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Here are some important tips for harmonica players that I was reminded of last night

Harmonica Player Important Reminder notes:

1. Avoid eating things with seeds. They will come back to get you in the middle of gigs.

That's right Oat Muesli Bars, I am talking to you. Mid way through a song last night, a teeny, tiny, omega three, vitamin filled kernel of goodness popped out of somewhere and proceeded directly to the back of my throat on inhale.

It's not the initial seed swallowing that's the problem. Its the tickling at the back of your throat , that phantom sensation that the seed remains! It's barley/soy/burgum/wtf and it's trying to kill you.

Or, more specifically, trying to make you perform a complex series of swallowing motions, hopefully assisted by the beverage you have to hand (Tip 2 - keep something to whet your whistle on stage) but you cant reach for it, you're mid way through singing/breathing/playing and the words to the song/awesome power harp chord sound a little strange when your  phrasing commences with 'Yeegaarrghhblechh'. (Tip 3, place your beverage where you wont knock it over)  So despite the urgent tingling, the need to swallow, you bravely struggle on making the occasional Daffy Duck noise, hope like crazy for a guitar solo and dive for your drink. Two sips, a swallow and problem solved. Hurrah!

A big cheer to Charity, Lynn, Claudette, TInker, the Fitzgerald Clan,Vertical, Big Daddy and Uncle Geoff, who came along for the evening. What a great pleasure to play with both Fettler and Jo.

I was looking forward to that for some time :-)

We're on at the Bald Rock in Rozelle this coming weekend and we'll miss our guests, but I guess that's what makes occasions when you can get friends and family together that make them special. (Yes I am getting all gooey, hey I almost choked! It was a near breath experience!)

EDIT: I just remembered a few other Harp Player rules;

Tip 4: Make sure all your harps are in the appropriate cases or are clearly labelled. Getting an F when you want a C is no fun.

Tip 5: And this is a biggie - Remember to check which way your harp is facing, and/or that it's not upside down. This can lead to some very interesting melodic patterning.

Figuring out which side to blow through can be done by feel. the big open space at the back is not for you. Try the front. It seems to work for me.

However, determining which way is up is a little harder. If you've had your harps awhile, the engraving on the top can get rubbed away, or , if like some of us (Hi, my names Michael) you aren't paying enough attention during the the critical pick-up-the-harp-and-snuggle-it-in-your-hand-while-still-talking/breathing/reaching for your drink phase, you may find that the first few notes of soulful intensity become a rather quizzical dance to the opposite end of the harp, followed by a quick flip of the wrist, a smirk of chagrin and then another go at it, this time, right way up.

Engrave'em, put braille on them, neon signs marked THIS WAY UP would be a plus. If you come up with a good solution, have pity and drop me a note :-)

Stay tuned for more amazing insights, updated at point of failure!

Hiya!

So ... band excursion ... Canned Heat ... it was great getting to hear those songs played live ... for real ... by the band! On the Road Again ... Going Up the Country ... Let's Work Together ... and a Boogie to round it out. Fito, Mole & the Snake all on hand - the only way it could have been better would require raising the dead (let's not forget the Sunflower as well).

Here are some pics...

Harvey Mandel - for the guitar geeks: that's a Parker Fly that he's playing - very modern, on board controls for effects ... and a paint job with a snake.

Dale Spalding - Dale sang, played harp, rhythm guitar and took over bass duties when Larry 'the Mole" played slide.

Larry Taylor

Fito De La Parra

Great night! Great band!

Cheers,

Rosie

The Blues Mountains are renowned for their beauty, solitude, quiet, and as an Art Deco haven from the 1930's, the last bastion of an age of elegance....

Well forget all that! We're taking the Boogie to the Mountains!

Better yet, we've got the magic tones of Jo Fitzgerald and the Mountain Man of Electrified Fiddle, Mike Kerin, helping us to recreate some of the magic from our Tamworth sessions.

Here we come!

Saturday night 14th April, 8pm, free entry so you can spend your money on Canapes...of Beer! Your choice! 

Howdy Folks. Happy Easter, or as the less religious amongst us put it, Happy Day Off!

Rosie and Mr Wizard joined me at the Canned Heat/Fabulous Thunderbirds gig on Saturday night, a great gig indeed.

Shame my IPhone Zoom is a little crappy...

Even with The Bear and The Blind Owl missing from the lineup, Canned Heat put on a great show. That's was as close as I'll ever get to seeing them in their full glory live. It gave me pause to reflect that seeing a favourite band is something you have to do while you can - you never know when you'll get another chance. 

With the two main singers departed from the band, the Heat relied on Harvey Mandels guitar fireworks and did quite a few instrumentals, although full credit to Fito for a remarkable job of reproducing the sound of Al Wllson - who would have thought reproducing the sound of the Bear would be harder?

Dale Spalding is a heck of a harmonica player, I'll be stealing some of those licks, and a versatile guitarist. As their set progressed you could still feel the elements of what made them one of the biggest bands in the world. After running through their hits, doing some guitar and harmonica wailing, solo's all round, they ended with a Boogie and the Bears trademark phrase- and remember, don' forget to boogie.

After the 'Heat, the Fabulous Thunderbirds came out swinging, and I can see why Kim Wilson has the rep for harp playing. I am not game to do a 15 minute harp solo as I would run out of ideas around the 38 second mark, but Kim just kept on going. I've studiously avoided the green-bullet-valve-amp-combo for a while now, but hearing the guys on Saturday night, I am starting to wonder if I am missing out on something. Boy did they both get a good tone.

Nostalgia? Sure, but they're still kicking and still playing and I guess that's as much as any of us can hope for. If you've got a fave band, get out and see them. 

And remember, don't forget to Boogie.

All the boys have had their permission slips signed and have packed their juice bottles, it's time for The Heat! Our heroes are performing this weekend at the Factory Theatre(?) with the Fabulous Thunderbirds (no, not the puppets, the band) and featuring 3 of the original members of Canned Heat from the Woodstock gig.

RIP Blind Owl and The Bear, but we'll be there to hear the rest of the crew keep on boogie-ing 

 Far out, groovy and Get Down!