Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

• James Cotton retrospective

  Kyle Rowland and Kenny Neal join me on episode 143 for a retrospective on James ‘Mr Superharp’ Cotton.Born in 1935 on the Bonnie Blue plantation in Mississippi, James Cotton received his first harmonica from his mother and learnt by ear, captivated by Sonny Boy Williamson II’s King Biscuit Time broadcasts. From nine to sixteen he lived with Sonny Boy, then played with Howlin’ Wolf before holding the harmonica chair in the Muddy Waters’ band for twelve years. Striking out solo in the late 1960s, he spent the next forty five years releasing acclaimed records and delivering explosive live shows, powered by a tireless work ethic and boundless energy. He earned two Grammy Awards—one with Muddy Waters and one for a solo album—and garnered further nominations.A lifelong devotee of the blues, he gave back generously in his later years and became like family to those closest to him.Links:James Cotton website: http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.comDiscography: http://jamescottonsuperharp.com/discography/Kenny Neal’s website: https://kennynealmusic.com/Kyle Rowland’s website: https://www.kylerowlandblues.com/James Cotton and Seydel harmonicas: https://www.seydel1847.de/jamescottonVideos:Bonnie Blue documentary trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lidw_qH1D4QSeydel James Cotton tribute with lots of photos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQJrI0oioKE&list=RDKQJrI0oioKEComplete This Order song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e09HOfVB21g&list=RDe09HOfVB21gKyle Rowland with The James Cotton Tribute Band in 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZfajGFBE74&list=RDLZfajGFBE74A ten year old Josh King singing Hoochie Coochie Man with Cotton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blBAqb_jyn0&list=RDblBAqb_jyn0The James Cotton Band Live at North Sea Jazz in 1983: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CVvNe0OpZY&list=RD2CVvNe0OpZYPodcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

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• Victor Puertas interview

  Victor Puertas joins me on episode 142. Victor Puertas grew up just outside Barcelona, discovering the blues in his early teens, splitting his passion between harmonica and keyboards. At 18 he traveled to the US and had the chance to meet his idol, Gary Primich.Back home, Victor formed The Suitcase Brothers  with his brother Santos, who had given him his very first harmonica at age 13. For over 27 years the duo have been exploring acoustic country blues, with their latest album, a tribute to Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, earning recognition from the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society.Victor continues to perform in the duo as well as with other bands, where he showcases his deep love of the blues.Links:The Suitcase Brothers: https://suitcasebrothers.com/The Suitcase Brothers albums on Bandcamp: https://suitcasebrothers.bandcamp.com/Victor Puertas & The Mellow Tones on Bandcamp: https://victorpuertasmellowtones.bandcamp.com/musicVideos:The Suitcase Brothers performing live at the FEN Festival, Berlin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6115tQ6WU&t=3sVictor Puertas & The Mellow Tones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oooYZqq_J7gHarpin’ By The Sea workshop on Gary Primich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC63Zz-tDAEPlaying with Steve ‘West’ Weston: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rCkKFRJOIM&list=RD3rCkKFRJOIMKonstantin Reinfeld  at the Seoul International Harmonica Festival 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi73OEN_ZxIPodcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

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• Yoonseok Lee interview

  Yoonseok Lee joins me on episode 141. Yoonseok is from South Korea where he first took up the tremolo harmonica. He discovered the chromatic when he heard Sigmund Groven playing at the Asia Pacific Festival in 2004, and started taking lessons with Sigmund. This culminated in Yoonseok studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo with Sigmund as his professor.Returning to South Korea in 2020, he enjoys a successful career as a freelance chromatic player, and returns to Norway to teach at a yearly harmonica summer camp. Yoonseok has released two albums so far, with many of the pieces arranged by himself, and also songs he has composed for the chromatic harmonica.Links:Yoonseok's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yoonseok.lee2/Linktree: http://linktr.ee/yoonseoklInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoonseok_hca/Buy Harmonica Recital album: https://baro7.com/products/yoonseok-lee-2nd-album-harmonica-recitalVideos:Yoonseok's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/YoonseokLee_HARMONICAA young Yoonseok playing tremolo harmonica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1CYScJ3VO4Playing James Moody’s Toledo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78ezOpAGh98&list=RD78ezOpAGh98The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py62lXF0XiwMoonlight music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiF2o0WSIuQPlaying with a harpist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM4v1qc4s1wPodcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

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• Liam Ward interview

  Liam Ward joins me on episode 140. Liam is from the north west of England and first took up the harmonica in his late teens. His youthful zeal turned into his career when he chose to become a full-time harmonica player over becoming a school teacher. Liam plays in numerous bands, including his own band, two duos and in an Oasis tribute band. In addition to the harmonica he also plays various jug band instruments including the musical saw, washboard, spoons and the Irish bones. Liam runs one of the most popular online tuition sites: LearnTheHarmonica.com, which he started in 2014. He is also a regular workshop leader at harmonica camps, teaching at the EuroBlues week and the Hohner festival in Trossingen in 2025. And he has recently been selected as the face of the Hohner Blues Harp.Links:Liam’s website: https://www.liamwardmusic.com/Online harmonica school: https://www.learntheharmonica.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/liamwardmusicThe World Harmonica Festival (Hohner): https://worldharmonicafestival.de/Videos:Learn The Harmonica YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LearntheharmonicaLiam’s critique of his first recording with Lonesome George: https://youtu.be/JNZvs2Mm-mk?si=Jlo-OCWmR4G4rkGPLyndon Anderson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGwAnYpxWT0Oasis Supernova Tribute Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JDqWIuwKbQLiam playing the Fat Tone amp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ilXKHh2r6I Podcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

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  59:24
• Big Walter Horton retrospective with Tom Ball, Mudcat and Madcat

  Tom Ball, Peter ‘Madcat’ Ruth and Michael ‘Mudcat’ Ward join me on episode 139 for a retrospective on Walter Horton. Walter was likely born on April 6th, 1918, in Horn Lake, Mississippi.He probably made his first recordings in 1939 with Little Buddy Doyle but it wasn’t until the early 1950s that he started recording regularly. After making some early cuts under the name Mumbles, he made numerous recordings as a sideman in the 1950s, including the blues harmonica classics Easy and Walking By Myself. Walter enjoyed a resurgence on the back of the blues boom in the 1960s, touring the US and Europe and playing with various bands including the Willie Dixon Allstars, Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Winter.In the 1970s he made some more albums under his own name, including with the Johnny Nicholas band, and also appeared on the Grammy winning Muddy Waters album, I’m Ready.Big Walter played up until his death on December 8th, 1981, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame the following year. And without doubt left his legacy as one of the greatest blues harmonica players of all time.Links:Discography by Stefan Wirz: https://www.wirz.de/music/horton.htmInformation on Big Walter: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/horton-walterBob Corritore photo gallery: https://bobcorritore.com/photos/big-walter-horton-photos/Videos:Hard Hearted Woman, States Records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89P8ZMfTHfkSolo recording from Germany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6RkAlhX7fgWalter ‘appearing’ in The Blues Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUUyFrHERpUWalter Horton discusses using his hands in Ronnie Earl’s apartment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0Eu5LqexcPlaying That Aint It & Down Yonder with Ronnie Earl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FghNW94YUaM&t=90sPodcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

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  1:29:19

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