Hill Country Harmonica: A North Mississippi Blues Harp Homecoming

2010-02-22 10:41:23

On May 22-23, 2010, blues harmonica players from around the world will be converging on Foxfire Ranch, a horse farm in Waterford, Mississippi, for two long days of lectures, workshops, jam sessions, and concerts. (Foxfire is 50 miles south of Memphis International Airport; http://www.foxfireexperience.net/)

Featured teacher/performers include:
* Billy Branch (Grammy nominated Chicago blues harp master)
* Adam Gussow with Charlie Hilbert (Satan & Adam harpist, Nat Riddles' guitarist)
* Terry "Harmonica" Bean (one-man band - a Mississippi legend)
* Billy Gibson (Blues Music Award winner, 2009: "Instrumentalist - harmonica")
* Brandon Bailey (Orpheum Star Search winner - teenage harp-box innovator)
* Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry (incredible hill country guitar & vocals)

Extras:
* Plenty of home-cooked soul food available for lunch and dinner at low prices
* Horse rides available from Foxfire owner Bill Hollowell (30 min. for only $8)
* Free bottomless coffee and OJ on Sunday morning.
* Cold beer for sale all day Saturday/Sunday.
* No charge to bring your own coolers!
* NYC swing/harp sensation Ron Sunshine will be in residence with a full selection of deluxe vintage harp mics.
* A "harp amp throwdown" for gear-heads in which we play our way through a series of vintage tube amps while you judge for tone.

Hill Country Harmonica is an attempt to bridge the world of our own local blues scenes--including the Mississippi hill country scene--and the contemporary world of "internet" harmonica. We hope to create a face-to-face community of
harmonica players for a couple of days in the hills of North Mississippi. If you've been inspired
at a distance by the playing and teaching of the blues performers on our roster, or if you think
you've seen everything and want to be inspired all over again, we urge you to think about joining
us for a remarkable weekend of learning, grooving, playing, risking, growing, and bluesing it up.

Registration fee: $150. $50 for non-playing spouse, partner, or friend. No charge for children 12 and under.
FREE on-site camping. Deluxe campsites and inexpensive motels nearby.

For more information and registration, please visit the event website:
http://www.hillcountryharmonica.com

Or contact us directly:
Adam Gussow: [email protected]
Jeff Silverman: [email protected]

 

Buy the Book!

I cleaned up my tab for Sonny Boy's Help Me and made it into a short book. There's a Kindle version for 99 cents, and if you buy the paperback you get the Kindle free.

Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs