on the on beat and then “strides” or jumps up to a chord on the off beat) with the root note and 5th below that played simultaneously just before the beat and the lower root note played on the beat. He played both standards and R&B pieces in this style (Sunny Side of the Street on this album).
   
   
3. A slow and medium slow stride style with 10th in the left hand, preceded often by a fast chromatic roll, and the right playing bluesy fills and occasionally jazz lines (Until the Real Thing Comes Along/Baby Won't You Please Come Home, I’ll Be Seeing You on this album).
   
   
4. A rock stride style (Put Out the Light on this album).
   
   
5. A romantic, classically-influenced style (Black Minute Waltz, I'll Be Seeing You on this album.)
   
   
6. An organ-influenced style (not represented on this recording) with the octave bass line sparse and the right hand consistently going, often with choppy rhythms. James played a different version of Junco Partner than the one on this album in this style, as well as the song Papa Was a Rascal.
   
   
7. A speeded-up version of his R&B band style (not represented on this recording), again with the bass line and partial chord in the left hand within a hand span. He sometimes used this style to play ragtime-type pieces and older pop songs such as Baby Face and Sweet Georgia Brown.
   
   Some of my favorite albums of his are:
   
   1. JUNCO PARTNER (Rykodisc 1359)
   2. NEW ORLEANS PIANO WIZARD: LIVE (Rounder 2027)
   3. SPIDERS ON THE KEYS (Rounder C2119)
   4. RESURRECTION OF THE BAYOU MAHARAJAH (Rounder C2218)
   5. KING OF THE NEW ORLEANS KEYBOARD (Junco Partner JP1, JSP Productions) - English import
   6. PIANO PRINCE OF NEW ORLEANS (Aves INT 146.509 - out of print) - German import
   7. BLUES AND RAGTIME (Aves INT 146.530 - out of print) - German import
      
      

Who is Henry Butler?

Henry Butler is the great New Orleans R&B/jazz pianist, who has been the main pianist I have been studying since 1985, and I am still just scratching the surface of what he does. He is the only pianist I know of that plays the deep blues and R&B and mainstream jazz, two extremely different mind-sets and technical approaches. In my opinion, he has taken the R&B piano to its farthest heights, and he is a phenomenon to experience live. Each performance is deep to the core, and they are all very different from each other as he is an absolute master of improvisation. They are impossible to describe – you just have to see him. His musical languages are very complex yet he always takes one on the journey with him. I realized the first moment I heard him, that I would be studying his playing forever.

Some of his influences have been Professor Longhair (1918-1980), James Booker (1939-1983), Ray Charles (1930 -2004), McCoy Tyner , Art Tatum (1909-1956), John Coltrane (1926-1967), George Duke, and many more.

One of his greatest and most amazing inventions, one of many, is a percussive style that I call two hand conga playing where he plays very powerful syncopated rhythmic figures up and down the keyboard with both hands and/or with two hands answering each other in phrases. A great example of this is Henry's Boogie on his recording HOMELAND (BSR 0802 - 2). Another major invention of his is the funk stride bass, with the feel of a whole funk band with the solo piano.

However, you need to see this artist live to fully experience his music. Some of his styles are rhythm & blues/funk, deep slow blues, mainstream jazz, impressionistic/classical influences, and stride piano.

His website is www.henrybutler.com. You can also see www.offbeat.com, the site for the New Orleans magazine, OFFBEAT, for live performances in New Orleans in general.

Some of my favorite albums of his are:

• HOMELAND (BSR 0802 - 2)
  
• BLUES AFTER SUNSET (Blacktop 1144)
• BLUES & MORE VOL. I (Windham Hill Jazz 10138)
• ORLEANS INSPIRATION (Windham Hill Jazz 10122)
  
  

Who was Teddy Wilson?

Teddy Wilson (1912 -1986), was the great swing and stride pianist who was best known for playing with the Benny Goodman (1909-1986) Trio & Quartet from 1935-1939. This incredible group also featured the late Lionel Hampton (1908-2002) on vibes and the late Gene Krupa (1909-1973) on drums. Teddy also backed up singer Billie Holiday on some of her first recordings in the 1930s. He also made his first amazing solo recordings in 1934, 1935, and 1937, and he made many recordings up to his passing in 1986.

Teddy Wilson was not only the most influential jazz pianist of the late 1930's to the early 1940's, he was also the first one to break the color line, playing the first integrated public concert, with the Benny Goodman Trio in Chicago on Sunday, April 12, 1936. One of his many inventions was to play moving bass lines with his left hand in tenth intervals. Another was his flowing right hand lines, played at the same time. He told me that in 1928, he had heard Fats Waller, and that influenced him to play jazz piano rather than classical. I was thrilled to be able to tell him that in 1971 I had heard Fats Waller’s recordings, and that made me switch from organ to piano. His other main influences where the great pianists Art Tatum (1909-1956), and Earl Hines (1905-1983).

Some of my favorite recordings of his are:

Solo piano: Especially his piano solos in 1934, 1935 and 1937. These are available on the following recordings:

• Solo piano: THE COMPLETE TEDDY WILSON - PIANO SOLOS 1934-1941 (2 CD set) (CBS 4676902) - French import - Out of Print. There are other recordings that feature his piano solos from 1934, 1935, 1937.
• SUNNY MORNING (Musicraft/Discography 2008) - piano solos recorded in 1946
  
• TEDDY WILSON - PIANO SOLOS (Charley Records CD-AFS 1016) - British Import - This recording also has all the 1934, 1935 and 1937 piano solos.

