this is the list;
NO SERIOUSLY, I PLAY HARMONICA by Roly Platt
BIG ROAD BLUES by Mark Hummell
EFFORLESS MASTERY by Kenny Werner
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@Draw2Blow
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Blues Harp
By Tony Glover
This is an instruction book with artist insights. In the 1960’s it was about the only instruction book for blues harp.
These are all biographies. Certainly, Sonny Boy and Little Walter were two of the greatest and most colourful blues harmonica players.
Blues with a Feeling – the Little Walter Story
By: Tony Glover, Scott Dirks, Ward Gaines
John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson: The Blues Harmonica of Chicago’s Bronzeville
By: Mitsutoshi Inaba
Can’t Be Satisfied – the Life & Times of Muddy Waters
By: Robert Gordon
Muddy’s bands always featured harmonica players – including at different times Little Walter, Junior Wells, Big Walter, James Cotton and Jerry Portnoy, Muddy was initially a harmonica player. He said, “I started playing harmonica when I was five. By age twelve, I was good. By the time I was 18, I was very good, but I always wanted to play the slide guitar.” So there’s lots of harmonica in the book.
Moanin’ at Midnight – The Life and Times of Howlin’ Wolf
By: James Segrest and Mark Hoffman
Wolf played harmonica and guitar and his bands were always musically among the best in Chicago.
All of these books provide insight into the music and personalities that helped shape Chicago blues and set standards for what were referred to as “harmonica bands”
Paul Butterfield - Blues Harmonica Master Class Book/Online Audio
Paul Butterfield Teaches Blues Harmonica is part of the Listen and Learn series from Homespun. Paul explains some of his playing techniques that made him famous such as note-bending, tongue-blocking, and tremolo. Includes online access to audio for download or streaming, using the unique code inside this book.
Finally, a website bio about James Cotton. Not a book but an inclusive story that is mostly true.
Cotton (and Jr Wells) weren’t just under the wing of Sonny Boy II (Alec Rice Miller). As boys, both players lived with and learned from him. He also played 2nd or 3rd harmonica in the bands of Junior Parker and Howlin’ Wolf. And he was the most important blues harmonica player on the rock circuit of the late 60s. Despite the claim on the website, he did not play Seydel harmonicas for his entire career. They came along probably over 40 years into his career. Like everyone else, he initially played Marine Bands. Maybe a book will be written. Important player and influencer.
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Little Walter “Blues with a Feeling” very academic and thorough.
Much more enjoyable read about that time period is “Machers and Rockers” about Chess Records.
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Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers with is a cursory look at a very broad range of harmonica players.
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Adam Gussow’s second Memoir “My Family & I A Mississippi Memoir” which is a fun read and makes me want to read his first one “Mr. Satan’s Apprentice.”
There is a William Clarke biography that I haven’t read yet, but intend to.
The Music Lesson by Victor Wooten if you haven’t read it. Fun fictional semi-autobiographical book. Kind of like “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” but related to music. Lots of musical/metaphysical cool concepts to consider.
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The William Clarke bio is aright. Not quite what I hoped for, but informative.
Blowin’ Like Hell: The William Clarke Story
By: Paul Barry
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Here’sHogies contribtion [quote=“Hogie.Harmonica, post:7, topic:23786, full:true”]
Just finished Beyond Breath by Shane, it’s great.
I’ve enjoyed Roly Platt, Howard Levy, and Adam Gussow books.
Others:
Chromatic harp method books by Max de Aloe and Jim Hughes
The Harp Handbook
Turbocharge your harmonica
The Art of Practicing
David Baker jazz education books
Jamie Abersold red book (it’s free). Think of this as a jazz theory book.
Any book on orchestration. I seem to recall reading Forsyth in high school.
Any music theory book used in a college music theory class. Carl Schacter is what I have. There may be others that are easier to digest.
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@scott4 The book harmonica For dummies is very comprehensive. It cover just about every aspect of the harp.