Playlist For 7/26/09

Ekkhard Ehlers - Nie Wieder Schnell Sagen - A Life Without Fear
Deer Tick - Song About A Man - Born On Flag Day
Pavement - Billie - Terror Twilight
Born Ruffians - Little Garcon - Red, Yellow & Blue
Takka Takka - Enough - Takka Takka

The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now - The Libertines
Sondre Lerche & The Face Downs - The Tape - Phantom Punch
Jason Ricci - Dodecahedron - Rocket Number 9
Ray LaMontagne - He Nearly Killed Me Its A Shame - Gossip In The Grain
Effata - The Widow (Mars Volta Cover)

A.A. Bondy - Of The Sea - American Hearts
Ray LaMontagne - Narrow Escape - Trouble
Dunham van Durham - The Flood - Simpler Times
Joseph Arthur - Invisible Hands - Come To Where I'm From

Belle & Sebastian - Lord Anthony - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Camera Obscura - Before You Cry - Under Achievers Please Try Harder
Hello Saferide - Overall - More Short Stories From Hello Saferide
Tunng - Song Of The Sea - This is...Tunng: Mother's Daughter and Other Stories

Sondre Lerche & The Face Downs - John Let Me Go - Phantom Punch
Hello Saferide - 25 Days - More Short Stories From Hello Saferide
Mason Jennings - The Time's They Are A Changin' - I'm Not There
Joe Pug - I Do My Father's Drugs - Nation Of Heat
Dustin Kensrue - Pistol - Please Come Home

Jeff Taylor and Russ Green - Gangster Of Love - Chicago Blues Harmonica: More Rare Gems
Paul Geremia - Fool's Paradise - Self Portrait In Blues
James Cotton - Moanin' At Midnight - Mighty Long Time
Mark Hummel - Coast To Coast - Feel Like Rockin'
Mitch Kashmar - Lizzy Mae - Nickels & Dimes
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - Greasy Foot - Here and Now
Carey Bell - Blue Monday At Kansas City Red's - Carey Bell's Blues Harp
Billy Branch - Polk Salad Annie - The Blues Keep Followin Me Around

It's about time I made an Intro and Outtro to my show...I'll get on that. This weeks show definitely had more indie-folk and new blues than last, and I was especially impressed with Dustin Kensrue's switch from pop-screamo band Thrice to bluesy accoustic sounding solo work. Keep it up Kensrue. I was especially stoked to find some Camera Obscura AND!! Belle & Sebastian pieces with harmonica segments..see how versatile it is! Just more the reason to pick one up :) I wonder if Andrew Bird has any harmonica..I've been searching but no luck. Next show I'm gonna try to find some hip-hop and reggae harmonica. Brace yourselves.

Keep Harpin' - Dj Kamakazzi

Playlist For 7/19/09

Chad Van Gaalen - TMNT Mask - Soft Airplane
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Heavy Metal - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Ben Kweller - Hear Me Out - On My Way
The Thrills - Old Friends New Lovers - So Much For The City
Helio Sequence - Looks Good (But You Looked Away) - Love and Distance

Joseph Arthur - Ashes Everywhere - Come To Where I'm From
Pavement - Platform Blues - Terror Twilight
Hot Panda - Cold Hands/Chapped Lips - Volcano...Bloody Volcano..
Deer Tick - The Ghost - Born On Flag Day
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Dirty Water - Stoned and Dethroned

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Complicated Situation - Howl
Jason Ricci and New Blood - Sonja - Rocket Number 9
Toots Thielemans - Brown Ballad - Jazz Masters 59
Brendan Power - Sweet Bulgarity - Lament For The 21st Century

Charlie Musselwhite - She May Be Your Woman - Ace Of Harps
Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell - Under The Sun (Instrumental) - Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell
Little Walter - Everythings Going To Be Alright - His Best

Bobby Jones -Mystery Train - Comin' Back Hard
Mark Hummel - Lost In The Shuffel - Feel Like Rockin'
Sugar Blue - Out Till Dawn - Blue Blazes
Joe Hill Louis - Hydramatic Women - A.L.R's Greatest Hits
Harmonica Hinds - Sunday Morning Blues - Chicago Blues Project: More Rare Gems

Mitch Kashmar - Castle Rock - Live At Labatt
A.A. Bondy - Witness Blues - American Hearts
Omar Coleman - You Don't Love Me - Chicago Blues Harmonica Project