  Some of these piano solos are also available on the following five recordings:

  • TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1934-1935 (Classics Records - Classics 508)
  • TEDDY WILSON - VOLUME 1 - 1934-1941 THE ALTERNATIVE TAKES (Neatwork Records - Neatwork R2021)
  • TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1935-1936 (Classics Records - Classics 511)
  • TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1937-1938 (Classics Records - Classics 548)
  • TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1939-1941 (Classics Records - Classics 620)

  With the Benny Goodman Trio & Quartet (with Benny Goodman on clarinet , Teddy Wilson on piano, Gene Cooper on drums, and as quartet Lionel Hampton on vibraphone - Teddy's incredible left hand playing 10th intervals provided the bass for the trio & quartet):

  • BENNY GOODMAN -THE COMPLETE RCA VICTOR SMALL GROUP RECORDINGS (09026-68764-2) - 3 CD Set
  • LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL - 2 CD set

  Earl Hines

  • THE EARL HINES COLLECTION 1928-1940
    
  • THE EARLY YEARS: 1923-1942
    
    

Who was Fats Waller?

Thomas “Fats” Waller (1904-1943) was, in my opinion, the greatest of the stride pianists. He had an amazing combination of power and yet effortlessness and finesse in his playing. He grew up in Harlem and his main influence was the great stride pianist James P. Johnson (1891-1955). Some of his greatest playing is on the instrumental breaks of his tracks with his band Fats Waller & His Rhythm, especially between 1934-1936. He also composed many songs, including Ain't Misbehavin’ and Honeysuckle Rose in 1929, his signature instrumental piece Handful of Keys, and many others. He was my inspiration, upon hearing his recordings in 1971, to instantly switch from organ to piano. Fats Waller websites include - Fats Waller - A Personal Tribute, Red Hot Jazz, Fats Waller & His Rhythm, and www.fatswaller.org.

Some of my favorite recordings of his are:

• FATS WALLER PIANO SOLOS - TURN ON THE HEAT 1929-1941 (RCA/Bluebird 2482)
• THE JOINT IS JUMPING (RCA/Bluebird 6288)
• And especially any tracks with his band "Fats Waller & His Rhythm," between 1934 and 1936.
• And see the book Fats Waller, an excellent autobiograhy by his son Maurice Waller.
  
  

How do you feel about playing different pianos at each concert?

I like that situation, as each piano is very different and each one brings something different out of the songs. I also like playing in different places, as each town also affects and brings something new and different to the music.

Is there any sheet music of your recordings available?

Yes. The first fully authorized sheet music book is now available. It features 20 transcriptions of originals and interpretations of other composers’ pieces. We are currently taking orders on our merchandise page. Other transcriptions that have not been approved by me all have varying degrees of inaccuracies, due to the unusual way I play (such as sustained notes vs. played ones, and what is played with the left hand vs. the right hand).

Purchase George Winston's sheet music book here »

The songs transcribed in the songbook are:
1. Black Stallion
2. The Cradle
3. Graduation
4. Joy
5. Loreta and Desiree’s Bouquet – Part 1
6. Longing
7. Lullaby
8. New Hope Blues
9. Prelude / Carol of the Bells
10. Reflection
11. From THE SNOWMAN - Walking in the Air
12. From THE SNOWMAN – Building the Snowman
13. From THE SNOWMAN - The Snowman's Music Box Dance
14. Stevenson
15. Thanksgiving
16. Thumbelina
17. The Twisting of the Hayrope
18. Variations on Bamboo
19. Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel
20. The Velveteen Rabbit

At this point there is one transcribed song each on the 20th anniversary and special editions of these recordings:
AUTUMN has one bonus track and sheet music for Longing/Love.
DECEMBER has two bonus tracks and sheet music for Variations on the Kanon by Johann Pachelbel
WINTER INTO SPRING has one bonus track and sheet music for Reflection.
SUMMER has one bonus track and sheet music for Lullaby.
BALLADS & BLUES 1972 has five bonus tracks and sheet music for New Hope Blues.
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT has one bonus track and sheet music for the song The Velveteen Rabbit.

Other future anniversary albums may have sheet music for one song on each one.

Guitarist Ed Wright, a good friend of mine, has transcribed 10 songs for a book titled GEORGE WINSTON FOR SOLO GUITAR, published by the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation.

In addition, the original sheet music for the song Graceful Ghost, by composer/pianist William Bolcom, (George rearranged and recorded a shorter version on his album, FOREST) is available in a booklet THREE GHOST RAG and is published by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation.

Two good books of Vince Guaraldi’s peanuts pieces are: THE VINCE GUARALDI COLLECTION - This has the most accurate transcrption of Linus and Lucy available. It also has Cast Your Fate to the Wind, Christmas Time Is Here and Vince's wonderful arrangement of Greensleeves and five other songs. The other is The Peanuts Illustrated Song Book which has a nice introduction by Hank Bordowitz and 30 Peanuts songs including Skating, The Great Pumpkin Waltz, Christmas is Coming, and Christmas Time is Here.. Both are published by the Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation

This is not sheet music, but the Taliesin Orchestra also did an album of interpretations of George Winston’s compositions called FORBIDDEN FOREST - THE MUSIC OF GEORGE WINSTON, available on CD & DVD through Intersound Records and online through amazon.com.

Harmonica Related Questions

What kind of harmonica do you play?

I usually use Hohner Big River harmonicas, key of low D (using Hohner Low D Cross Harp reed plates within the Big River Harmonica body (I occasionally use the cross harp reed plates for low E flat Big River harmonicas and very occasionally for low E Hohner Big River harmonicas, but not for higher keys as it doesn’t seem to make a difference). I also use the Hohner Big River harmonicas in the key of A. I usually play solo harmonica pieces in these three keys (referenced here on a C harmonica: : the 1st position key of C (the Major scale – C, D, E, F. G, A, B C); the 2nd position key of G (the Mixolydian mode - G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G), called "cross harp" playing; and the 3rd position D Minor (the Dorian mode – D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D). The cross harp playing in the key of G is the most common way of playing by harmonica players in America.

