About 500 harmonica gamers have descended onto the San Antonio River Stroll for a conference with a single objective: protect and promote the fading use of harmonica in well-liked music.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Harmonica lovers gathered in San Antonio this week for a conference, filling the River Stroll with a bluesy sound. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan reviews they’re attempting to breathe new life into the instrument within the hopes that the harmonica can reclaim its spot in American music.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
JACK MORGAN, BYLINE: It is about 95 sunny levels on the patio of a close to downtown bar as Claude “Butch” Morgan and Dave Moore lay down a groove. That is an ice breaking gathering for a number of dozen harmonica followers, many from across the nation. The group placing this occasion on is named HOOT – Harmonica Group of Texas. Justin Vasquez is producing the occasion.
JUSTIN VASQUEZ: What I discover actually fascinating concerning the harmonica is the truth that you’ll be able to take this with you and – (taking part in harmonica) – and simply rapidly put out an expression proper out of your pocket.
MORGAN: Vasquez could not be a much bigger fan of one of many world’s smaller devices. For tonight, a band has been put collectively, and one after the other, harmonica gamers rotated all night time, every taking part in with the band for the primary time. Vasquez notes that the harmonica could be very a lot an American story.
VASQUEZ: Yeah. I feel over time, the harmonica has had a really wealthy historical past, particularly with the kind historical past with blues artists. I feel it has fallen out a bit extra as music has develop into a bit extra, you already know, in all probability numerous the stuff is completed rather a lot on laptop.
MORGAN: However not at this occasion.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: (Singing) Folks, one in all y’all obtained to maneuver.
MORGAN: Vasquez appears to view this effort, just like the Blues Brothers, as being on a mission from God to assist harmonica get again its mojo and discover its method again into musical tradition. Jarred Goldweber got here right here from Cleveland, and his harmonica backstory was hilarious.
JARRED GOLDWEBER: My mother pressured me to go to an arts camp once I was 12 years outdated. I didn’t wish to go, kicking and screaming. And she or he goes, I do not care, kicked me out of the automobile, they usually handed a child every a harmonica. They usually go, by the top of the 5 weeks, you may learn to play. And I am like, nice.
MORGAN: And in simply that vogue, he grew to become a harmonica participant. And within the harmonica world, he has a captivating subtalent.
GOLDWEBER: I do rock and metallic solos on harmonica which can be often on guitar, and I convert these over and submit them on Instagram and TikTok. So I’ve finished all the things from Primus to Metallica to Black Sabbath to Fleetwood Mac.
MORGAN: However tonight, he and the band create some killer grooves.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
GOLDWEBER: I feel lots of people underestimate what it is actually able to. There’s some actually unimaginable gamers which can be doing very trendy issues that you do not actually see out on the planet all that always.
MORGAN: Goldpepper (ph) is a real believer within the instrument’s potential. Hedging his guess, although, he went to school.
GOLDWEBER: I am {an electrical} engineer. I went to high school for that. ‘Trigger use of harmonica, I realized about pedals and amplifiers and made me actually inquisitive about electronics, and that is what I do full-time.
MORGAN: Seems the information about harmonicas is not all unhealthy. In line with the harmonica market report, gross sales are anticipated to be up by at the least 4% subsequent yr – a reality which may preserve harmonica gamers from feeling the blues. For NPR, I am Jack Morgan in San Antonio.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional info.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.