…so do I, but last Thursday I had the privilege of meeting and playing some tunes with a harmonica player who is without peer in “celtic” music in my humble opinion. His name is Jean Sabot and he lives in Brittany, but last week he was on holiday in Cornwall with his family. He and I scoffed fish ‘n’ chips on the seafront at St Ives, then we went to the session at the Western Hotel (if you were there and you happen to be a chiffer, thanks for having us and making us so welcome). The atmosphere was quiet but appreciative, and Jean and I played a lot of Irish tunes, he on his diatonic or chromatic harps, all tuned by him to his own requirements, and I on my humble 10-holes or tremolos. Whenever he struck up a tune the whole pub fell silent, awe-struck by the sheer talent of the man. His rhythmic drive, timing and ornamentation were spot-on, and, what’s more, totally in keeping with the spirit of the music. He has beautiful tone and makes no attempt to “bluesify” the music. Apart from ITM tunes he has a large repertoire of Scottish, Breton and French-Canadian tunes. He can play fast reels on the harmonica and mandolin at the same time (and I ain’t talking about strumming!). If you don’t think the harmonica has a place in our genre, possibly because you’ve heard a little too much bending/wah-wah/wailing/crummy tremolo, you should listen to this bloke and you just might reconsider. The man’s a genius - yet this week he’s gone back to work teaching maths…sigh! You can check him out at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jsabot/accueilan.htm The album “Harmoníca, víolon” is especially fine.
I really enjoyed the sample recordings at his website. It seems to me that the harmonica, being in the same family with the accordion and all, sounds not at all strange playing Irish music. It’s hard for me, as a beginning whistle player, to imagine playing a fast reel at all let alone playing on the mandolin at the same time!
Thanks for posting the info Steve. I’m not a harmonica player but the music is just great! And I like Jean’s website, simple, clean and direct and easy to navigate.
I can’t even play nursery rhymes properly on the whistle, and I’ve been trying for 20 years There’s something seriously wrong with whatever pathway connects my fingertips to my brain but I can’t put my finger on it Stick with it Cynth - we’re all good at something!
C’mon, Cynth - you like cats, birds, flowers, peace and quiet…you’re good at LIFE! You’ll be in the all-Ireland whistle finals before you know what’s happening!
OMG, do I really have the honor of adressing Steve Shaw! The real Steve Shaw, the Harmonica Man Steve Shaw?
I’ve listen to your playing and trust me your as good as Jean Sabot. Yes sir ree my friend. Jean Sabot is by far one of the few top harmonica players, but so is Steve Shaw The Harmonica Man.
I’m trying to teach myself to play a harmonica (and the Penny Whistle) and I’ve listen to your playing quite a bit. I’m trying to learn several different styles, celtic, folk, country. I’m not so much into the boues thing though. I do like the older style blues music (the slow easy going type) but this stuff they call blues today is nothing but old time rock and roll with a bunch of bent notes in it. Not my thing at all.
Anyway you folks are correct, the harmonica does sound like a concertina. I’ve played the same songs on both and you cannot tell the differance.
Well Cynth, if Big Brother has “D” list celebs on it that makes me a “Z” list person. You’re a lovely fellow, Bearbro. I owe you a pint or six! But Jean is a real world-class musician, never mind the instrument or genre…
Steve, I’m not trying to give you the big head or anything. And I agree Jean Sabot is a world class musician, but don’t sell yourself short my friend. When it comes to the harmonica your right up there with him. And thats a fact.
As far as the pint goes, I don’t do anything stronger then soda’s so I’ll pass on that. Thanks for the offer.
Criag, that all depends on the one playing the music. One can start off a note on the concertina softly or hard, depending on the amount of pressure one applies on the bellows. If you apply just a little pressure then it sounds the same as a harmonica. On the other hand if one starts a note on a harmonica sharply and tonguing a “Tee” sound at the same time it sounds just like a hard note on the concertina.
As with many instruments, there is a difference between the sounds that you can make with the instrument and the sounds you typically make with the instrument. I have little doubt that a skilled harmonica player could do a good concertina imitation and vice versa, but when the performer is not actively trying to deceive I think most folks would do pretty well in a blindfolded test.
The harmonica has the potential for certain aspects of expressive playing, such as note-bending and variation of tone, that you don’t get on the concertina (don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying that the concertina can’t be expressive!). I’ve always held that you can overdo this in ITM on the harmonica, especially in a session setting, but that isn’t to say that it can’t employ something of its own unique voice whilst still being thoroughly sympathetic to the music. To my ear the concertina has a slightly drier quality to its tone. You could imitate this I suppose by opening up your hand-cup, avoiding bends and playing from the head, but why would you want to?
There’s something seriously wrong with whatever pathway connects my fingertips to my brain but I can’t put my finger on it 