I most often play the Hohner Big River harmonicas in the low key of D in the 2nd position for playing in the key of A, and here I tune the holes 5 & 9 draw up a half step (as I learned from Rick Epping – and Lee Oscar Harmonicas also offers tuning kits and directions on tuning and retuning the harmonica), as well as hole 10 blow down a half step. Most recently Rick Epping has made me a 12 hole harmonica with an extra high note and an extra low note. Here is the tuning:

12 hole Low D Harmonica – usually played in the 2nd position in the key of A (and occasionally in 3rd position in the key of E [Mixolydian mode), and in the 5th position in the key of F# minor [Aeolian Mode]).

Hole

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Blow

A

D

F#

A

D

F#

A

D

F#

A

C#

E

Draw

A

E

A

C#

E

G#

B

C#

E

G#

B

C#

And the same tuning on a normal 10 hole harp:

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
B Blow	D	F#	A	D	F#	A	D	F#	A	C#
Draw	E	A	C#	E	G#	B	C#	E	G#	B

For reference---the same tuning on a C harmonica – playing in the 2nd position in the key of G (and occasionally in 3rd position in the key of D [Mixolydian mode), and in the 5th position in the key of E minor [Aeolian Mode]).

Hole

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Blow

G

C

E

G

C

E

G

C

E

G

B

D

Draw

G

D

G

B

D

F#

A

B

D

F#

A

B

And the same tuning on a normal 10 hole harp:

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	B
Draw	D	G	B	D	F#	A	B	D	F#	A

I also sometimes play the low D Hohner Big River harmonicas (with the low D Cross Harp reed plates) with just hole 10 low tuned down one half step played in key of A with the Mixolydian mode (with the 7th flatted) instead of the major scale (with the sharp 7 note).

I also often play the drone technique (see the How do you get the constant drone note that you play on the harmonica? Question in this section, and go to the first and fourth paragraphs for how I do this).

For playing Appalachian tunes that are in minor keys, and tunes inspired by the Mongolian Matouqin (or the Morin Hurr, the deep two-stringed bowed instrument that got itxs name from itxs horse-head carving by the tuning pegs), I retune a low D Hohner Big River harmonica (with the low D Cross Harp reed plates), lowering holes 3 & 7 draw down a half step, and hole 10 blow down two half steps, yielding the 2nd position Dorian Mode (in the key of A minor the scale is A, B, C, D, E, F#, G, A – and I sometimes avoid the sixth, the F# note). Holes 2, 5, & 8 blow could also be tuned down a half step, yielding the Aeolean Mode (in the key of A minor the scale is A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A).

Here is the tuning:

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	D	F#	A	D	F#	A	D	F#	A	C
Draw	E	A	C	E	G	B	C	E	G	B

And the same tuning referenced in the key of C (to play in G minor):

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	Bb
Draw	D	G	Bb	D	F	A	Bb	D	F	A

For more on Chinese music influences, see the Have you been inspired and influenced by Chinese classical and traditional? music question in this section. I also again often play the drone technique (see the How do you get the constant drone note that you play on the harmonica? Question in this section, and go to the first and fourth paragraphs for how I do this).

For 1st position playing, sometimes called straight harp, with nothing retuned and playing in the key that is stamped on the harmonica, I usually use Hohner Big River Major Diatonic harmonicas in the key of A.

For 3rd position playing, in the Dorian mode, in the key of D minor on a C harmonica (with the scale D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D), I use a tuning that Rick Epping showed me with holes 2 & 3 tuned down two half steps. I usually play Lee Oskar major diatonic harmonicas in the key of A to play in the key of B minor (with the scales B, C#,D, E, F#, G#, A, B), or sometimes in the key of A flat to play in the key of B flat minor (with the scale Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb).

Here is that tuning (referenced in the key of C):

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	B
Draw	D	G	B	D	F#	A	B	D	G	A

I also play some Eastern European influenced tunes on the Harmonic Minor tuned harmonica---I usually use Lee Oskar Harmonicas in the key of C# minor (for reference, in the key of C minor the scale is C, D, E flat, F, G, A flat, B, C).

I also sometimes use the Hohner XB-40, a wonderful harmonica invented by Rick Epping where you can bend all the notes, especially the keys of A flat and G, playing in the 1st position.

I also occasionally use the Hohner Autovalve harmonica, a double reed harmonica where each note is an octave, especially the keys of D, E, and F, playing in the 1st and 2nd positions

Again, Lee Oskar Harmonicas offers a tuning kit with instructions on how to tune and retune harmonicas. It is best to practice tuning and re-tuning on old harmonicas at first, since it is easy to make damaging mistakes when you first start learning to tune.

How do you get the bass and chords at the same time as the melody on the harmonica?

I play extra notes - octaves, double notes, and chords wherever possible, since I am always playing solo. I get these by what is called "tonguing", which means to put the front of the tongue on the harmonica, blocking certain holes so they don't sound. Then when you lift your tongue off those holes a cord will sound. This is the way to play the melody with the right side of the month accompanied by a chord.

To get the "stride harmonica” with a bass and chord and melody, playing in the the first position (the key that is stamped on the harmonica) - play a low note with the left side of the mouth on the first beat of the measure while the tongue is in the middle of the harmonica blocking notes. Then you play out of both sides of the month with the low note on the left side of the month on the first beat of the measure, then release the tongue on the second beat to produce the chord. Place the tongue back again on the harmonica on the third beat, while playing out of the left side of the mouth for another bass note, then release the tongue for the fourth beat, getting another chord. The right side of the mouth plays the melody while this is happening.

A good way to practice getting a bass note with the left side of the mouth and a melody note with the right side of the mouth is to practice octaves in the low part of the harmonica – for example, blowing out with the breath and blocking holes 2 and 3 with the tongue and playing holes 1 and 4 with the left and right side of the month respectively. You can hold this octave and lift the tongue on and off the harmonica, and then the next step would be to practice playing the note with the left side of the month on beats one and three, and then lifting the left side of the mouth off the harmonica along with lifting the tongue off the harmonica on beats two and four.

How do you get the constant drone note that you play on the harmonica?

