| The German
manufacturers export all over the world thanks to customized models |
"1'Epatant" and "La Marseillaise" for France, the
"King George" and "Alliance Harp" for the UK, the "El
Centenario" for Mexico, and even harmonicas on small chains for "pocketless
populations" !
 |
|
 During the first World War,
various organizations offer harmonicas to the soldiers, English or German. There is even a
"Kaiser Wilhelm" model !
|
| The roaring 20's |
The first harmonica recordings were cut in the
early 20's in the U.S., although a scene from a silent movie in 1894 showed a softshoe
duet with one dancer also playing a mouth organ. (Does anybody have further information
about even earlier recordings ?)
The chromatic harmonica was also invented in the twenties and obtained a tremendous
success in popular music. Buster KEATON himself was a spokesman for the instrument in
1924. |
|
The Borrah Minevitch Rascals and many other harmonica groups haunt the
stages all over the country.
Young Larry Adler becomes the first (and remains the only!) international star of the
harmonica. |
Larry ADLER :
a star is born |
 |
| The 1930's
|
In Germany, the harmonica just barely escapes
the dubious honor of becoming the "people's instrument".
At the time, millions of Marine Bands a year were sold throughout
the U.S., as well as many similar models. In 1929 the "Harmonica Band Movement"
devoted to "keeping the kids off the street", counted up to 4.250 organizations
with up to 45.000 musicians. |
Things are moving
fast in the US...
 34 seconds
|
The depression, then the Second World War
brings lots of people from the South to the cities of the North and to the West coast.
This will hasten the destiny of the small instrument. In Chicago, harmonicists Jazz Gillum
and John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson are some of the most popular artists among
the black community. |
| The war is over... |
 In Europe, Larry Adler plays for the
allied troops in Nuremberg. In order to locate the Hohner factory, he searches from above
in a small plane, using a picture of the factory drawn on a harmonica box as a guide!
|
 |
Everywhere, soldiers are returning home. There
is electricity in the ghettos and in the blues too ! The call of the harmonica is now
amplified thanks to certain young musicians from the south: Little Walter, Junior Wells,
Snooky Prior... who give the "Mississippi Saxophone" a new dimension: fronting
the band! |
| In France...
|
 Boosted by the 1947 international hit
" Peg o' My Heart" by the Harmonicats, a handful of fans creates "Le Tour
de France de l'Harmonica", giving birth to numerous mouth organ combos.
Among them was the still famous "Trio Raisner".
|
The late 50's :
the Blues comes back in the saddlebags of Rock n' Roll |
Rock 'n Roll sweeps the sleeping musical
landscape ; the harmonica is reborn between the lips of young artists whose inspiration is
deeply anchored in the blues. They spread the good news to the whole world : the harmonica
is alive and still going strong!
Muddy Waters with Jerry Portnoy |
