I am sure that many of you have come across some outstanding examples of harmonica performances and which are available on the internet (youtube.com etc.). These would be pieces which would inspire people to learn the harmonica or make even talented harmonica players say "I wish I could play like that". I certainly have and I would be very interested to see what other people have found, maybe just your top 4 or 5, really the ones you consider exemplary.
Here are the ones I have chosen ...


Igor Flach / Let it Be:
[www.youtube.com]


Buddy Green / Classical Medley:
[www.youtube.com]


Charlie McCoy playing a Hank Williams song:
[www.youtube.com]


Christellester (the first 44 Seconds before the advert)
[www.youtube.com]

I'm glad you asked! This will give me an excuse to showcase my havorite player yet again. His name is Hakan Ehn. He's not a pro; he's just some guy on YouTube. I like his style, and a lot of his stuff blows me away. After listening to some of his songs, I'm really inspired. I think, "That sounds great! And with some practice, I bet I could do that."

I also greatly admire Christelle. No doubt she has GREAT talent. She plays overblows perfectly, she has absolutely beautiful tone, vibrato....Ah heck, everyaspect of her playing awes me. And she is very creative. The trouble is that she doesn't inspire me. I recognize her as a great talent, but her music usually isn't my cup of tea. I couldn't listen to her for too long. It's just not exciting.

Here's what I dig:
(These are all by Hakan Ehn.)
Die, Die My Darling
Boogie Chillen
Slow Harmonica Blues in Black and Blue
Hard and Heavy Metal Harmonica
Moose Blues
Should I Stay or Shlould I Go



Post Edited (2010-12-25 18:48:05)

Hi there,
My World-Class Top Harmonica-Player is just with Head and Shoulders above everyone else when it comes to playing technique, BUT..... that's quite understandable, he is a Professional Classical Music Player, composer and Conductor, so Not just Anyone... I have NEVER heard Anyone play like he does; Unbelievably smooth note-changes even at incredible speed, the guy is Just SUPERB. Maybe the music isn't to everybody's liking but worth taking a look, watch his technique:

Youtube Username: ReneGiessen, and his VERY BEST video I think:

[www.youtube.com]

My favorite still is Yuri Lane well he bring us to harmonica playing it all started 3 orm ore years ago when we saw a video of Amazing French beatboxer - Joseph Pulpo, after it we to did beatbox and than we saw a video Yuri Lane Harmonica + Beatbox, so i decided to buy harmonica first ones was total disasters - China made kid harmonicas ,but than i bought my first normal harmonica well it also was wrong way cause in store was young guy - not one of store owners - cause he is here harmonica playing teacher so he suggest right harmonicas - so i got my first Lee Oskar Fm natural minor 30 bucks lol - but well after that i learned all i could to get right this time - but it wasnt so bad cause i was searching in youtube Lee Oskar natural Fm and found hakan ehn playing Russian songs on this harmonica so it jsut made my wish play harmonica stronger , but i gave away this one to neigbor i didnt use it much and i was cleaning it all time - so he didt his beatbox and harmonica because of key everyoen was wow - cause it sounded relay different

Yuri Lane
[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]


Hakan


Boney B. www.bonnyb.ch

[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]

And sure even im young and dont live in USA i know
Sony Boy , Little Walter and other players with amazing performances

Bumble bee on chromatic
[www.youtube.com]


Phillipe Achille
[www.youtube.com]

and others ...



Post Edited (2010-12-30 10:06:53)

Roll

Terry McMillan

Igor Flach

Chris Michalek

Rene Giessen

Juan Quijano
Nice playing techniques and he is playing on of my favorite harp now - Hammond.

Yuri Lane

Lee Oskar


David McKemy
Buddy Greene
Charlie McCoy
Lance Appleton
Darrell Mansfield
Howard Levy
Carlos Del Junco

and so on


Wow awesome all knew this song in Army Now but this is really grate so sad and brilliant . I like begging with army alarm sounds with harmonica and so on.

Rolli
And even his videos are made very interesting artistic, i love this grandpa so if you get bored from Hakan or Christellester you can watch him .



