About Jazz Harmonica players’ intellectual masturbation

If you play jazz harmonica for more than 20 years as I do, one really forgets about all the difficulties that one had to overcome. Of course I went through (and still go) through many difficult moments. I remember me smashing a harmonica to the wall in several peaces … more than once. But most of them I forgot over the time until I started teaching again. All those difficulties bit by bit came back in my mind when I started coaching other harmonica players again in 2010. It became so clear to me how much intellectual and conceptual thinking was the basis of my playing. It amazes me how a human being processes theoretical information to create highly emotional music with it.

And related to this amount of knowledge is the problem of distraction on stage. It’s only recently that I found clear evidence of the reason why a harmonica player has to “know” so much where other type of instrumentalists like piano players and guitar players pick up things much quicker. It was in the book “This Is Your Brain On Music” by Daniel Levitin that I found the evidence for something that I already felt for a long time. The clue is here:

Why is it that most jazz harmonica players close their eyes while playing?

I for instance can’t play really well with my eyes opened. Especially during a concert where I can see the audience (most of the times the lamps are too bright for you to see anything). It is because the harmonica player has no physical orientation about which note he plays. A piano keyboard is a-symmetrical enough to feel where you are. A saxophone players has specific fingering that is unique to the note he produces. But on the harmonica you have no physical clue at all which of the 12 holes you are playing. So, the only way to not loose track of where you are is by a visual representation of what you play and mentally connect that with what you do.

Recently I spoke with some jazz harmonica players about this topic and it’s interesting that all of the players use some kind of visual representation but it’s different for everyone. For me it’s simple. I started playing organ as a kid so the piano keyboard layout has always been my point of reference. But players with different backgrounds have created other mental models for themselves. Some based on harmonica layout pictures, some use very abstract visualisations, others see themselves play guitar.

Will be continued in PART 2

Interested in jazz harmonica playing? Check out this specialized site: www.jazzharmonica.org hosted by Wim Dijkgraaf himself

My jazz harmonica initiative got reality today!

The site www.jazzharmonica.org is live now.

When I started studying jazz on the harmonica 22 years ago, I was all on my own. I had lessons with some classical and popular chromatic harmonica players but their ideas about style and technique didn’t fit the jazz sound I had in my mind. Every year, the Dutch organisation for accordeon and harmonica organized a nice festival but the audiences there were mainly interested in classical approaches and typical popular styles that the Hotcha Trio had introduced more then half a century before.

22 Years ago, the internet already was a great learning tool and although the connection was slow, Harp-L already was a great device and resource as it still is today. So, I know how it is if you have the passion for an instrument and a playing style but there is no teacher nearby to really help you further.

Probably, that’s the reason why I managed to get all the energy together to get a professional membership site up and running, dedicated to harmonica players that have the same passion to play jazz. This idea started 2 years ago with a blog called “Effortless Harmonica”; inspired by the material of Kenny Werner who has been an important influence on my personal and musical development.

But gradually, people around the word started asking for material that was more related to their learning process and way to approach music. After a year or so, Effortless Harmonica was more about how to apply musical principles to the specifics of the harmonica. So the name Effortless Harmonica became to feel a bit uncomfortable to me and many readers.

Then the idea started to create a platform for other jazz harmonica teachers around the world. Being able to publish personal articles about the ideas of every individual professional and having a shared platform of readers, fans, students, people a-like. In addition, a discussion platform could facilitate the interchange of experiences, ideas and progression among the members. So, a discussion platform was added a month ago. Then, people started asking for high quality download services in order to download the pay-per-view training videos on their local machines. That’s where the Amazon S3 integration was added … you see. What started as a simple HTML website, transformed into a blog and is now a mature membership site with payment facilities for specific lessons.

Would be great to have Gabriel Grossi there, for instance!

Technically my dream came true today. Now I will start the process of getting professional harmonica players and teachers from around the world connected to the site and create amazing content. If you think you can help, please let me know! Let’s see where the future will bring us.

Please take a look at www.jazzharmonica.org and (if you are not already) register as a member. It’s totally free and you’ll be amazed by the quality and level of inspiration amongst the members.

Warm regards,

Wim Dijkgraaf

The beauty of unpredictability. On how simple things turn into complex systems. And on how simple complex systems are. About the relationship between order and chaos. About one fact that is inevitable and the driving force behind diversity: unpredictability.

My inspiration to play and compose music comes from philosophy, physics, mathematics, computation, visual modern arts and the lives of special and ordinary people. The things that make me wonder make my music sound wonderful.

Here an example of a documentary that for me is full of new ideas to reflect in my music. Isn’t it incredible that people dare to use their lives to answer a question like “How big is infinity?”. This documentary makes you see  the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower. It shows that you can hold infinity in the palm of your hand and that you can experience eternity in an hour… .

Interesting how the art world works (a BBC documentary that turns out to be a commercial for British art) … but somehow I like the body of work of Jenny Saville a lot.

Glenn Gould’s performance is part of our message to space!

Here the wonderful portrait written, directed, and narrated by Vincent Tovell and Eric Till. No longer available on tape nor DVD. If it is, please let me know!

One of the most exciting groups in the international brazilian jazz scene. A heart moving album with unique compositions that are a refreshing blend of samba jazz, bossa nova and impressionistic classical influences.
ArtWork (physical CD only!)