Again using the tonguing, referencing again in the key of C, holding the low drone G note on the Scottish and Irish and Appalachian and Cajun tunes, basically I play a C harmonica, playing cross harp style in the key of G, playing a low G drone note for every high melody note. This low G note occurs on both blow and draw holes (the same G note on hole 3 blow and on hole 2 draw). I keep the tongue blocking the middle of the harmonica the whole song, so that just the drone and the melody note sound.

For the Scottish pieces and some traditional American Appalachian pieces, I play a regular C Diatonic harmonica cross harp style, playing in the key of G, yeilding the Mixolydian Mode which has the flatted 7th note that so many Scottish tunes have, here the F note (with the scale G, A, B, C, D, E, the flatted 7th note F, and G). For Irish tunes in the Major scale played with the drone, I use the retuned Major scale (with the scale G, A, B, C, D, E, the Major 7th note F#, and G).

An example of this can be heard on the song Farewell Medley on my benefit CD Remembrance. For the first two songs I used a Lee Oskar C Major diatonic harmonica and play in the key of G, in the Mixolydian Mode, with the flat 7th note, the F note. For the third song, I quickly switch harmonicas, to a C harmonica with the 5th and 9th draw holes raised up a half step from F to F sharp, and hole 10 tuned down a half step from C to B.

I also sometimes use the (referenced again here in the key of C) C Diatonic harmonica with the G drone notes played the same way, but playing in the key of C, with the 5th note of the scale, the G notes, as the drone, just as the Scottish bagpipers do when they occasionally play an Irish tune with the major scale. This is a technique I learned from Sam Hinton, who was the first one to do it. He used this drone technique for a section of his version of the traditional fiddle tune Bonaparte's Retreat (on the key of C on a C harmonica, holding the G note, the 5th of the key, as Scottish bagpipers do when they play Irish tunes in the Major scale). We have recorded all of Sam's harmonica solos, and they are issued on his double CD MASTER OF THE SOLO DIATONIC HARMONICA (Eagle’s Whistle Records). I later then moved this technique to the key of G (the cross-harp key), and retuned the harmonica to the Major Scale as described at the end of the previous paragraph, and the drone here is the tonic note, the 1st note of the scale.

I also sometimes play the harmonic minor tuned harmonicas with this same technique of holding the fifth note of the scale as a drone.

I am now also playing a tuning with a constant high drone note. This would also be playing in the key of G where I retune the 9th hole draw up two half steps (so that the F note is now a G, the tonic note playing a C harmonica cross harp style in the key of G). G note now occurs on the 9th hole blow and draw. I use the same tougue splitting technique but now the melody is on the left side of the mouth and the contant note is on the right side of the mouth.

Here is that tuning (referenced in the key of C, for playing in the key of G ):

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	B
Draw	D	G	B	D	F#	A	B	D	G	A

And also for playing in the Dorian Mode in the key of G minor (referenced in the key of C):

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	Bb
Draw	D	G	Bb	D	F	A	Bb	D	G	A

Who are your main influences on harmonica?

I have had two major influences for playing solo harmonica. My first main harmonica mentor has been Sam Hinton, who plays mainly in the first position, otherwise know as straight harp (playing in the key that is printed on the harmonica). Sam was the first one ever to play the stride harmonica, with the bass and chord accompanying the melody. Harmonica players had played the melody with an accompanying chord which is played by holding the tongue on the harmonica, and then releasing it to let the air flow through to get the chords in whatever rhythm the player wants, but no one before Sam had put the bass in also. We recorded Sam Hinton's whole solo harmonica repertoire, and it is released as a double CD set, titled MASTER OF THE SOLO DIATONIC HARMONICA (Eagle’s Whistle Records). It features studio recordings and live recordings, including a radio broadcast from 1937 when Sam was with a vaudeville troupe.

Here is an excerpt from some of the notes from Sam’s recording:

It is wonderful to have this document of Sam Hinton’s harmonica playing available. I have been working on this project in my mind ever since I first heard him play “Bonaparte’s Retreat” live on April 16, 1975 (see disc 2, track 27). The series of songs (# 13-28) shows how Sam evolved this marvelous harmonica version of Bonaparte’s Retreat”. He has been my main harmonica mentor ever since (along with the great harmonica player and inventor Rick Epping (who helped get Sam’s chordomonicas repaired for the recording sessions.) Sam also inspires me in all other aspects of music and life.

Sam has invented three major innovations for solo first position harmonica playing:

1. “Stride bass” harmonica, created by Sam around 1935, where he is playing the bass, chord, and rhythm simultaneously. (See the songs “Haste to the Wedding” on disc two, track 14,“Ach Du Leber Augistin on disc two, track 4, "Simple Gifts" on disc two, track 43, “Bobby Shaftoe” on disc one, track 52, the third version of “Bonaparte’s Retreat” on disc two, track 28 and the 1937 version of "Swannee River" on disc two, track 59.)

2. Playing a drone note through part of the song, invented by Sam in the late 1930s. (See the songs "Bonaparte’s Retreat" "Bobby Shaftoe” on disc one, tracks 26-28 and “Bobby Shaftoe” on disc one, track 52.)

3. Playing counterpoint melodies -- two melodic lines played at the same time, -- invented by Sam in the 1970s. (See the song Simple Gifts on disc two, track 43, Oh Dear, What can the Matter Be on disc one, tracks 4 and 5, Pufferbillies on disc one, track 22, Mississippi Sawyer on disc one, track 2, Au Claire De La Lune on disc one, track 50, and some on Mr. Tunstall’s Hoedown on disc two, track 12, and Hick’s Hornpipe on disc one, track 40; as well as moving bass lines on, Oh Dear, What can the Matter Be on disc one, tracks 4 and 5, Mississippi Sawyer on disc one, track 2, and Downfall of Paris on disc one, track 7.)