Blues Traveler - Gina - Live From The Fall
James Harman - Torqueflight 727 - Black and White
Rod Piazza and The Mighty Fliers - I Do Believe - Here and Now


Though we still heard some pretty eclectic stuff (Joseph Arthur and his emo harmonica incisions and a Middle Eastern delight from Irish Brendan Powers), today's playlist mostly focused on killer blues and bringin' the harmonica back to its roots. Modern Blues players like John Popper from Blues Traveler, Mitch Kashmar, Charlie Musselwhite, and Rod Piazza keep traditional blues sound and lyrics alive today, but maybe with a little more upbeat attitude and rhythm. If you're just starting out on the harmonica, listen to these guys first..and non-stop. They'll give you a very strong foundation and from there you can explore all you want. The tallest trees with the most branches and leaves have the strongest roots :).

Keep Harpin' - Dj Kamakazzi

Playlist For 7/12/09

Brendan Power - The Didgeriblues - Lament For The 21st Century
The Random Routines - Dervish Collage - Improvisations
The Helio Sequence - Everyone Knows Everyone - Love And Distance

Bright Eyes - Train Under Water - I'm Wide Awake Its Morning
Frater Chaovsky And The God Fearing Mongrels - Too Many Worries On My Mind
Billie The Vision And The Dancers - Do You Remember - I Was So Unpopular In Highschool And Now They're Going To Give Me A Beautiful Bike

Sea Bear - Sailors Blue - The Ghost That Carried Me Into The Sea
Toots Thielemans - The Peacocks - Jazz Masters 59
Brendan Power - The Sailor's Bonnet/The Banshee - New Irish Harmonica

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Fault Line - Howl
Jason Ricci - Loving Eyes - Rocket Number 9

Miyagi - CRY CRY CRY - Dragon Fly
Johan Blomgren - Crocodile Blues - (DEMO)
Amazing Blue Gurus - Wait Till Summer - First Cut
Bright Eyes, Britt Daniel, and Spoon - Let The Distance Keep Us Together - Home Vol. 4
Vashnya Rowan - Zmey - Pcheloves'Noyst

Ethan Miller and Kate Boveman - Only Eight - If All The Land Would Rise
Oyster Boy - As I Go Walking - Eleven Dirty Dime Novels
The Handsome Family - #1 Country Song - Milk And Scissors
The Alpha Omega Suite - The Prophets Spoke Tonight - The Alpha Omega Suite
Rafael Castro - Sobre A Problematica Global - Combustao Espontanea

Dr. Dog - Livin' A Dream - Takers And Leavers
The Deep Kicks - Drink Tonight Away
Billie The Vision And The Dancers - Come On Baby - The World According To Pablo

Blues Traveler - Love And Greed - Live At The Fall
Blues Traveler - Mulling It Over - Live At The Fall

Russ Green - How Many More Years - Chicago Blues Harmonica Project
Carlos Del Junco - Skatoon - Blues Mongrel
Charlie Musselwhite - Hello, Pretty Baby - Ace Of Harps
Kim Wilson - Hunch Rhythm - Tigerman
The Insomniacs - Lonsome - At Least I'm Not With You
James Cotton - Woman Wanted - Fire Under The Hill

The Didgeriblues by Brendan Power still holds as some of the most impressive harmonica playing I have ever heard. Its not just the different bending or blowing techniques he uses, but moreso how he incorporates Aboriginal, Irish Folk, and Delta blues all into on one song. This is a true work of originality. Brendan Powers, Jason Ricci, Carlos Del Junco, and Howard Levy (to mention very few) are pushing...well, blowing and drawing...the harmonica into boundaries and sounds never before conceived. Even if you're a blues traditionalist, you can't deny the talent and innovation of these cutting edge artists. I HIGHLY recommend listening to them if not purchasing their cd's if you're looking to expand your harp playing horizon.

