I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I was blowin’ soft while Bobby sang the blues.
— “Me and Bobby McGee”
Kris Kristofferson
Who doesn’t love the sound of the harpoon, also known as the harp or harmonica? This little instrument has been a favorite of musicians playing blues blues, rock, country, folk, Americana and countless other genres of music since its invention in Europe in the early 19th century. And now the Union County Arts Council is offering a harmonica workshop that will help musicians, and non-musicians, of all levels to improve their harmonica playing.
Buffalo’s own living legend, Freddie Vanderford, will lead the two-hour workshop that will be geared to novice players as well as more accomplished musicians. Vanderford, a harmonica virtuoso in his own right, was awarded the South Carolina Folk Heritage Award in 2009 for his commitment to keeping Piedmont Blues harp music alive.
“What I’ll do in this workshop is help the students develop a feel for rhythm patterns as they apply to blues, country, folk and other styles of music,” said Vanderford. “I’ll divide the students into different groups based on their familiarity with the harmonica and go from there.”
Each workshop participant must bring a harmonica in the key of “C” and be ready to not only learn new techniques, but to also spend a very enjoyable two hours with a master of the instrument. Students will be instructed in playing single notes, note bending and other harmonica basics. More advanced students will be given exercises to improve their playing.
The workshop will be held at the UCAC gallery/office on Main Street in Union on Saturday, May 19 and run from 3-5 p.m. Pre-registration is required for this workshop.
For more information about this and other UCAC programs call 864-429-2817, email us at ucac@bellsouth.net or follow us on Facebook.
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