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Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Marko Jovanovic interview

January 27, 2023 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 78

Chapters

Marko was born in Munich but now lives in Berlin

Has Serbian (former Yugoslavia) roots

Runs a harmonica workshop in Croatia every year after previously teaching in Tuscany, Italy

Marko started out on harmonica age 13 after hearing lots of harmonica through father

Uncle showed Marko how to play

Harmonica was first instrument, after failed attempt to build a guitar

Also plays some bass and piano

Started out on diatonic harmonica playing blues, picking up the chromatic a little later

Can play some things on chromatic that can’t play on diatonic, and vice-versa

First started learning chromatic to tackle a jazz song in Ab for a recording session

Alan Wilson from Canned Heat was one of first harmonica players to inspire Marko

Howard Levy was another inspiration

Also drew inspiration from other musicians beyond harmonica players

Marko has recorded lots of different genres

How other instruments have influenced Marko’s harmonica playing, including African music

Prefers the smaller ensemble of duos / trios, to give the harmonica more space

Playing more and more acoustically these days

First recorded album was with Lars Vegas and the Love Gloves blues band, who Marko met at a festival in Germany

Joined as a bass player initially with the Love Gloves, but then shared that role so could play more harmonica

How Marko learned the upright bass in 10 days

How bass guitar has informed harmonica playing

How Marko incorporates techniques from bass into his harmonica teaching

Played chamber music with the Ensemble Piaccordia after spending some time learning accordion

Plays mostly diatonic with the Ensemble Piaccordia

Blues duo with Peter Crow, first blues guitar partner Marko played with

Some of the more modern harmonica players who influenced Marko

Marko learnt to appreciate early blues through Peter Crow

Did harmonica and guitar workshops with Peter Crow

Little Sam Lud is another duo Marko has performed with

Played in the Sahara with Little Sam Lud

Versatility of the harmonica

Duo with Branko Gallic

Approach to playing Balkan music and ornamentation

Played Arabic music with Trio Fanolic - Culap - Jovanovic

Latest album is ‘Big Love’ with guitarist Georgi Sareski

Marko has a collection of archive recordings on his website

Founded the Berlin Harmonica School

Releasing online video tutorials with different players, including Joel Andersson (Irish harmonica) and Santiago Alvarez (Argentine tango)

Berlin Harmonica School started off as group harmonica workshop before moving more online due to Covid pandemic

Hold face-to-face workshops in Croatia and Berlin

Quality tutorial videos versus YouTube (which also has lots of great content)

Marko provides one-on-one lessons to advanced and professional level players

Now runs the FEN harmonica festival every two years

Marko has been a judge and performer on numerous occasions at the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen

Thoughts on harmonica competitions

FEN stands for Fascination Education Network and the principles of the festival

Harmonica is a young instrument, still in its development

10 minute question

Marko plays Hohner diatonics

Uses some of Joel Andersson’s custom harmonicas and thoughts on custom harmonicas

Good to practise on lower quality harmonicas as it improves your playing on better quality ones

Some of Joel Andersson’s harmonicas are available through the Berlin Harmonica School website

Plays Suzuki Sirius chromatics

Overblows: uses them but like to think of them as just another note

If you want to learn the diatonic fully then you need to learn 4 techniques of: bending, blow bending, overblowing and overdrawing

Embouchre: uses the technique most appropriate to the music

Uses Schertler amp, which is sold via Berlin Music School website

Mics: uses Shure SM58 and Sennheiser MD441

Uses Electrovoice mic when playing through a tube amp, given to Marko from Bill Barrett

Tube amps of choice: has played a Fender Champ and Princeton and Marble amp

Playing technique much more important than gear

Four new online courses coming out through Berlin Harmonica School: Bill Barrett, William Galison, an advanced diatonic course from Marko, and a flamenco course from Antonio Serrano

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Marko Jovanovic interview

Jan 27, 2023 Season 1 Episode 78

Neil Warren

Marko Jovanovic joins me on episode 78.

Marko is a German player with Serbian roots, from where he developed an interest in playing Balkan music on the harmonica, returning to the region to team up with several acts to release some great music in that genre. He’s also an expert blues player, has played chamber music, Arabic music and much more on both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas.

Marko also runs the successful Berlin Harmonica School, where as well as one-to-one group classes he has some great online video tutorials from players around the world. Offering lessons in a range of different styles, including Irish, Argentinian, and soon to come: more chromatic, flamenco and advanced diatonic harmonica. And he also runs the FEN harmonica festival now too.

Links:
Marko’s website:
https://mjharmonica.com/

Berlin Harmonica School:
https://harmonica-school-berlin.com/

FEN Festival:
https://harmonica-fen-festival.com/

Videos:

Marko’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@mjharmonica/featured

Marko playing On The Road Again with Bluesrudy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ooqHFbmK9k

Playing with Lars Vegas & The Love Gloves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvksaOsXgkY

Playing with George Sareski:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9lVZN76fjo

Playing at Harmonica Masters 2015 Trossingen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtbW9HHAxbU

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Support the Show.

