Shima Kobayashi joins me on episode 124.
Shima is a classical chromatic player originally from Japan, who has been living in the UK since 2004.
After winning the World Harmonica Championship in 1995 she was awarded a bursary by the Japanese government to study with the great Tommy Reilly over a twelve month period.
Shima has two albums to her name. The first has a number of pieces composed for chromatic harmonica. Her second album, Chromatic!, contains some pieces written for Shima by Japanese composers.
After taking a sabbatical for a few years Shima is now back teaching and performing in duos, harmonica ensembles and orchestras in both the UK and Japan.

Links:
Shima's website:
https://shimaharmonica.com/

Tommy Reilly In His Own Words (The Archivist):
http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/tommy-reilly-in-his-own-words/

Videos:
Spivakovsky concerto at Harmonica UK 2018:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjtK_r0BchE

Playing Genevieve with the MSO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QavqmWBhUPM

Harmonica and Harp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjV8iGugpjY

Shima practise video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkDAiAUE_Z4

The Third Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHsE8C2gGsA

Concert in Norway with Sigmund Groven in 2024:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGrGNnlix0



Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
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_GB

Spotify 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-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast 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.com

Support the show

Jerry Portnoy, Steve Guyger and Louis Erlanger join me on episode 123, for a retrospective on Paul Oscher.
Paul was born in Brooklyn in 1947 and has a place in history as the first white player in a major black blues band, with Muddy Waters. Joining Muddy’s band gave Paul the best grounding in Chicago blues, he lived in Muddy’s house where he also learnt from the great Otis Spann. After leaving Muddy’s band Paul moved to New York and became a pivotal figure in the blues scene there. Paul put out a number of albums under his own name, with the first being Rough Stuff in 1993, up to Cool Cat in 2018. These included solo and band albums, showcasing his wide range of talents on the harmonica, and also the guitar, piano and vocals.

Links:
Website:
https://www.pauloscher.com/

Interview with Paul, by Margie Goldsmith:
https://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/paul-oscher-interview.html

Louis Erlanger Blues Blast Magazine interview:
https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/featured-interview-louis-x-erlanger/

Videos:
Paul Oscher documentary by Jordan Haro:
https://vimeo.com/208402633

Story of Jimmy Johnson and harmonica trick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFFPMYhLTt0

Paul playing piano:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSbAahV30Do

Playing Juke on a rack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3WJgDEN4aA

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
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_GB

Spotify 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-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast 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.com

Support the show

Ross Garren joins me again on episode 122.
Ross lives near Los Angeles, where he has established himself as a leading session musician for harmonica recordings on movies, including Marvel’s Logan and the new Joker film, as well on albums with numerous pop artists, including recently on Beyonce’s album, Cowboy Carter.
Initially a piano player, Ross came to love the harmonica from the age of twelve and plays a wide range of harmonicas, from diatonic to chromatic, bass, chord and other types.
Ross plays in the roots meets electronica duo The Sheriffs of Schroedingham, and has just released a self-produced ambient album called Of Winds and Reeds and Very Old Trees. He also recorded the harmonica for a Bob Dylan biopic coming out soon.

Links:
Website:
http://www.rossgarren.com/

Selection of session recordings:
http://www.rossgarren.com/recordings.html

Bandcamp release: Of Winds and Reeds and Very Old Trees:
https://magneticvines.bandcamp.com/album/of-wind-and-reeds-and-very-old-trees

Harpsmith custom harmonicas by Kinya Pollard:
https://harpsmith.com/

Gamechanger harmonica:
https://bushmanmusic.com/shop/bushman-harmonicas/game-changer-harmonica/

Simple Mics:
https://simplemics.com/

Videos:
John & Ross Present: 'Caldonia' (feat. Nic Jackson):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTQ0QrHhcwA

Blue Rondo A La Turk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ceFONN_Mcs

Sous le Ciel de Paris, Pomplamoose ft. Ross Garren
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vol9dZ-t93s

Bass harp:
https://youtu.be/WgfKEE1QPiA?si=bEmyT8VPqwnjDt30&t=112

Royal Albert Hall from 2023:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cumStSUVX9w&t=134s

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
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_GB

Spotify 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-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast 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.com

Support the show