Category Archives: Apprenticeship Series

Happy Birthday Junior Wells

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Elwood

The Hoodoo Man would be 75 today. Harmonica great Junior Wells was born December 9th 1934. It’s remarkable to think that someone who played with Muddy Waters in the early days would have been so young today (he was 19 … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Apprenticeship Series | 4 Comments

Journeyman’s Road by Adam Gussow, pt 2

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Elwood

Ignoring the politics of blues music is like ignoring the crocodile swimming in your Coco Pops. Elwood the Apprentice looks at Gussow’s essays on how to position yourself within the blues tradition. “He was wearing a pink tuxedo and patent … Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series, Reference | 13 Comments

Old-School Harmonica or New-School?

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Elwood

After chatting to Joe Filisko, Elwood the Apprentice wonders if blues harmonica really needs a war of the clones Those of you who’ve been paying attention will see that I recently posted a (rather overdue) Q&A with Chicago harmonica master … Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series | 6 Comments

5 Questions for Joe Filisko

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Elwood

Elwood the Apprentice chats to the master of old-school blues harmonica. Considering Joe Filisko devoted decades of his life to studying and mastering the styles of bluesmen long deceased, there’s nobody in the world who knows more about what it takes to be Little Walter, Big Walter, or any kind of Sonny. Continue reading →

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Great Blues Podcasts

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Elwood

Elwood the Apprentice samples some juicy blues folklore The problem with the information age is that there’s just too damned much of the stuff. With all this delicious info floating about in cyber space, who has time for real life? … Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series, Podcasts | 7 Comments

Journeyman’s Road by Adam Gussow (Part 1)

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Elwood

Elwood the Apprentice seeks wisdom in the holy scriptures (of blues harmonica) [UPDATE: Part 2 of the review is now live.] Well, as I was saying – it’s the end of a Gussow era but not the end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series, Reference | 2 Comments

Gussow Calls It Quits?

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Elwood

So long and thanks for all the chops. Elwood the Apprentice pays tribute to the end of an era. All good things come to an end. That’s what Adam Gussow said when he finally, officially called it quits on his … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Apprenticeship Series | 2 Comments

Four Things (Nearly) Every Harp Player Does

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Elwood

It is an established fact that over 98 percent of harmonica players are white, English-speaking men between the ages of 30 and 65. (The other two percent are women and Ishmael Lo.) When they are not sleeping, eating or trying on ugly hats, these men typically divide their time between the following four activities… Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series | 4 Comments

How to Become a Blues Harp Player

Posted on September 25, 2009 by Elwood

So what kind of animal is the blues harp player? In the first chapter of the Apprenticeship Series, guest blogger Elwood takes us through part 1 of his blues ethnography, Figuring Out The Harp Player. For some, the journey to … Continue reading →

Posted in Apprenticeship Series | 3 Comments

The Apprenticeship Series Begins

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Elwood

If you’re visiting the Harp Surgery, chances are better than good that you’ve made that crucial transition from being a harmonica owner to a harmonica player. You might have come to realise – however late in the game – that … Continue reading →

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