My other main harmonica mentor has been Rick Epping, who also was the product manager with the Hohner Harmonica Company for eighteen years and still serves as a technical adviser for them. He currently lives in Ireland, and he records and plays live with the great Irish fiddler Frankie Gavin, with the Celtic/American band Scuttlebutt, the harmonica trio Iron Lung with Brendon Power and Mick Kinsella, and with many other Irish musicians. I am currently extensively recording his repertoire, both solo harmonica, and his beautiful playing of the harmonica and concertina at the same time (and occasionally harmonica and mandolin at the same time, as well as harmonica and banjo at the same time).

Rick plays cross harp a lot, the 2nd position - for example the key of G on a harmonica that has the key of C printed on it. He plays this with the Mixolydian Mode, with the flatted 7th note (with the scale G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G).

He also often tunes holes 5 and 9 draw tuned up one half step – on a C harmonica this would be with the fifth hole draw F note and the Ninth hole F note an octave higher both tuned up a half step to F#, yielding the Major scale, with the sharp 7th note, while playing in the cross harp position (the 2nd position), in the key of G (with the scale G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G).

He also often plays in the 3rd position, yielding the Dorian mode - for example, the key of D minor on a harmonica that has the key of C printed on it, and he does this with a tuning of lowering holes 2 and 3 draw two half steps - on a C harmonica this would be with the third hole draw B note tuned down to A, and the second hole draw G note tuned down to F (the scale for the Dorian Mode on a C harmonica is be D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D). Rick also plays a lot in the first position (in the key of C on a C harmonica), in this tuning, which yields a nice ii minor chord (the D minor chord in the key of C).

Here is that tuning (referenced in the key of C):

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Blow	C	E	G	C	E	G	C	E	G	C
Draw	D	F	A	D	F	A	B	D	G	A

He also plays a lot in the 1st position (called “straight harp”, the key that is stamped on the harmonica), and occasionally in other tunings as well. He favors low pitched harmonicas, usually from the key of G all the way down to the low D harmonica (and he has created a low C harmonica as well).

Rick has recently designed a new harmonica, the result of decades of research and experimentation, the XL-40, for Hohner Harmonicas, that you can bend every note on. It is the first major innovation for Hohner Harmonicas since the chromatic harmonica came out in 1924 and it is altogether a new class of harmonica, a true fusion of the diatonic and the chromatic harmonicas. Information on this new harmonica is available at: www.hoerusa.com/heaturing.htm. To see Rick Epping play click here.

I have also been inspired and influenced by the late Deford Bailey,the great harmonica player who broadcasted on the original Grand Ole Opry and made his recordings in the 1927 and 1928; and the great Cajun harmonica player Artelius Mistric who made his recordings in 1929, and others as well, especially the great solo harmonica players who recorded in the late 1920s and the early 1930s. The first harmonica solos I heard and were inspired by, before Sam Hinton and Rick Epping, were by the great Appalachian guitarist/ banjoist/ harmonica player Doc Watson (also see the INFLUENCES section, under GUITAR for Doc Watson, and under HARMONICA for Sam Hinton and Rick Epping).

Here are the main traditions I draw from for harmonica playing and some of the great players who have influenced and inspired me:

• Appalachian/Old-Time Country - Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, Doc Watson, Kyle Wooten, El Watson, William McCoy, Gwen Foster, Henry Whitter, Charlie McCoy, Mark Graham, & Mike Stevens; fiddlers W. M. Stepp, Eck Robertson, Ed Haley, Luther Strong, Benny Thomasson, Tommy Jarrell, Ed Haley, Luther Strong, Benny Thomasson, Marian Sumner, John Hartford & Lisa Ornstein; banjo player/vocalist Dock Boggs & Bob Webb, multi-instrumentalists Curt Bouterse & Mike Seeger; The New Lost City Ramblers; guitarist Dudley Hill; the bands Crooked Still, The Improbabillies & more.
• Celtic - Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, Phil, John, & Pip Murphy, Brendan Power, Mick Kinsella, Phil Black, Tommy Basker and P. C. Spouse; and these bands: The Bruno Morris Dance Band, The Bothy Band, Altan, The Chieftians, The Boys of the Loch, & more.
• Cajun - Artelius Mistric & Isom Fontenot; accordionists Amede Ardoin & Marc Savoy; fiddlers Wayne Perry, Dennis McGee & Michael Doucet; Quebec fiddler Louis Boudreault, & more.
• Blues -Deford Bailey, Peg Leg Sam, Sonny Terry, Freeman Stowers, George “Bullet” Williams, Palmer McAbee, James Lee “Sunny Boy” Williamson, Rice Miller, James Cotton, Little Walter, Mark Ford, Andy Just, Paul Butterfield, Charlie Musslewhite, George “Harmonica” Smith, Kim Wilson, Rod Piazza, Rick Epping, & more.
• Contemporary Harmonica – Rick Epping, Howard Levy, Richard Hunter, Mark Graham, Lee Oskar , Norton Buffalo, John B. Sebastian, John Popper, Peter “Mudcat” Ruth, & more.
• Mongolian Music - the Matouqin (and also known as the Morin Huur, the Morin Khuur, the Morin Xuur, the Morin Khor and the Marinhur), the Mongolian deep sounding two-string bowed instrument that got its name from its horse-head shape (also see the Chinese Traditional and Classical section on the Influences page and the links page).
  
  I also draw much inspiration from the great players of the Cajun accordion tradition, particularly Amede Ardoin (circa 1896-1941) and Marc Savoy. Amade was Marc Savoy’s biggest influence, and he also influenced me to play the Hohner Big River harmonicas in the key of low D, since that was the key of the accordion that he played on all of his recordings.
  
  The Cajun accordion (originally the German accordion) is the same tuning and works on the same principle as the harmonica (push and pull on the accordion, making two different notes for the same button, and blow out and draw in on the harmonica to produce two different notes in the same hole). The one difference is, the accordion has one higher note (the 3rd in the scale) than the harmonica, and it does not have the low root base note on the finger board, since it is available on the other side of the accordion to play.

Have you recorded any harmonica?

