Dave Harris
8 posts
Oct 12, 2014
8:51 PM
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New here so maybe I've missed previous discussions that might have covered this...
I'm curious of other two harp bands - bands with two harp players (or more?).
My first actual exposure was on record - George Smith with a young Rod Piazza in Bacon Fat. I'm sure many here are familiar with them...
In Canada, one of the longest standing (since 1969) bands is Downchild Blues Band. Originally Donnie Walsh (mr Downchild) was the only harp player but quite some time back he was joined by front-man/singer/second harp player Chuck Jackson. They do some tandem playing.
Gary Preston and I both played harp in Slim & The Deuces here in Victoria BC for several years. We'd trade off, harmonize and one play while the other sang kind of thing. It was a lot of fun and well received.
Who else does this?
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easyreeder
464 posts
Oct 12, 2014
10:20 PM
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I think Hazmat Modine had dual harp players at some point. I don't know if that's still the case.
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STME58
1136 posts
Oct 12, 2014
11:47 PM
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This is a bit of the topic of the thread but I came across this video of two harmonica greats sharing the stage when I was looking into examples of Orange Blossom Special. Both of these artists have done amazing performances of that piece. This piece is just two masters on stage having fun on a song that is none too serious;
Last Edited by STME58 on Oct 12, 2014 11:47 PM
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Gnarly
1136 posts
Oct 13, 2014
10:41 PM
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First off, Dave, great stuff on your videos--I do the one man band thing, and your show is remarkably entertaining!
I had the good fortune to hang out a bit with John Sebastian at SPAH 2013, he was a featured performer, and so was Annie Raines. They did a harp duet, "Orange Dude Blues", which is part of their act when they appear as the "J Band".
Here is a video of that tune.
Here is another video of that ensemble, with two harps.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Oct 13, 2014 10:46 PM
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Gnarly
1137 posts
Oct 13, 2014
10:49 PM
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@ Easyreeder Randy Weinstein and Bill Barrett have both been "second harp" to Wade Schuman.
Doesn't look like they currently use another harp tho . . .
http://www.hazmatmodine.com/home.html
Last Edited by Gnarly on Oct 13, 2014 10:51 PM
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The Gloth
700 posts
Oct 14, 2014
2:59 AM
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I think the Asylum Street Spankers have two harp players, one of them being Guy Forsythe.
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Martin
706 posts
Oct 14, 2014
6:39 AM
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This is a really interesting question that´s been up before -- and I don´t believe Dave is interested in everybody who´s even done a harmonica duet on stage, but a band with two harps.
As far as I´ve listened to Bacon Fat they had two harps all right, but they didn´t play anything simultaneously. A bit of a let-down.
So there is/was Hazmat M, the Australian band Big Pig and Downchild.
But that ain´t a whole lot.
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Gnarly
1138 posts
Oct 14, 2014
10:06 AM
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http://www.allmusic.com/album/chasin-gus-ghost-mw0000246457/credits
Granted this is an old album, John and Annie still perform together, as far as I know.
I mean, they were together at SPAH.
So that's a fourth one.
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Dave Harris
12 posts
Oct 14, 2014
1:55 PM
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And Slim & The Deuces, as mentioned. I'll try to dig up some recordings... I don't think we were ever filmed doing it but I'll look. So that's five. We aren't big names but serious players. Gary Preston teaches harp here in Victoria for many years and leads his own band. He's from the Winnipeg scene originally. John Hunter, the drummer, backed many greats touring in Canada, including John Lee Hooker (several times), Albert Collins, Colin James, James Cotton (several times), Pinetop Perkins and Sunnyland Slim.
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Dave Harris
13 posts
Oct 14, 2014
2:06 PM
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Just to add - we were a bit different too. I played harp in the rack through a Strnad clip-on mic into an old Oahu amp (miced into the PA) while covering the guitar part. Gary would sometimes do the standard hand-held mic into amp thing or play keys with one hand while blowing harp into the PA vocal mic. So, a four piece band that sometimes sounded like six. I'm surprised if Gary ins't a member here actually. Guess I better tell him...
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Michael Rubin
984 posts
Oct 14, 2014
2:24 PM
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The Asylum Street Spankers started with 3 harp players and I'd sit in as well. JJ Jameson, highly underrated harp/trumpet player, Guy Forsyth and Wammo. Wammo couldn't really play at the start of the band but greatly improved. Ultimately Wammo was the only harp player in the band.
Most Austin harp players are very generous with sitting in and I have had many 2 harps jams with Guy, Greg Izor, Paul Oscher (thoough not yet in Austin), Jose Ruiz.
Also in Austin was the band Moving Blues with two harp players on the CD, me and Mark Suitcase (I don't know his last name.) one of the cuts is especially good.
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Frank101
23 posts
Oct 14, 2014
5:00 PM
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Murphy Brothers Harp Band.
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sonny3
218 posts
Oct 14, 2014
5:30 PM
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Arkansas barefoot boys had two harps at the same time.Also crook brotherd string band.
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Dave Harris
15 posts
Oct 14, 2014
10:05 PM
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Yes, Delmore Brothers too, with Wayne Raney and Lonnie Glossom. Not exactly blues but bluesy and probably only on the records.
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