Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Filip Jers interview

February 07, 2021 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 32
Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast
Filip Jers interview
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Show Notes Chapter Markers

Filip can be described as the complete harmonica player, being adept on the diatonic, chromatic and bass harmonicas, as well as being able to play numerous other instruments.
He started out on diatonic, with a love of the blues before submerging himself into the overblow style of play pioneered by Howard Levy.
Filip is the first harmonica player in the 300 year history of Sweden’s Royal Academy of Music to be accepted to study there. It is here he explored the range of possibilities of the chromatic harmonica as a jazz instrument.
Still only 34 years old, Filip already has a great catalogue of albums to his name, with releases focused on jazz, Swedish folk, blues and pop, and fusions between them made to great effect.
He loves to teach the harmonica and has just launched a new online resource to share his deep knowledge of both diatonic and chromatic. 

Select the Chapter Markers tab above to select different sections of the podcast (website version only).

Links:
Filip's website:
http://www.filipjers.com/

Filip's new teaching site:
http://www.patreon.com/filipjersharmonica

Filip's Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/filipjersmusic

Filip's Instagram page:
http://instagram.com/filipjersharmonica


Videos:
Filip's YouTube channel:
http://youtube.com/filipjersmusic

Duet with self on Someday My Prince Will Come:
https://youtu.be/23pQMP7UNLU

Workshop: How to structure practise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8loZS9fvl4


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/

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Filip is from Sweden, now living in Stockholm
Was first harmonica player in 300 years to study at the Royal Academy
One of few harmonica players with formal music qualifications
Started teaching at the university later on, but decided to work as a freelance musician
How the young Filip selected the harmonica from the various instruments he played
Picked up harmonica age 14 after hearing harmonica on pop records, and then blues
Father played some harmonica and guitar
First harmonica was a diatonic, and Filip started learning overblows, learning jazz on diatonic
Bought first chromatic age 18, at Trossingen World Harmonica festival
Why Filip decided to play harmonica over other instruments
Almost became an accordion teacher
Winning two categories at the World Harmonica Championship in 2005 made Filip focus on harmonica
Plays a wide range of genres, which started out when studying on the Royal Academy course
Stockholm has a good music scene
First album was with Stockholm Lisboa Project, for which they won an award
Met Toots Thielemans on a few occasions as Toots appeared in Sweden
Formation of the Filip Jers Quartet from meeting bandmates on Royal Academy course
Debut solo album: Spiro, on which Filip played numerous harmonicas and all the other instruments
Aka Med album: jazz-folk fusion
First album with Filip Jers Quartet
Making albums, and place of CDs in today’s market
New Scandinavian Harmonica album
Second Filip Jers Quartet album: Plays Swedish Folk, which won Swedish Grammy award
Live at the Victoria album: blues
Filip’s early influences on harmonica
Duo album with guitar player: jazz
Filip has a split screen video of Someday My Prince Will come where he plays guitar and harmonica
Gotland Jazz Trio album in 2019
Filip’s recordings as a side man
Teaching resources available from Filip, including new online Patreon site
Filip studied online with Howard Levy for some time
Some of the many awards Filip has won
Has toured around many countries, including to West Africa
Played for the Swedish King
Featured in a documentary in Sweden, called ‘Harmonica Man’
Ten minute question
How to use playing other instruments to benefit harmonica
Benefits of playing both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas
Practising bass harmonica
Filip is a Suzuki endorsee and chromatics and diatonic harmonicas of choice
Different tunings and different keyed chromatics
Embouchre
Amps and mics
Future plans