In 2009 I started composing for classical musicians combined with a jazz ensemble and samples of real life sounds. On top of that I improvise on the harmonica. The compositions are insprired by my life here in Brasil. The result is what could be called “chamber jazz” and the album that will be released in 2011 is called “Hidden Landscapes“.

I’am proud to be sideman and one of the main soloists in this remarkable band around singer Fulvia di Domenico.

Fulvia was born in Rome, Italy, and grew up travelling between Africa, France, Spain and Italy itself. She studied languages and literature at the University in Rome but secretly kept cultivating her passion for singing, which grew since childhood.

In 2002 she came to the Netherlands to study Jazz and World music at the Rotterdam’s Conservatory, from where she graduated in 2006.

The band “Fulvia” is an international gathering of musicians who play together since 2003 thanks to their common passion for Brazilian music.

Over the years their musical journey developed into a blend of rhythms, styles and languages. Up-tempo Sambas, delicate Bossa Novas, melancholic Italian folk songs, French Chançons and original compositions are brought together with a twist of Jazz and Dolce Vita.

Her official website: www.fulviadidomenico.com

The Exotic Voice of World Jazz!

I’m very happy to be featured artist for this amazing singer from Portugal; Maria Joao Mendes.

Official Website: http://www.mariajoaomendes.com

“Get to know the voice that enchanted Quincy Jones.”
– Jornal de Notícias, Portugal

“(…) wonderful singer (…) beautiful talent she possesses.”
– Sheila Jordan, USA

“(…) admirable and well done.”
– Helena A.M. Pereira in Semanário Grande Porto, Portugal

Miss Mendes is the winner of the 2009 edition of the prestigious Dutch Jazz competition “Nederlands Jazz Vocalisten Concours”. Well known Jazz singers like Wouter Hamel, Francien van Tuinen and Carmenn Gomes were winners of previous editions. Besides the award she won participation in the 2010-2011 theatre tour of Jazz Impuls.

Recently, Maria João Mendes was awarded with the 3rd prize on the important “2010 Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition”, as part of the famous Montreux Jazz Festival. The president of the jury was jazz legend Quincy Jones, who praised the talent and vocal abilities of this young lady. Miss Mendes was selected out of 75 singers from all over the world to be at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In the history of this important competition she is the first Portuguese being selected and therefore the first Portuguese getting an award.

On the International Jazz Vocal Competition “Jazz Voices 2010” Maria João Mendes was awarded with two prizes: the 2nd prize overall and the 1st prize for Improvisation.

In 2008, Miss Mendes got the 3rd prize at the “Brussels Young Jazz Singers Competition”. This competition had David Linx and Dani Klein (Vaya con Dios) as members of the juri.

In The Netherlands, Maria João Mendes was awarded with the “Your World Publieksprijs” of the competition “Prix du Port”. This is a competition initiated by the biggest European port, the Port of Rotterdam in order to nominate the best young artist from Codarts Rotterdam.

Still in The Netherlands she was nominated for the ERASMUS Jazz Prijs in Rotterdam, as well being awarded with the prestigious HSP Scholarship NufficNetherlands given by the Dutch government to outstanding international students living in The Netherlands.

Maria João Mendes (1985) graduated at ESMAE Music School in Porto (Portugal) where she got her bachelor degree in Jazz singing.
From 2007 untill 2009, Maria João completed her Master degree in Jazz and Brazilian Voice Studies at CODARTS Rotterdam Conservatory. During 2009 she combined her Master studies at the Rotterdam Conservatory with her studies at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, where she studied with David Linx.

From older experiences/projects, some in Portugal/others abroad:
- Maria João at the age of 20, was invited to join the famous Jazz Portuguese Group TRUPE VOCAL with whom she performed concerts and Jazz Festivals in Portugal and abroad;
- In 2007 Maria João was invited by Zé Eduardo, the famous Portuguese double bass player, to join the Portuguese tour of EMJO – European Movement Jazz Orchestra, a project lead and created by the European Union involving young and talented Jazz musicians from Portugal, Germany and Slovenia.
- In June 2008 Maria João Mendes was invited for Woma Jazz Festival in Italy, the only jazz festival in Europe that hosts female music groups.

She studied with:

• Fay Claassen, during her bachelor degree in Portugal and as well during her Master in The Netherlands
• David Linx, during her Master in Brussels, Belgium
• Connie de Jong and Josee Koning, during her Master in The Netherlands
• Luciana Souza, 25 Seminari Internacional de Jazz, Spain
• Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, New York
• Rhiannon, Joey Blake and David Worm, ”Vocale improvisatie door 3 topzangers uit het vocale ensemble Voicestra van Bobby McFerrin”, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Leny Andrade, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Maria Pia de Vito, Italy

and…
Dominique Eade (USA), Kristina Fuchs (BE), Sanna Van Vleigt (NL).
She also did workshops with Diederik Wissels (pianist, composer), Guinga (brazilian guitar player and composer), James Carter (tenor sax), Charlie Haden (double bass), Jason Linder (piano), Steve Wilson (sax), Joe Martin (double bass), Mark Turner (sax).

She had the privilege to play with famous international musicians such as Thomas Gansch, Karel Boehlee, Hans van Oosterhout, Rembrandt Frerichs, Sal La Rocca, Guinga, Nelson Faria…

Her debut album will arrive to the audience soon!