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Tuition

Some people are lucky enough to be able to "pick up" a musical instrument without apparent effort, and don't you just hate them!?! The complexities of technique and music theory are casually brushed aside and they are playing The Flight of the Bumble Bee while you are still doing battle with When The Saints...

The majority of us, of course, are mere mortals, and we need some help. If you have already browsed through our books and videos page, then you will by now have a fair idea of what is available in the way of tuition material for players of all playing standards from the absolute beginner onwards.

Occasionally, of course, you might find yourself banging your head against the proverbial brick wall. Why can't I get that whole-tone bend on draw three? Why are blow bends so difficult? Why can't I really nail that Sonny Terry lick?

These are the sort of problems that keep you awake at night. Well, perhaps not, but you might have reached the stage where some help from a teacher could just save your sanity...

Sadly, tutors for either diatonic or chromatic harmonicas are not too thick on the ground. Your local library or musicians union may be able to help you.

The National Harmonica League run Blues Weekends, which as we understand, are primarily aimed at beginning and intermediate players. These are residential weekend courses involving people such as Steve Jennings and David Michelson.


Dead Cat Bounce frontman Dave Shannon, an HTAB-accredited teacher (diatonic and chromatic), is now taking private harmonica students looking to improve their playing - especially of blues. Dave taught three-times National Harmonica League Junior Blues champion Theo Games and has himself won the NHL jazz contest. He teaches at his home in Finchley, north London on Sunday afternoons. Tel 07918 147548

If you live in the Cheltenham area, drop this chap a line! Adam Pritchard is Gloucestershire's only NHL accredited harmonica teacher. His Internet correspondence course should improve your playing even if you are stuck on a North Sea oil rig!

If you live in East London (or even further afield -- we understand you have this system in London called the "tube" -- sounds far-fetched but we're assured it's true) contact Dave Toussaint. He lives in the Stratford (E15) area and is teaching and doing sessions (including working on the soundtrack of a recent John Malkovitch film). Get in touch with him via the e-mail link at the top of the paragraph!

The Crossroads Club the coolest place around.
Play...the evenings usually kick off with a blues open mic session - all abilities and styles welcome. The Tower of Song is an acoustic  venue but there is a good house PA and electric guitars are welcome as long as you don't view making people's ears bleed as a musical achievement.
Listen...each week, we feature a guest artiste, duo or band for the second half of the evening. We focus on the huge pool of local talent on The Midlands scene but will occasionally be looking further afield - and we encompass as many styles of Blues as possible.
Enjoy...there is plenty of good beer and time to talk about important things such as what really happened at The Crossroads, how to play Harp in the 3rd position and how (or why) Chickenbone John makes guitars out of cigar boxes!

If you are a teacher of harmonica, contact us today! Give us your details, and we will put your name up in lights...

Area Tutor List

Jon Burr - Diatonic/blues, etc tuition, LEEDS, West Yorkshire 0113 2491334.
jon@jonburr.wanadoo.co.uk

Eddie Armer - Diatonic and basic chromatic tuition.all styles, KENT, 01892 826040.
eddie@armer6807.freeserve.co.uk

Dave Toussaint - Diatonic/Chromatic tuition, LONDON, 07904 980835.
davetoussaint@hotmail.com

Gerry Ezard - Chromatic, Chord and Bass tuition, SOUTH WALES. 01656 784904.
gerald.ezard@onetel.net

Alan Glen - Blues/Rock harp, SOUTH EAST LONDON. 020 7732 1127. glenalan9@aol.com

Jim Hughes - Chomatic tuition, WEST MIDLANDS. 0121 744 6155 badger6@tiscali.co.uk

Aiden Sheehan - Diatonic, folk and blues, CWMBRAN, SOUTH WALES 07812 143226

Dave Beckford - Chromatic and orchestral, KENT, 01634 352585

James Langridge - BLUES HARP, DONCASTER, South Yorkshire, 01302 329434

John McKevitt - BLUES, Jazz, Folk and Country Harp, South Yorkshire, 01302 738287

Julian Jackson - Jazz/classical styles, LONDON, 07930 801344 Joolsj@yahoo.com

Joff Watkins - Diatonic and Chromatic, all styles any level, LONDON, 07890 834002 joffharp@yahoo.com

Ian Briggs - Blues harp tuition, Nr. EXETER, Devon 01395 443158 ianb@btowers.freeserve.co.uk

Roy Green - Blues style etc, LONDON NW10, 01580 720148

Dave Shannon - Blues harp, LONDON, 07918 147548 dave@deadcatbounce.info

Eddie Martin - Blues harp tuition, BRISTOL, 0117 907 9358 eddie@eddiemartin.com

Richard Taylor - Blues harp tuition, BRIGHTON, 01273 703634 hove.actually@virgin.net

Adam Norton - Blues harp, ampified and acoustic, COLCHESTER, Essex 01206 367827

Al Price - Chromatic etc, SW SCOTLAND, 01671 404378

Keith Charnley - Diatonic and Chromatic, WEST SUSSEX, 01903 500445

Paul Gillings - Diatonic and blues, NORFOLK/SUFFOLK 01502 569933 paulgillings@oneworld.fsnet.co.uk

Sites of Interest

Blues Matters. The definitive, most read, monthly magazine for the U.K. Blues scene. The magazine in the new compact A5 format is packed full of news, group and CD reviews, gig dates, and much, much more.
Available from all good news agents or subscription, see www.bluesmatters.com

The National Harmonica League. If you play the harmonica, and you feel a little isolated, I often hear "I don't know any harmonica players or tutors in my area", there is a whole harmonica world out there. Harmonica World the bi-monthly magazine, from the National Harmonica League, featuring artist profiles, music and instrument reviews, workshops and tutor lists. Join the Harmonica League now! www.harmonica.co.uk

Music for FREE! Ever wanted to play a tune or song and it isn't available in books or anywhere. Your prayers are about to be answered. This site has over a thousand tunes, in every style, in harmonicas tab and absolutely free. http://www.harptabs.com Feel free to look around and post the harp tabs you have or request ones you are looking for, and we will email and let you know when the tabs are posted. New Members join every day and a new tab is posted often, so check back often. We have 1448 members and 1593 songs.

See the web site of Jack Price, songwriter, producer and musician. www.jackprice.ukgo.com Jack's site contains a mine of information, spannig three decades of his career, and includes a discography of the records Jack produced, some of the songs Jack wrote and the records he released on his labels, Sioux Records and Crystal Records

Repairs

If your chromatic harmonica is tired or needs an overhaul, we know a great repairer, John Monaghan. He's not on line yet, but he can be contacted on 0151 424 9594 As well as being an expert technician, he's also a fine player too, and we've been sending our harmonicas to him for years.

Music

We don't sell music, but we know of a fine company that does, Morning After Music. They have a fantastic range of Blues titles in CD, tape, vinyl, DVD and mini disc format, and if he doesn't have the title you want, he can probably track it down. Give Mal a call on 01654 703767

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