I have no solo harmonica recordings, but I have recorded on 10 albums:

1. REMEMBRANCE - A MEMORIAL BENEFIT - a 6-song CD of piano, guitar, and harmonica solos to benefit those affected by 9/11 - includes one solo harmonica piece (Farewell Medley) .
2. BLOODY KNUCKLES (Skunkman Records) - George plays one harmonica solo on Hey Diddle Dis and harmonica with the band on Off to California and Ramblin’ Sailor.
3. DIAMOND CUTS: CENTERFIELD - Compilation album with various artists on the Hungry For Music label which benefits programs for inner-city children - includes Mantle’s Farewell.
4. SEVENTH INNING STRETCH - also on the Hungry For Music - includes Snow on the Ballfield.
5. BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH - Hungry For Music - includes Maris’ Farewell
6. A CHANUKAH FEAST - Compilation CD on the Hungry For Music label - includes Variations on Rabbe Elimelech
7. THE LEGEND OF BLIND JOE DEATH: THE JOHN FAHEY TRIBUTE CD – Includes Sally Goodin
8. JOHN FAHEY & FRIENDS - FRIENDS OF FAHEY TRIBUTE - Slackertone Records (ST-021) - includes Steamboat Gwine ‘Round De Bend
9. SUMMER SOLSTICE - Compilation CD on the Windham Hill label - includes M.M.’s Dunk.
10. I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS- Compilation CD on the Windham Hill label includes Sussex Carol
11. THE BIG OPEN - Tentative 2008 release
    
    I recorded a song dedicated to the people of Virginia Tech – to view click here.
    

How do you tune the harmonica?

Lee Oskar Harmonicas offers a tuning kit with instructions on how to tune and retune harmonicas. It is best to practice tuning and re-tuning on old harmonicas at first, since it is easy to make damaging mistakes when you first start learning to tune.

You can also look online for possible instruction sites. Basically though, you take the covers off the harmonicas, take the reed plates off and put a thin piece of metal under the reed. You carefully file a little bit off the 3 end of the reed with a good sharp file or razor blade (the end that is not attached to the comb), to raise the pitch to get it in tune or to tune to a higher note. To lower the pitch, you file near where the reed is attached to the comb. You may have to go back and forth to get the note in tune. Notes can be tuned up a half step, sometimes two half steps and at the most occasionally three half steps. Again, it is good to practice on old harmonicas. Always check the note you are tuning and remind yourself are you raising or lowering the pitch to get the harmonica in tune or to change the note itself.

To learn more about Lee Oskar Harmonicas and to find a distributor in your area, his website is www.leeoskar.com or contact them at Lee Oskar Enterprises, Inc., PO Box 50255, Bellevue, WA 98015, phone 206-747-6867, fax 206-747-7059.

What harmonica tunings do you use?

See question #1 above in this harmonica questions section. Click here for acutal and theoretical tuning.

What are some good harmonica sites?

1. Sam Hinton's website - www.samhinton.org

2. Rick Epping Online - http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/rick_epping.htm

3. To learn more about Lee Oskar Harmonicas and to find a distributor in your area, his website is www.leeoskar.com or contact them at Lee Oskar Enterprises, Inc., PO Box 50255, Bellevue, WA 98015, phone 206-747-6867, fax 206-747-7059.

4. The Hohner Harmonica company’s website is www.hohnerusa.com
Email: info@hohnerusa.com, Phone: 804-515-1900
Address: Hohner, Inc., P.O. Box 15035, Richmond, VA 23227-0435
The Hogner newsletter: "Easy Reeding" has current harmonica news and information. The subscription is free and current issues are available on the Hohner website. Write to Hohner or send a request to info@hohnerusa.com.

5. A good site for tuning and other information is the Diatonic Harmonica Reference site www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill - and for tuning information go down the index on the left side to “Maintenance”, then to “Tuning”.

6. Also see the Harp On site at www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica

Good Winslow Yerxa sites:

7. www.angelfire.com/music2/harmonicainfo/ - Winslow Yerxa music site

8. www.angelfire.com/planet/winslowyerxa/ - Winslow Yerxa information site

9. www.harmonicasessions.com/apr05/chromatic.html - Winslow Yerxa playing instruction site - part 1

10. www.harmonicasessions.com/feb06/chromatic.html - Winslow Yerxa playing instruction site - part 2

11. www.angelfire.com/music2/harmonicainfo/products/magazine/magmain.htm - Winslow Yerxa's harmonica magazine

12. www.planetharmonica.com/ph5/VE/PlayingChromaticallyUK.htm - good harmonica article

13. www.planetharmonica.com/VE/SpotlightBPUK.htm - article of harmonica player Brendon Power

14. www.brendan-power.com/ - harmonica player Brendon Power’s website

15. www.levyland.com/ - harmonica player Howard Levy’s website

16. www.patmissin.com/index1.html - Pat Missin’s website

Guitar Related Questions

Is that a "Slack Key" guitar that you play? Why does it have more than six strings? What styles of guitar do you play?

Slack Key is a guitar tradition, like Blues guitar, Flamenco guitar, Jazz guitar, Brazilian guitar, Classical guitar, Africian guitar, and Folk guitar - it is not not a type of guitar. Slack Key can be played on any guitar. I play a 7 string guitar because I wanted an extra low C bass string. Currently I am playing a new Gibson Guitar with a low 7th string added, which is off the fret board, tuned to low C (I somtimes play a 1965 Martin D-35 guitar as well). I mainly use the open G tuning, which is very popular in Hawaii, mainland America, Europe, and it is also played some in the Phillipines, and Africa. The tuning from the lowest pitch string, (including the 7th string), to the highest pitched string is [C]-D-G-D-G-B-D. This way I can play in the keys of G and C. I sometimes also play in the key of D, and sometimes I tune the 7th string down to A for songs in the key of D.