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Marko Jovanovic joins me on episode 78.

Marko is a German player with Serbian roots, from where he developed an interest in playing Balkan music on the harmonica, returning to the region to team up with several acts to release some great music in that genre. He’s also an expert blues player, has played chamber music, Arabic music and much more on both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas.

Marko also runs the successful Berlin Harmonica School, where as well as one-to-one group classes he has some great online video tutorials from players around the world. Offering lessons in a range of different styles, including Irish, Argentinian, and soon to come: more chromatic, flamenco and advanced diatonic harmonica. And he also runs the FEN harmonica festival now too.

Links:
Marko’s website:
https://mjharmonica.com/

Berlin Harmonica School:
https://harmonica-school-berlin.com/

FEN Festival:
https://harmonica-fen-festival.com/

Videos:

Marko’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@mjharmonica/featured

Marko playing On The Road Again with Bluesrudy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ooqHFbmK9k

Playing with Lars Vegas & The Love Gloves:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvksaOsXgkY

Playing with George Sareski:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9lVZN76fjo

Playing at Harmonica Masters 2015 Trossingen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtbW9HHAxbU

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Support the Show.

Marko was born in Munich but now lives in Berlin

Has Serbian (former Yugoslavia) roots

Runs a harmonica workshop in Croatia every year after previously teaching in Tuscany, Italy

Marko started out on harmonica age 13 after hearing lots of harmonica through father

Uncle showed Marko how to play

Harmonica was first instrument, after failed attempt to build a guitar

Also plays some bass and piano

Started out on diatonic harmonica playing blues, picking up the chromatic a little later

Can play some things on chromatic that can’t play on diatonic, and vice-versa

First started learning chromatic to tackle a jazz song in Ab for a recording session

Alan Wilson from Canned Heat was one of first harmonica players to inspire Marko

Howard Levy was another inspiration

Also drew inspiration from other musicians beyond harmonica players

Marko has recorded lots of different genres

How other instruments have influenced Marko’s harmonica playing, including African music

Prefers the smaller ensemble of duos / trios, to give the harmonica more space

Playing more and more acoustically these days

First recorded album was with Lars Vegas and the Love Gloves blues band, who Marko met at a festival in Germany

Joined as a bass player initially with the Love Gloves, but then shared that role so could play more harmonica

How Marko learned the upright bass in 10 days

How bass guitar has informed harmonica playing

How Marko incorporates techniques from bass into his harmonica teaching

Played chamber music with the Ensemble Piaccordia after spending some time learning accordion

Plays mostly diatonic with the Ensemble Piaccordia

Blues duo with Peter Crow, first blues guitar partner Marko played with

Some of the more modern harmonica players who influenced Marko

Marko learnt to appreciate early blues through Peter Crow

Did harmonica and guitar workshops with Peter Crow

Little Sam Lud is another duo Marko has performed with

Played in the Sahara with Little Sam Lud

Versatility of the harmonica

Duo with Branko Gallic

Approach to playing Balkan music and ornamentation

Played Arabic music with Trio Fanolic - Culap - Jovanovic

Latest album is ‘Big Love’ with guitarist Georgi Sareski

Marko has a collection of archive recordings on his website

Founded the Berlin Harmonica School

Releasing online video tutorials with different players, including Joel Andersson (Irish harmonica) and Santiago Alvarez (Argentine tango)

Berlin Harmonica School started off as group harmonica workshop before moving more online due to Covid pandemic

Hold face-to-face workshops in Croatia and Berlin

Quality tutorial videos versus YouTube (which also has lots of great content)

Marko provides one-on-one lessons to advanced and professional level players

Now runs the FEN harmonica festival every two years

Marko has been a judge and performer on numerous occasions at the World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen

Thoughts on harmonica competitions

FEN stands for Fascination Education Network and the principles of the festival

Harmonica is a young instrument, still in its development

10 minute question

Marko plays Hohner diatonics

Uses some of Joel Andersson’s custom harmonicas and thoughts on custom harmonicas

Good to practise on lower quality harmonicas as it improves your playing on better quality ones

Some of Joel Andersson’s harmonicas are available through the Berlin Harmonica School website

Plays Suzuki Sirius chromatics

Overblows: uses them but like to think of them as just another note

If you want to learn the diatonic fully then you need to learn 4 techniques of: bending, blow bending, overblowing and overdrawing

Embouchre: uses the technique most appropriate to the music

Uses Schertler amp, which is sold via Berlin Music School website

Mics: uses Shure SM58 and Sennheiser MD441

Uses Electrovoice mic when playing through a tube amp, given to Marko from Bill Barrett

Tube amps of choice: has played a Fender Champ and Princeton and Marble amp

Playing technique much more important than gear

Four new online courses coming out through Berlin Harmonica School: Bill Barrett, William Galison, an advanced diatonic course from Marko, and a flamenco course from Antonio Serrano