George Winston has passed away…

[Sasquatchian]

George was as mentioned also a fine slack key guitarist and an accomplished harmonica player. Back in the late 1990's I photographed Sam Hinton, the long time folk musician and multi-instrumentalist while George Winston was recording Sam playing as many harmonica tunes he could remember. This was a labor of love for George. It was great hanging out with him in that little recording studio just north of San Diego and seeing his chaotic collection of notes and ideas he kept hand written on 3x5 cards and stored in an old shoe box.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Plus also:

I am certainly not a harmonica expert, but was that a specially made harmonica that allowed him to keep that drone note, like a bagpipe, going throughout the composition? It did not change when he inhaled so unless he could inhale on the left side of his mouth while constantly exhaling on the right side, it must have been made to have the same note played with inhalation and exhalation on the bass end?????

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

I am certainly not a harmonica expert, but was that a specially made harmonica that allowed him to keep that drone note, like a bagpipe, going throughout the composition? It did not change when he inhaled so unless he could inhale on the left side of his mouth while constantly exhaling on the right side, it must have been made to have the same note played with inhalation and exhalation on the bass end?????

Good question! Short answer: yes, it's a specially made harp. Long answer:

from the liner notes to "George Winston Harmonica Solos" (available here: https://www.valley-entertainment.com...armonica-solos )


20. Derentwater's Farewell/ Shrimp Tails Up the Water (Traditional Irish)
On a 12 hole low D harp build for me by Rick Epping, based on the 10 hole tuning with holes 5 & 9 draw tuned up one half step, and hole 10 tuned down one half step, and played in the 2nd position in the key of A (except there is an extra low hole and an extra high hole, so here it is actually holes 6 & 10 draw tuned up one half step, and hole 11 tuned down one half step; and
there are low blow and draw notes for D (the 4th note of the scale in the key of A), and E (the 5th note of the scale in the key of A); and there is an extra low A note on hole 1 blow and draw.
A medley of two Irish pieces learned from Grit Laskin.

PS - they're not Irish though, they're both from the bagpipe tradition of Northumberland, England.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Good question! Short answer: yes, it's a specially made harp. Long answer:

from the liner notes to "George Winston Harmonica Solos" (available here: https://www.valley-entertainment.com...armonica-solos )


20. Derentwater's Farewell/ Shrimp Tails Up the Water (Traditional Irish)
On a 12 hole low D harp build for me by Rick Epping, based on the 10 hole tuning with holes 5 & 9 draw tuned up one half step, and hole 10 tuned down one half step, and played in the 2nd position in the key of A (except there is an extra low hole and an extra high hole, so here it is actually holes 6 & 10 draw tuned up one half step, and hole 11 tuned down one half step; and
there are low blow and draw notes for D (the 4th note of the scale in the key of A), and E (the 5th note of the scale in the key of A); and there is an extra low A note on hole 1 blow and draw.
A medley of two Irish pieces learned from Grit Laskin.

PS - they're not Irish though, they're both from the bagpipe tradition of Northumberland, England.

Thank you, that certainly makes sense now.

One of my childhood memories on the farm was my Uncle who would come in for dinner or any meal and pick up his harmonica and play in the kitchen while he waited for the meal to be ready. He used to play the squeeze box at local dances, but by that time his fingers were too stiff to play it so he played the harmonica. He played that thing like it was a squeeze box. He had the umpa umpa bass going on the bass end of his mouth while playing the melody on the other. To this day, I have never really heard anyone play one like that, it was quite amazing. He took all the old waltzes and polkas from the accordion and played them the same way on the harmonica.

He was pretty shy about it so anytime I tried to record it (this was back in the day when you needed a cassette recorder so difficult to hide) he would stop playing. So now it lives on only in my memory.

My grandmother would tell the story that about once per month they would hold a dance at someone's house, clearing the furniture off to one side and my uncle and a fiddle player would play all night. I have a picture somewhere of him sitting up on the refrigerator with his accordion to open up more room on the floor for dancing. Simpler times...everyone would bring food and probably a little drink haha.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

One of my childhood memories on the farm was my Uncle who would come in for dinner or any meal and pick up his harmonica and play in the kitchen while he waited for the meal to be ready. He used to play the squeeze box at local dances, but by that time his fingers were too stiff to play it so he played the harmonica. He played that thing like it was a squeeze box. He had the umpa umpa bass going on the bass end of his mouth while playing the melody on the other.

Great story! Probably the best in that style recently was Sam Hinton. A quick sample:



web site:

http://www.samhinton.org/harmonica/

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Great story! Probably the best in that style recently was Sam Hinton. A quick sample:



web site:

http://www.samhinton.org/harmonica/

Yes, very similar, but I tell you what, my Uncle was better. Makes me think of how many hidden musicians are out there that are fantastic and just play for their enjoyment or is that a thing of the past?