Keep Harpin' - Dj Kamakazzi

Playlist For 7/5/09

A.A. Bondy - Killed Myself When I Was Young - American Hearts
The Helio Sequence - The People Of Secret - Love And Distance
Silent City - Transmission Blues
The Bo Weevils - Wanted

Bright Eyes - Lets Not Shit Ourselves - Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground
Jason Forrest -Storming Blues Rock - Shamelessly Exciting
The Jack Stafford Foundation - The Love Drug - Long Live Love

Ben's Brother - Harmonica In F (Interlude) - Beta Male Fairytales
J. Geils Band - Whammer Jammer - The Morning Afer
Kim Wilson - Humpin' To Please - That's Life
Dusty Brown - He Don't Love You - Chicago Harmonica Project
Big Walter Horton & Carey Bell - Temptation Blues (Instrumental) - Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell
Little Walter - Boom Boom Out Goes The Light - His Best

A.A. Bondy - The Mightiest Of Guns - (UNRELEASED!)
Ben's Brother - Rise - Beta Male Fairy Tales
Bishop Allen - Bishop Allen Drive - Charm School
A.A. Bondy - Among The Pines - (UNRELEASED!)

Bright Eyes - Make War - Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground
The Jack Stafford Foundation - I Think I Like You Just The Way You Are - Long Live Love
Jason Ricci & New Blood - The Way I Hurt Myself - Rocket Number 9
The Insomniacs - Hoodoo Man Blues - At Least I'm Not With You

Captain Beefheart and His Magical Band - Korn Ring Finger - Safe As Milk
Broken Social Scene - Blues For Uncle Gibb - Feel Good Lost

Carlos Del Junco - Our Man Flint - Blues Mongrel
Bashnya Rowan - Telefon Blues - Ab Laternae
Frank Smith - Put Me In A Hole

Blues Traveler - Closing Down The Park - Live From The Fall
Mitch Kashmar - Song For My Father - Live At Labatt

This was definitely one of the better shows..the transitions were on, each set had a different feel and all these artists are phenomonal. I was super stoked that Broken Social Scene had harmonica, and its in C! so you can play along for all of you who have a C harmonica. Check out all these artists, they all have their own unique style of harmonica that fits immaculately into their music, from the distorted off-key high notes of Captain Beefheart to the electro-bluesy feel of Helio Sequence, the harmonica fits into any genre of music and adds an irreplaceable emotional backbone.

Keep Harpin' - Dj Kamakazzi

Playlist For 6/28/09

Sonny Boy Williamson II - One Way Out - The Real Folk Blues
Little Walter - Blues With A Feeling - His Best
Elvin Bishop - The Blues Rolls On - The Blues Rolls On
Big Walter Horton w/ Carey Bell - Little Boy Blue - Big Walter Horton w/ Carey Bell
Kim Wilson - Lowdown -That's Life

Omar Coleman -Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone -Chicago Blues Harmonica Project
Blues Traveler - Go Outside and Drive - Live At The Fall
Mitch Kashmar - Evil Man Blues - Live At Labbatt
Charlie Musselwhite - River Hip Mama - Ace Of Harps

Carey Bell - I Cry So Much - Carey Bell's Blues Harp
Sugar Blue - Country Blues -Blue Blazes
Carlos Del Junco - Plain Old (Down Home) Blues - Blues Mongrel
Jean Jacques Milteau - Memphis - Memphis
James Cotton - Blow Wind Blow - Mighty Long Time

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club -Shuffle Your Feet - Howl
Jason Ricci & New Blood - The Eternal Is - Rocket Number 9
Jason Ricci & New Blood - I'm A New Man - Rocket Number 9

Toots Thielemans - Nocturne - Jazz Masters_59
Brendan Power - Lorraine's Dream - Lament For The 21st Centurty
Two Gallants - The Hand That Held Me Down - Two Gallants

IndieFox - Shooting Stars
Jump Little Children - Mexico
Joe Pug - Nation Of Heat - Nation Of Heat
A.A. Bondy - Killed Myself When I Was Young - American Hearts

Drew Danburry - Memorial Day - This Could Mean Trouble You Don't Speak For The Club
Gutfumkeller - Perfect Love
Harmonia 76 - Sometimes In Autumn - Tracks And Traces
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Details Of The War - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

This was my second show, my first turned out to be an utter disaster and to add insult to injury I don't even have the first playlist! From here on out I changed the format of the show by playing experimental/indie/electronica harmonica songs for the first hour and a half then transitioning to more traditional blues during the second half. Currently, I'm trying to incorporate more traditional blues in the indie sets...a lot more difficult than it sounds.

Keep on harpin' - Dj Kamakazzi