I sometimes play in four other tunings:

1. [C]-[F]-C-G-C-G-C-E, known as open C tuning. I am most influenced to play in this tuning by the late American guitarist George Cromery. I am also inspired by Canadian guitarist Bruce Cockburn, the late American guitarist John Fahey, the late American guitarist Robbie Basho, and mulit-insturmentalist Mike Seger. I am also very inspired by the slack guitarists Cyril Pahinui, the late Atta Isaacs who both play extensively in Atta’s C Major tuning which has one note different on the fourth string C-G-E-G-C-E.
2. [C]-F-G-C-G-B-D, a cross between the G Major Tuning in the top three pitched strings, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth strings are the same as the Samoan Mauna Loa Tuning that the late slack key guitarist Sonny Chillingworth used for the song Let Me Hear You Whisper, on his album SONNY SOLO.
   
3. [C]-F-G-C-G-A-E, known as Samoa Mauna Loa Tuning in Hawai’i. Mauna Loa Tunings are based on a Major chord, with the two top-pitched strings tuned a fifth interval apart. This way, the two highest pitched thinnest strings in a Mauna Loa Tuning can easily be played in sixth intervals (intervals that in most other tunings are played on the highest pitched first string and the third string; or on the second and fourth strings – since in most other tunings most of the highest four pitched strings are tuned a fourth, a Major third, or a minor third interval apart), producing the recognizably sweet sound that Mauna Loa Tunings bring out.
   
4. I also occasionally play a song in the Hawaiian Tuning called G Wahine Tuning: [C]-D-G-D-F# -B-D. Wahine Tunings are tunings that are a Major 7th chord, or tunings that contain a Major 7th note (the Major 7th of the I chord). The open Major 7th note has two functions: it can easily be "hammered on" to produce the tonic note of the I or tonic chord (the note that is the same note as the I chord). Technically, the tuning mentioned above [C]-F-G-C-G-B-D, is a “Wahine” Tuning, since it contains the Major 7th note of the key of C (the B note).
   
   I like to improvise on the guitar in basically two traditions: Hawaiian Slack Key, and Appalachian/ American folk music. I also play an occasional Irish tune, an occasional Standard (especially inspired by the late guitarist Ted Greene), and some compositions and arrangements by contemporary guitarists/composers such as the late songwriter/fiddler/banjo player John Hartford, banjo player Curt Bouterse, harmonica player Rick Epping, guitarist Ralph Towner, the late guitarist George Cromarty, the late Brazilian guitarist Bole Sete, country guitarist Jerry Reed, Canadian guitarist Bruce Cockburn and guitarist Walter Boruta.
   
   I play about 15 solo guitar concerts a year as benefits for service organizations.
   
   Common most used tunings in the world (roughly in order of the frequency of use):
   1. Standard Tuning - E-A-D-G-B-D
      
   2. Dropped D Tuning – D-A-D-G-B-E
      
   3. Open G Tuning (aka Taro Patch Tuning; aka Spanish Tuning) – D-G-D-G-B-D
      
   4. Open D Tuning – D-A-D-F#-A-D
      
   5. Dad Gad Tuning (aka D Modal Tuning) – D-A-D-G-A-D
      
   6. G Sixth Tuning – D-G-D-G-B-E
      
   7. Dropped C Tuning (aka Keola’s C Tuning) – C-G-D-G-B-E
      
   8. C Major Tuning – C-G-C-G-C-E

Who was Ted Greene?

Ted Greene was a wonderful guitarist and educator, he was best known for his book Chord Chemistry and for his wonderful recordings of solo guitar that I'm still learning from after hearing it in 1978. Ted's main influences where the last jazz guitarist George Van Eps, Wes Montgomery, Lenny Breau, and many film soundtrack composers such as the late Max Steiner, the late George Duning, and many, many more. Ted played with a deep feeling for every song he played and extending the beauty of those songs with what he called “extended diatonic” harmony, and more.

Who was John Fahey?

Statement by George Winston at the John Fahey Memorial on March 4, 2001.

"John Fahey has been, is and will continue to be a great influence on music as we know it - as a solo guitarist, a composer, and as an independent label owner & producer. He started his own label, Takoma Records, in 1958 to record his unique solo guitar compositions, which was unheard of at the time. His other great contributions include locating some of the great pre-war country blues guitarists from the South, such as Bukka White (Parchment Farm), Robert Pete Williams and Skip James (I'm So Glad). He was also instrumental in locating many old recordings of these great musicians for re-issue so we could all be inspired by them, especially those of great Mississippi bluesman Charley Patton, the main inspiration for Robert Johnson. And he brought forward the great solo guitar artistry of the late Brazilian guitarist Bole Sete. And he issued albums on his Takoma label of the great contemporary guitarists Leo Kottke, the late Bola Sete , the late Robbie Basho, Rick Ruskin and Peter Lang. And he was also a great writer. The list goes on. It is a very long story. I would need 5 books to tell it, but suffice to say things would be very different without him and he was my very dear friend, and the world is very different without him here.

I would not be doing anything that I am doing now--solo piano albums, solo instrumental concerts, and recording the great solo Hawaiian slack key guitarists on my own label - without his influence and inspiration. And he is the only person in the world who would have recorded me as a solo pianist in 1972, which paved the way for all that I do now. I thank you John, but just knowing you, or hearing you would have been great enough.

I share with all of you here a love of the whole person, of which his great unique music is just a part, as you all well know. We will never see the likes of one like him again. And I had the supreme privilege of knowing him for 30 years.

He taught us to be ourselves--even not to even care what he thought---but in the end what he thought always DID matter to us anyway, didn't it? We never know if he was going to attack or tolerate our nonsense. The lingering problem, besides not being able to hear him play or hang out with him to hear his slant on history, music, many other subjects (and on what was happening right there IN THE MOMENT), is: how do we explain him to the uninitiated???

