I'm in the process of creating a new page for this website devoted specifically to blues harmonica busking videos. Crowdsourcing is a huge help. Please post YouTube videos here that deserve to be on that page. I've already got a couple--Charlie Sayles at Dupont Circle, Dave Harris doing his rack-mount thing in Victoria, BC. Obviously I'll pick out a Blues Doctors and Satan & Adam video or two. But I want more!
Please scour YouTube and suggest away. I will be doing the same.
Also feel free to suggest any links that you think should go on that page: anything that would be of potential interest to a blues harmonica player who is interested in breaking into street playing, or who already does that. Possible subject areas include:
--amps (please feel free to curate your own top-5 street amps; I'd love to end up with an MBH-approved top-five list)
--busking locations, including historical locations (Maxwell Street, Beale Street, etc.)
--festivals
--I can't think of any more subject categories, but I'm sure I will.
Note: busking may be defined for the purposes of this thread as "playing in public, usually outdoors but occasionally in indoor malls and the like, NOT on a stage, with the intention of accumulating tips from passersby and whatever audience the performer can accumulate." So videos where somebody is just practicing in the subway because they like the sound there don't count. (I may make an allowance, though, for one particular Watermelon Slim video.)
I'm not particularly interested in jazz harmonica (i.e., Phillip Achille) for this particular page, although it's a worthy endeavor.
Little Walter, Big Walter, Junior Wells, Sugar Blue, Sonny Terry, both Sonny Boys (as far as I know, Will Shade, Peg Leg Sam: they all busked.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 28, 2015 5:40 AM
As always I'm all for BLUES harmonica anything... rather than pop,rock,obscure tunings etc. but...on one of my last trips up to bonnie Scotland I remembered seeing this guy and he mostly played blues I think but did not have the time to stop and talk plus I was with herself who does not want to talk blues or blues harmonica!!!
Not saying any of the vids below are the best examples on YT but they are blues harp and busking!
Not too sure if this guy is from Edinburgh or Glasgow but I'm sure someone on here might have more info on him his name is Kenny Cairns...
Ok, quick google and found this; http://www.bandmix.co.uk/harp-man/
Little Will Harmonica Blues "Street Blues"
Grandpa Elliott and Stoney B
And of course Errol Linton
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"Those British boys want to play the blues real bad, and they do"
Last Edited by marine1896 on Nov 28, 2015 12:32 PM
I plan on doing some busking in La Jolla with my soon to be best friend Ted Burke as soon as he recovers sufficiently from his recent knee surgery--we will keep you in mind and collect some video evidence (pix or it never happened!)
This has been posted before here, but a good example of Deak at the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival in 2012. He worked the main drag, not playing the stage.
Belfast ..yep that is Juzzie.We sat and watched him one time for an hour..he is so good. He got 80$ in his hat just from the four of us and plenty of others were putting into it as well. Great musician and character too
I hate to confess this, but I was only very vaguely aware of Errol Linton's name and not at all aware of how he played. I really like the first and third videos of him above. His approach reminds me of Charlie Sayles and Nat Riddles. Very strong groove and willing to keep it simple and let the blue notes and patterns speak for themselves. He is now on this website's Honorable Mention list. Thanks for the add!
Here we go. Made specially for this thread. Solo harmonica, with a loop pedal, and a surprise at the end, somewhere in Sydney. Note carefully how much money I make
---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
