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San Jose, CA - May
21-23, 2010 |
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The Harmonica Masterclass
Workshop provides the best blues harmonica instructors in the world.
Each instructor has worked closely with head instructor David Barrett and
is thoroughly knowledgeable about the subjects they teach and how it fits
into the system of instruction that the
Harmonica Masterclass
Workshop provides. As participant Keith Bell states "it
is now evident to myself having now completed level three classes that this is the highest level of blues harmonica education anywhere in
the world that your money can buy.”
 David
Barrett is the world's most published author of blues harmonica lesson
material (over sixty book/CD sets and videos published through Mel Bay
Publications). Having played saxophone and trumpet for many years
David already had a solid musical platform when he started to play the
harmonica at age fourteen. By age sixteen he was already playing blues jam
sessions and harmonica shows in the California Bay Area. By age eighteen
he was studying music theory in college and started teaching harmonica at
local music institutes. By age twenty he released his first book
Building Harmonica Technique with Mel Bay Publications.
David is the founder of the Harmonica Masterclass Company
(HMC). HMC specializes in harmonica
products (cases, cables, etc.) and workshops for blues harmonica (focused on
intermediate to professional players) since 1995. David is the program designer and main instructor of
these classes; 20 to 250 participants attend his classes depending on
program type and location.
David is also the founder of
School of the Blues in San Jose, California. David and his
instructors (Guitar, Bass, Organ/Keyboard/Piano, Vocals, and Drums) teach
local private lessons and workshops as well as accepting fly-in lessons on
a regular basis. David teaches on average fifty private students a month
as well as home correspondence courses. He is also active in working with
local hospitals teaching his Harmonica for Fun & Health
classes to
people with COPD (commonly Emphysema), asthma and heart disease.
 Along
with his workshops, private teaching and writing method material, David is
an active writer for various publications. David writes a monthly
column for Blues Revue Magazine
called "Right On The Number," is the editor and writer for
www.HarmonicaSessions.com
and author of a Free eZine through HMC.
David performs regularly in the California Bay Area (San Francisco Blues
Festival, Monterey Bay Blues Festival, etc.) and abroad (Chicago, Japan,
etc.). Recently David played in the Mark Hummel Blues Harmonica
Blowouts featuring James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson, Mark
Hummel and David. Through the years David has worked or
played with Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Lee Oskar, Rod Piazza, James Harman,
James Cotton, Gary
Smith, Andy Just, Mark Ford, Billy Boy Arnold, Rick Estrin, Paul deLay, Jerry Portnoy,
Gary Primich, Howard Levy, Magic Dick, Tom Ball, Sonny Jr., Annie Raines, Paul Oscher,
Phil Wiggins, Brendan Power, Sam Myers, Snooky Pryor, Rob Paparozzi,
Dennis Gruenling, Carlos del Junco, Mitch Kashmar, Joe Filisko, Jr. Watson,
Nick Moss, Steve Freund, Rusty Zinn, Johnny Cat and John Garcia. He now fronts the
School of the Blues All-star Band
featuring John Garcia on guitar and vocals. His latest CD is
Serious Fun with John Garcia.
David is the world's most published author of the blues harmonica lesson
material, revolutionizing the way the harmonica is now taught. He is
always honing his skills and striving for excellence in everything that he
does.
 It’s not likely you will
find many aspects regarding the current state of the diatonic harmonica
that have not been influenced in some way by Joe Filisko.
His craftsmanship, musicianship, and knowledge of the instrument and its
history are being acknowledged and praised by the likes of Howard Levy,
Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Gary Primich, Mickey Raphael, John
Hammond, Curtis Salgado, Madcat Ruth, Steve Baker, Mike Stevens, Mark
Graham, The National Music Museum, the Harmonikamuseum Trossingen, and
even the M. Hohner Company.
The SPAH organization named Joe “Harmonica Player of the Year” in 2001.
Joe has recently completed the definitive discography on Big Walter
Horton. Currently he has been writing the harmonica entry for the
“Encyclopedia of the Blues” to be published by Routledge.
Joe has been teaching with the Harmonica Masterclass Workshop since our
New York class in 2003. As David Barrett states, "Since our very
first time working together in New York I knew that Joe was a highly
skilled instructor, as well as an amazing player and historian of the
blues. Since that first class we have spent time together and it is
evident that Joe is the best blues harmonica teacher I have ever met.
Our Chicago class in 2004 was his first time with us as a full staff
member and there were nothing but praises from students all weekend on how
much they enjoyed Joe's classes and personal dedication to helping them
achieve what they came to the class to learn."
Joe can be found teaching harmonica every Monday at Chicago’s Old Town
School of Folk Music besides playing evenings with The Carl Davis Band and
On the Mainline throughout the Chicagoland area. Joe is a fantastic player
and educator; we are proud to have him on our team.
