| Harmonica Summit 2013 March 2, 2013 Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame The Jazz Depot 111 E.1st St., Tulsa, OK Doors Open at 11:00am Admission $15 Kids under 14 free (must be accompanied by an adult) |
RJ Mischo–Fayetteville,AR
R. J. Mischo began singing and playing harmonica in the Minneapolis area in the late '70s. His 1992 album Ready to Go, won praises
far and near and still has an unmatched magic about it. Mischo was nominated for several Minnesota Music Academy Awards while in
Minneapolis, and in 1996, he won the award for Best Harmonica Player. After living in San Francisco for several years, RJ recently
relocated to Fayetteville. RJ's electric harmonica workshop will be a favorite for players looking for big, fat harmonica tone. A prolific
recording artist, RJ is currently touring the US and Europe. RJ's newest recording on the Delta Groove label was listed by Living Blues
magazine as on of the top albums of 2012.
Billy Gibson - Memphis, TN
Billy Gibson first picked up the harmonica at a very young age. Gibson’s desire for learning and improving as a musician took him to
Clarksdale, Mississippi. Like many before him, Gibson eventually left Mississippi for Memphis. Gibson’s career has been a constant
progression and immersion into many genres of music, with blues being the foundation and primary inspiration of his artistic
endeavors. Gibson has received many awards, including the Beale Street Entertainer of the Year Award, and a Blues Music Award for
Instrumentalist of the Year in Harmonica. Billy has been in Tulsa twice before for the Harmonica Summit and is an incredibly dynamic
performer. We are pleased to have him back again this year.
John Long - Springfield, MO
John Long, a native of St. Louis, in an extraordinary pre-war country blues player. For 30+ years, he has been honing his craft and
pefecting his art. His singing is eerie and haunting, sounding as close to a 1930s recording as any country blues player. Perhaps it is
because he was an apprentice of Homesick James in Chicago. It is dramatic that this amazing musician has toiled so long in obscurity
and that it took so long for him to emerge out of the shadows. John Long, fingerpicker and slide guitarist and harmonica ace, deserves
to be celebrated as one of the finest practitioners of the traditional blues. While he sounds like the old masters, he performs exciting
and original material with a batch of very cool songs that are as fresh as his arrival on the scene.
Cheryl Arena - Dallas, TX
Cheryl Arena is a singer/songwriter/harp player who grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts area. She started playing harmonica in
1987 and has fronted bands throughout the East Coast and Mid-South. She settled in Dallas in 2005 and has become a staple of the
Dallas blues scene. Cheryl Arena is a powerhouse performer, delivering impressive blues harp virtuosity, accented by her relaxed
vocal style. She is also an incredibly gifted educator and is a favorite coach at Jon Gindick's Harmonica Jam Camp in Clarksdale, MS.
Cheryl’s primary focus has been Blues, but she also has experience in Gospel, Bluegrass and Jazz. Her workshop and her
performance is sure to be a real treat.
Hash Brown - Dallas, TX
Hash Brown is the heart and soul of the Dallas blue scene and has been fronting the Hash Brown Band and the Browntones, playing
guitar and harmonica and writing songs for over 35 years. He has also been featured on guitar and harmonica both on stage and in
the studio with many other local and national blues artists such as ZuZu Bollin, Robert Ealey, Big Al Dupree, Willie WIllis, Barbara Lynn
and Henry Qualls. A former housemate of blues gian Sam Myers, he is perhaps best known as the premier Blues Jam master in
Dallas/Fort Worth. He has hosted Blues Jams all over the metroplex for over 27 years and is known for giving generously of his time
and helping hundreds of young musicians who are just starting out at his jams. Hash Brown is a very accomplished songwriter with
numerous original tunes on his CDs and an uncanny ability to come up with blues songs "on the fly" as he is performing. He is also a
master of all styles of harmonica and blues guitar, as well as a fantastic educator. Hash's musical knowledge and his sense of humor
will make his workshop quite entertaining.
Jimmy “Junior” Markham–Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma Blues legend and Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmy Markham is the heart and soul of harmonica in Tulsa. Known as the
caretaker of the Tulsa Sound, Jimmy's connection to Tulsa's iconic musicians spans decades. Jimmy continues to entertain and carry
on the tradition that makes the Tulsa Sound recognized around the world. He is responsible for bringing this Harmonica Summit to life.
David Berntson–Tulsa, OK
Blues Educator and musician, David Berntson is the recipient of the Blues Foundation’s 2006 Keeping the Blues Alive in Education
Award. David has been performing and presenting Blues Education for over 25 years. David's gifts at connecting with people,
especially children, and his passion for blues and empowering young people are apparent in every one of his presentations.
Mr. Microphone - Kansas City, MO
Dennis Oellig, aka Mr. Microphone, is an expert at building and repairing custom and vintage harmonica microphones. Dennis'
knowledge, gained over decades with a solder gun, helps harmonica players achieve that much sought after, horn-like, harmonica
tone. His workshops are fun and loud!
Jon Popper - Eureka Springs, AR
Jon Popper is a master at finding, repairing and customizing vintage harmonica amplifiers. He has incredible skill and knowledge and
knows how to keep old amplifiers sounding like new. Plus, he blows a mean harp himself! Don't miss his workshop.