Name:Roli
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Website:[www.harproli.ch]
Wonderworld of Harmonica
About Me:

„It begans 1962 with a chromatic harmonica. Then it follows several years in a harmonica quintett. International success and TV gigs were the highlights.
Then came the time in a Blues Band and later different
kinde of musicstyles.
Between a long time without music.
January 2009 I have catched again the harmonica,
but this time especially the blues harp and serioucly."
Influences:Klassische Musik und Balladen
Countrywitzerland
Occupation:Entertainer
Companies:Bluesharp u. Comedy
Schools:immer so durchgerutscht
Interests:Fliegenfischen/Angeln
Movies:Aktionsfilme (ohne Blut)
Music:alles "hörbare"
Books:ja, aus denen man was lernen kann



Post Edited (2011-01-02 15:46:43)

I like his rendition of Hallelujah, but he's not as pretty as Amana jenssen.



Post Edited (2011-01-02 19:18:29)

[www.youtube.com]
MAD CAT cool, his paper clip harmonica mic holder is awesome and pricless



Post Edited (2011-01-07 15:35:53)

ALL YOU KNUCKLEHEADS NEED UR HEADS CLANGED TOGETHER!!!

how in THE HELL can you go past, fail to mention, go beyond

TERRY MCMILLAN!!!!!! AND STEVIE WONDER!!!

what the hell is wrong with you people!!!!

Look at my post tin i have ! TERRY MCMILLAN in my list and also Stevie but i only write one in my local latvian portal about only one Latvian professional harmonica player who was inspired by stevie wonder

That Buddy Greene Classical Medley is a good 'un!

Much easier to learn than you might think too!!! Go on, give it a go - surprise yourself!

Terry McMillan - he really did create great music with the harp. I love listening to how expressive he is.

i found this French guy some of his songs on various types of harmonicas are outstanding [www.youtube.com]

Yeah..... hm i found more out - eh out there are so much harp players ....

Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton & Dr Ross
[www.youtube.com]


Balkans booguie (Charles Pasi) SANDRA VAZQUEZ + BUEYTRIO
[www.youtube.com]



Post Edited (2011-02-01 19:56:19)

I found these. The guy is clearly very talented and demonstrates a lot of energy performing the Beatles song. Not everyone will understand his choice of pictures ...


John Denver: Take me home country road ..

[www.youtube.com]


Beatles: Ob La Di Ob La Da ..

[www.youtube.com]


Simon & Garfunkel: Sound of Silence ..

[www.youtube.com]

Here are what I think another two Brilliant performances if anyone's interested, something just Completely Different from what I have Ever heard before.
This one made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up and ran a shiver though my spine, BLEW ME AWAY Completely:

[www.youtube.com]
How is that everyone??? If You have a Chromatic, Try to play along, it's not as "Impossible" as it sounds, You might just surprise Yourself here.... Good Luck!!!

and the other one, a French guy who plays Chromatic. He's got a bit of a "Mathematical" way of playing but his technique is Incredible, this is my favourite video of him:

[www.youtube.com]

I hope You all enjoy these!!
Hilvert

I like Phillip Achille better (He to plays chrom with orchestra) and French guy - in my earlier posts i did mention him to i fond some really great performences from him !

The good harmonica players is still out there ! Just need to discover them !

[www.youtube.com]

This is Larry Adler playing St. Louis Blues and Stardust. He is definitely worth exploring as he was an outstanding harp player. And I had the privilege of seeing him many years ago.

For those of you who like country music, here is a nice version of the Hank Williams song "I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry. It's performed by Ray Steelman ...
[www.youtube.com]

No Whammer Jammer? No Juke?

Richard Hunter...

The late Norton Buffalo, Charlie Mccoy, Tommy Morgan, Toots Thielemens. They're the best in my opinion. Go to Youtube and pick ANY of their songs and you'll be impressed.



Post Edited (2011-04-27 12:38:19)

And and excellent performance (i.m.h.o.) of the Beatles song "Hey Jude" on a chromatic harp by "crismayka". I'm not sure that the performance benefits from all the video special effects, though.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt95T3Nzfag[/video]