Website: www.joefilisko.com
 Dennis
Gruenling has been
laying down some of the best blues harmonica in the East Coast region for
over a dozen years now. After spending some time in New Orleans in 1992-3,
Dennis came back home to New Jersey and quickly gained a reputation as a
rising star on the local blues scene. A few stints with some local bands
followed (The Fins and Filthy Rich & the Poor Boys among others) and
finally to 1998 when he formed the first incarnation of Jump Time. Along
the way, Gruenling has shared the stage with many top names in the blues
world, such as Pinetop Perkins, Snooky Pryor, Homesick James, Hubert
Sumlin, John Mayall, BB King, Little Sammy Davis, A.C. Reed, and Jimmy
Dawkins, as well as contemporary masters such as Rod Piazza & The Mighty
Flyers, Little Charlie & The Nightcats, Kim Wilson, Rusty Zinn and Steve
Guyger. Ever since his self-titled debut with his band Jump Time hit the
streets in 1999, Dennis has been pulling in countless fans and numerous
accolades from critics & musicians across the country for his swinging,
highly original harmonica sound, and top-notch band. In 2000, "Up All
Night" was released. A non-Jump Time project, which owed much to his roots
in stripped down Chicago-style blues, proving he could also play
"traditional" blues harmonica with the best of them. This gained more
recognition for Dennis and his talents not only as a harp player, but also
as a bandleader and songwriter. The year 2001 saw the second Jump Time
release, which includes special guests and the new addition to the band -
vocalist Gina Fox. Once again Dennis has pushed the boundaries further for
blues harmonica.
Dennis has also been teaching blues harmonica for over 10 years now, and
is in demand as a private instructor, or as part of numerous harmonica
workshops and conventions that appear across the country. He also has many
years experience teaching at music schools, harmonica conventions, music
festivals and blues workshops. Dennis has also been published in Real
Blues Magazine ("George 'Harmonica' Smith" 2001) and in the American
Harmonica Newsletter ("George 'Harmonica' Smith - West Coast Legend"
series and "Amplified Harmonica" series 1997-98). Dennis' has received
numerous awards such as: "Outstanding Service Award" SPAH
Convention 1998, 2000, 2004; "Best Modern Blues Harmonica Player"
- Real Blues Magazine 1999, 2000, 2001; "Best Blues Harmonica CD"
- Real Blues Magazine 1999, 2001; "Top 10 CD" - Makin'
Waves Awards 1999, 2000; and "Best Male Artist" - Makin'
Waves Awards 1999. Dennis'
teaching credits:
Private teaching studio for over 10 years;
Turtle Bay Music School
(NYC); Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago); Jon Gindick
Harmonica Jam Camp (NJ, CA, GA, MO, FL); David Barrett Harmonica
Masterclass (NY); SPAH Harmonica Conventions
(MI, MO, OH);
Natchel Blues Network Harmonica
Masterclass
(VA);
and Buckeye Harmonica Festivals
(OH)
Website: www.dennisgruenling.com
Kinya
Pollard
 Since
2001, Kinya Pollard has been a member of David Barrett’s Harmonica
Masterclass teaching staff. His unique teaching style appeals to virtually
all types of harmonica players. Visual, audible and technical strategies
are energetically incorporated to deliver an “individual lesson”
experience into a workshop environment.
Kinya’s area of expertise is in harmonica mechanics. He was first exposed
a decade ago to the science of harmonica customizing by Rick Epping,
formerly of Hohner USA. Then most recently, during his visit to
Trossingen, Germany, he was invited into the home and private workshop of
master builder Gunter Beyer, recently retired after 45 plus years with
Hohner, for a private instruction into the advance arts of harmonica
customizing. Actual harmonica parts are examined and discussed, bringing a
new level of understanding to this “invisible” instrument. Students can
now visualize essential harmonica techniques, such as bending, lip
blocking, tongue blocking, octaves, shakes, flutters, and vibrato.
In 1973, Kinya was pulled into the harmonica vortex after hearing Mark
Ford’s rendition of Little Walter’s “Blue and Lonesome”. Growing up on San
Jose’s East Side, it did not take long before he became captivated with
the urban funk sounds of WAR and Lee Oskar’s inspiring brand of melodic
harmonica playing. The heat turned on, however, when Kinya became exposed
to the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Students who have attended Kinya’s
workshop on Paul Butterfield can attest to his passion on the subject of
“Butter’s” harmonica techniques.
Since 2003, Kinya has been a contributing writer for Mel Bay’s Harmonica
Sessions, Monster Harmonica Workbench, a bi-monthly webzine. His
entertaining and insightful articles on Harmonica maintenance and
customizing are enjoyed by readers around the globe.
Kinya continues to play with the John Garcia Band throughout the San
Francisco Bay Area.
 Dennis
Carelli is the director and manager of the Harmonica Masterclass Workshop and
School of the Blues. Dennis is the man behind the
scenes making sure all the details are smooth for each event. Along
with being a knowledgeable business person he is a very active musician,
playing with up to three bands in a weekend. If you see him at a
class ask him to perform one of his famous Rhumbas! |