R. J. Mischo began singing and playing harmonica in the Minneapolis area in the late '70s. His 1992 album Ready to Go, won praises
far and near and still has an unmatched magic about it. Mischo was nominated for several Minnesota Music Academy Awards while in
Minneapolis, and in 1996, he won the award for Best Harmonica Player. After living in San Francisco for several years, RJ recently
relocated to Fayetteville. RJ's electric harmonica workshop will be a favorite for players looking for big, fat harmonica tone. A prolific
recording artist, RJ is currently touring the US and Europe. RJ's newest recording on the Delta Groove label was listed by Living Blues
magazine as on of the top albums of 2012.
Billy Gibson - Memphis, TN
Billy Gibson first picked up the harmonica at a very young age. Gibson’s desire for learning and improving as a musician took him to
Clarksdale, Mississippi. Like many before him, Gibson eventually left Mississippi for Memphis. Gibson’s career has been a constant
progression and immersion into many genres of music, with blues being the foundation and primary inspiration of his artistic
endeavors. Gibson has received many awards, including the Beale Street Entertainer of the Year Award, and a Blues Music Award for
Instrumentalist of the Year in Harmonica. Billy has been in Tulsa twice before for the Harmonica Summit and is an incredibly dynamic
performer. We are pleased to have him back again this year.
John Long - Springfield, MO
John Long, a native of St. Louis, in an extraordinary pre-war country blues player. For 30+ years, he has been honing his craft and
pefecting his art. His singing is eerie and haunting, sounding as close to a 1930s recording as any country blues player. Perhaps it is
because he was an apprentice of Homesick James in Chicago. It is dramatic that this amazing musician has toiled so long in obscurity
and that it took so long for him to emerge out of the shadows. John Long, fingerpicker and slide guitarist and harmonica ace, deserves
to be celebrated as one of the finest practitioners of the traditional blues. While he sounds like the old masters, he performs exciting
and original material with a batch of very cool songs that are as fresh as his arrival on the scene.
Cheryl Arena - Dallas, TX
Cheryl Arena is a singer/songwriter/harp player who grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts area. She started playing harmonica in
1987 and has fronted bands throughout the East Coast and Mid-South. She settled in Dallas in 2005 and has become a staple of the
Dallas blues scene. Cheryl Arena is a powerhouse performer, delivering impressive blues harp virtuosity, accented by her relaxed
vocal style. She is also an incredibly gifted educator and is a favorite coach at Jon Gindick's Harmonica Jam Camp in Clarksdale, MS.
Cheryl’s primary focus has been Blues, but she also has experience in Gospel, Bluegrass and Jazz. Her workshop and her
performance is sure to be a real treat.
Hash Brown - Dallas, TX
Hash Brown is the heart and soul of the Dallas blue scene and has been fronting the Hash Brown Band and the Browntones, playing
guitar and harmonica and writing songs for over 35 years. He has also been featured on guitar and harmonica both on stage and in
the studio with many other local and national blues artists such as ZuZu Bollin, Robert Ealey, Big Al Dupree, Willie WIllis, Barbara Lynn
and Henry Qualls. A former housemate of blues gian Sam Myers, he is perhaps best known as the premier Blues Jam master in
Dallas/Fort Worth. He has hosted Blues Jams all over the metroplex for over 27 years and is known for giving generously of his time
and helping hundreds of young musicians who are just starting out at his jams. Hash Brown is a very accomplished songwriter with
numerous original tunes on his CDs and an uncanny ability to come up with blues songs "on the fly" as he is performing. He is also a
master of all styles of harmonica and blues guitar, as well as a fantastic educator. Hash's musical knowledge and his sense of humor
will make his workshop quite entertaining.
Jimmy “Junior” Markham–Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma Blues legend and Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmy Markham is the heart and soul of harmonica in Tulsa. Known as the
caretaker of the Tulsa Sound, Jimmy's connection to Tulsa's iconic musicians spans decades. Jimmy continues to entertain and carry
on the tradition that makes the Tulsa Sound recognized around the world. He is responsible for bringing this Harmonica Summit to life.
David Berntson–Tulsa, OK
Blues Educator and musician, David Berntson is the recipient of the Blues Foundation’s 2006 Keeping the Blues Alive in Education
Award. David has been performing and presenting Blues Education for over 25 years. David's gifts at connecting with people,
especially children, and his passion for blues and empowering young people are apparent in every one of his presentations.
Mr. Microphone - Kansas City, MO
Dennis Oellig, aka Mr. Microphone, is an expert at building and repairing custom and vintage harmonica microphones. Dennis'
knowledge, gained over decades with a solder gun, helps harmonica players achieve that much sought after, horn-like, harmonica
tone. His workshops are fun and loud!
Jon Popper - Eureka Springs, AR
Jon Popper is a master at finding, repairing and customizing vintage harmonica amplifiers. He has incredible skill and knowledge and
knows how to keep old amplifiers sounding like new. Plus, he blows a mean harp himself! Don't miss his workshop.
| Artists |
