Skip's Harp Site: Harmonica Homepage
Chicago is my sweet home; I'm a long-time recovered New Yorker. My teaching and playing are mostly at the Old Town School of Folk Music but also elsewhere in the Midwest. Garth Taylor and I were the featured entertainment at the Midwest Outsider Art Fair in Harbert, Michigan from the mid-90's to 2007, during the last two years with MK Ness, Matt Dressel, and Tom Shea as Patent Medicine. In 2007 my wife Fran and I were members of the Hump Night Thumpers when we won the 25th annual Battle of the Jug Bands in Minneapolis (see details elsewhere on the site!) We now play both with the Hump NIght Thumpers and Strictly Jug Nuts.
The great Chicago performers of the past and present are my ongoing inspiration. That includes the blues greats, and also the folks who play gospel, Irish, swing, country, jug-band music: most everything. I love it all.
Oh yes, and I also teach autoharp -- my first instrument! (Ringing autoharp harmonies offset the screaming blues.)
As a Chicagoan, I revel in our people, neighborhoods, cultures, music, and -- I'll readily admit this -- I especially enjoy Chicago hot dog stands and the tradition of the Chicago hot dog. I love hot dog conversations and will readily swap recommendations.
If after lthis visit you think, "hey, maybe learning some harp (or more harp) is something for me," feel free to email me (NOT at the above address, but at skiplandt@sbcglobal.net). Or give me a call; we can talk about it: I'm in the phonebook.
Skip
To hear my harp playing, go the music section of this site. The wonderful MK Ness is singing the Frankie and Johnny story with my harp behind her. The track was recorded for the Old Town School Songbook Project. The guitar is Garth Taylor, backed by Matt Dressel (bass) and Tom Shay (percussion).
