Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Neil Warren interview

Jan 5, 2024

Neil Warren, a musician who started out playing blues harmonica, discusses his progression into jazz and folk music. He currently plays in two bands, one acoustic and one electric. The conversation focuses on the origins and goals of the Happy Hour Harmonica podcast, favorite moments from the first 100 episodes, and the interviewee's efforts to document harmonica players. They also discuss playing in multiple bands, the fascination with a skilled one man band, different harmonica tunings, and future plans for the podcast.

59:59

Episode guests

Neil Warren

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Neil Warren started playing harmonica after being inspired by Bruce Willis on the Moonlighting TV show and his album The Return of Bruno.

Neil Warren helped organize the chromatic weekend festival for the UK National Harmonica League.

Neil Warren discusses how he sources and interviews harmonica players on his podcast, the Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast.

Deep dives

Playing harmonica inspired by Bruce Willis

Neil Warren started playing harmonica after being inspired by Bruce Willis on the Moonlighting TV show and his album The Return of Bruno.

Introduction

2min

Documenting Harmonica Players and Early Inspiration

18min

Playing in Multiple Bands

21min

The Fascination with a Skilled One Man Band and Sponsorship

2min

Different Tunings and Stories of Harmonica Players

10min

Success and Future Plans for the Podcast

4min

Discovering new music and plans for the future

3min

Tom Ellis interviews Neil Warren on episode 101.

Neil started out playing blues harmonica in his hometown of Blackburn (with it’s 4000 holes). He progressed into learning jazz, taking jazz chromatic lessons for several years, and then folk music. Neil currently plays in two bands around his local area, an acoustic act playing blues and folk, and an electric band playing different genres, such as ska and funk and blues, including use of the DM48 midi chromatic.

He has won three categories of competitions at the UK National Harmonica League festival and helped organise the Chromatic Weekend festival for them for several years.

The discussion then turns to focus on the Happy Hour Harmonica podcast, how it got started, how he sources the people to interview, what the podcast tries to do and some of his own favourite moments from the first 100 episodes.

Links:

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com/

Contact podcast:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com/contact/

Transcription website:
https://www.harptranscripts.co.uk/

Harp Keys: showing key of harmonica used on over 1000 songs:
https://www.harptranscripts.co.uk/harpkeys.html

Rev John and the Revelations:
https://revjohnh490546051.wordpress.com/

Greg Mayston band:
https://www.folkbluesandamericana.com/

Harmonica UK (was National Harmonica League):
https://www.harmonica.uk/

Videos:
Roseanne soundtrack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSE51IAUZ3M

Dark Eyes at UK Chromatic Weekend:
https://youtu.be/fh664YnZcFc?si=mowTd5gPtJJdBvNc

Blair Athol (Scottish folk song):
https://youtu.be/eZ-FT48q05Q

Blowing The Family Jewels:
https://youtu.be/fnOZrIr7AE4

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

or sign-up to a monthly subscription to the podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/995536/support

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram

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