One of the greatest things about knowing John, and there were many things, was that I appreciate the individually of everyone else more. Everyone has this great things in them, even if it is covered and repressed by societies, groups, etc. Nothing ever stopped him for a second. May we all become ourselves. He was and is a teacher, maybe even more so because he didn't claim to be one. I owe much to many, but without question, he changed my life more than anyone else. Aloha John, and to all of you. Thank you all for loving him too."

What is your favorite guitar piece?

1. If I had to name one song, it would be the South African song Isoka Labaleka, played as an instrumental acoustic guitar solo by the great “Blind Man and His Guitar”, as is listed on the 78 RPM record. He played the melody and the bass simultaneously, while answering the melody phrases with a drone phrase with two strings playing the same note. He is probably playing in the G Major tuning (D-G-D-G-B-D, from the lowest pitched string to the highest), tuned up a half step to the key of A Flat (even though this tuning is not common in Africa). He accomplishes all this by playing just the five highest pitched strings, never playing the lowest pitched six string. It is so powerful and moving and I can feel his humanity and his very soul and he creates a whole encyclopedia and a whole world in three minutes.
   
   This track was originally recorded on a South African 78 RPM record, year unknown. I know of no other recording by this artist. I wish more than anything that more could have been recorded on him. This track changed my perspective on everything.
   
   To hear this song click HERE.
   
   
2. Another candidate would be the great blues/jazz guitarist Lonnie Johnson's song from 1926, To Do This You Got To Know How. To hear it go here and scroll down alphabetically to the song.
   
   
3. Another candidate would be the 1949 version of Hey Now Baby by the late New Orleans R&B pianist Professor Longhair, from his album NEW ORLEANS PIANO (Atlantic 7225), and which features many of his signature techniques, including beautiful right hand triplets and rolls, left and right hand syncopations, and left hand puch beats. This track also changed my perspective on everything.
   
   
4. Another candidate is the 1976 version of Pixie, by the late New Orleans R&B pianist James Booker, from his album JUNKO PARTNER (Rykodisk 1359), featuring many of his beautiful signature techniques, and also reflects the Professor Longhair influence. To me this song totally captures the feeling of the heat rising off the pavement on a sweltering summer day.
   

Other Questions

What information can you give me on the music business and how to get my music recorded?

I know nothing about the business. A great source of information on the recording business is the book MUSICIAN'S BUSINESS & LEGAL GUIDE by Mark Halloran, published by Prentice Hall. Available for purchase online at : www.amazon.com.

You have mentioned your favorite music growing up was instrumental pop and R&B hits from the 50's and 60's, can you name some of those?

I grew up during the heyday of pop instrumental music in the late 1950s and the early 1960s (there were 30 instrumental hits in the Top 40 in 1961), and I would listen to the radio faithfully for the 30 seconds before the hourly news when they would play instrumentals – artists such asFloyd Cramer (Last Date and On the Rebound and Let's Go and Hot Pepper and Flip Flop & Bob and The First Hurt and Fancy Pants and Shrum and All Keyed Up and San Antonio Rose and [These Are] The Young Years and What'd I Say and Java and How High the Moon), The Ventures (Walk Don't Run and Walk Don't Run ‘64 and Perfidia and Ram-Bunk-Shush and Diamond Head and The Cruel Sea and Hawaii Five-O and Oh Pretty Woman and Go and Pedal Pusher and Tall Cool One), Booker T. & the MG's (Green Onions and Hip Hug-Her and Groovin' and Time is Tight and Hang 'Em High and Melting Pot and Soul Limbo and Slim Jenkins' Place and Red Beans & Rice and Summertime and Mo’ Onions and Pigmy), B. Bumble & The Stingers (Nut Rocker [with Ali Hassan {aka Al Hazan} on piano and Rene Hall on guitar] and Bumble Boogie [with Ernie Freeman on piano] and Apple Knocker), Jack B. Nimble & the Quicks [with H. B. Barnum on piano] (Nut Rocker), Ali Hassan [aka Al Hazan] (Malaguena and Chop Sticks), Jack Fina (Bumble Boogie), Rene Hall (Twitchy), Ray Charles (Sweet Sixteen Bars and One Mint Julep and Roadhouse and Chitlins With Candied Yams and Mess Around), King Curtis (Soul Twist and Soul Serenade and A Change Is Gonna Come), Jr. Walker & the All Stars (Shotgun and [I’m a] Road Runner and Do the Boomerang and Cleo’s Mood and Cleo’s Back and Shake & Fingerpop and Shoot Your Shot and Sweet Soul), Lonnie Mack (Memphis and Wham!), Link Wray (Rumble and Rawhide and Jack the Ripper), Roy Buchanan (Mule Train Stomp and Pretty Please), The Chantays (Pipeline and Move It), Kokomo [aka Jimmy Wisner](Asia Minor and Roy’s Tune), Jimmy Wisner (Windjammer), Jorgen Ingmann (Apache), Santo & Johnny (Sleep Walk and Tear Drop), Jack Nitzsche (The Lonely Surfer and Beyond the Surf ), The Sandals (Theme from Endless Summer), Frank Zappa (Peaches En Regalia and Little Umbrellas and Son of Mr. Green Genes and The Gumbo Variations and It Must Be a Camel and Willie the Pimp and The Little House I Used to Live In), The Viscounts (Harlem Nocturne), Alvin Cash & the Crawlers (Twine Time), Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen (Midnight In Moscow and The Green Leaves of Summer), The Village Stompers (Washington Square and From Russia With Love), Bill Black’s Combo (Smokie-Part 2 and White Silver Sands and Hearts of Stone), Johnny & the Hurricanes (Red River Rock and Reveille Rock and Beatnik Fly and Crossfire), Dave Appell & the Applejacks (Mexican Hat Rock), The Tornados (Telstar and Bustin’ Surfboards), The Hawk [Jerry Lee Lewis] (In the Mood), The Champs (Tequila and Limbo Rock and El Rancho Rock [El Rancho Grande] and Too Much Tequila and Midnighter), Dick Dale (Misirlou and Let’s Go Tri