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Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Steve Baker interview

March 14, 2021 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 34

Chapters

Steve was born in London before moving to Germany in his early 20s

Early influences were Duster Bennett and Paul Butterfield

Also learnt guitar at same time as harmonica and made a connection between the two

Blues scene around London at the time

Started long association playing with guitarist Dick Byrd

Formed own band, No Mercy, in 1975, and has worked as a professional musician ever since

Invited to play in Germany in 1976, and stayed there as conditions for musicians is better than UK

Went to Arken in Germany at first

Have Mercy had four harmonica players in the line-up, including Rory McLeod

Have Mercy band may well have been the first of the Folk Punk genre

Went to the great music scene in Hamburg

Played with Tony Sheridan for ten years

Did lots of session work in Germany and played in a band called Tuff Enough

Played with Abi Wallenstein through the 1990s

Started playing with Chris Jones

Gotta Look Up album with Chris Jones contains Double Crossed and Blue song

Steve has spent a lot of his career playing as part of a duo

Has played with a band in recent years and is now playing acoustic only material

Played with Dick Byrd for 40 years

Has made lots of melodic recordings on harmonica

Has used the major seventh tuning extensively on his recordings

Two recent albums with full Live Wire band

Steve has created several well known harmonica tuition resources, including the play along tracks

Playalong tracks were popular in China, and Steve was invited to China as a result

Playalong tracks are part of a Blues Harp app available on smartphones

Steve helped set-up the Trossingen festivals and how became a consultant for Hohner

How the Harmonica Masters Workshop came about

Received SPAH Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 for longstanding work in harmonica

Steve was involved in re-designing the Hohner Pro Harp, and the CX12

Steve Baker Special harmonica from Hohner

Been involved in development of the Marine Band range: Deluxe and Crossover

10 minute question

Embouchre and difference in tone from tongue-blocking

HB52 Harp Blaster mic, which Steve also helped develop

Marble is Steve’s amp of choice

Info

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Steve Baker interview

Mar 14, 2021 Season 1 Episode 34

Neil Warren

Steve Baker moved from his native London in his early 20s to become part of the vibrant music scene in Hamburg. His brand of punk folk won him recognition and he was soon a regular on the German session circuit, as well as collaborations in various bands and duos, with his best work coming working alongside Chris Jones.

Steve has long been a consultant to Hohner, and was instrumental in the development of the modern incarnations of the Marine Band: the Deluxe and the Crossover, as well as other Hohner innovations. He has released a body of instructional material and helped set-up the Trossingen festival and the Harmonica Masters Workshop, which runs in the same town three out of every four years.

Select the Chapter Markers tab above to jump to different sections of the podcast.

Links:
Steve's website
http://www.stevebaker.de/news_en_6.html

Videos:
YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsgaR1LVVqVT7u_Ud5jpEQ

Tutorials videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5dC3pKSfIt4vSp9RT75I_KHaULc45e7u

The Baker Family Live in Lockdown:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5dC3pKSfIt6AFZyMJtYBF55-e2aH9SkX

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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Steve Baker moved from his native London in his early 20s to become part of the vibrant music scene in Hamburg. His brand of punk folk won him recognition and he was soon a regular on the German session circuit, as well as collaborations in various bands and duos, with his best work coming working alongside Chris Jones.

Steve has long been a consultant to Hohner, and was instrumental in the development of the modern incarnations of the Marine Band: the Deluxe and the Crossover, as well as other Hohner innovations. He has released a body of instructional material and helped set-up the Trossingen festival and the Harmonica Masters Workshop, which runs in the same town three out of every four years.

Select the Chapter Markers tab above to jump to different sections of the podcast.

Links:
Steve's website
http://www.stevebaker.de/news_en_6.html

Videos:
YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsgaR1LVVqVT7u_Ud5jpEQ

Tutorials videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5dC3pKSfIt4vSp9RT75I_KHaULc45e7u

The Baker Family Live in Lockdown:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5dC3pKSfIt6AFZyMJtYBF55-e2aH9SkX

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

Steve was born in London before moving to Germany in his early 20s

Early influences were Duster Bennett and Paul Butterfield

Also learnt guitar at same time as harmonica and made a connection between the two

Blues scene around London at the time

Started long association playing with guitarist Dick Byrd

Formed own band, No Mercy, in 1975, and has worked as a professional musician ever since

Invited to play in Germany in 1976, and stayed there as conditions for musicians is better than UK

Went to Arken in Germany at first

Have Mercy had four harmonica players in the line-up, including Rory McLeod

Have Mercy band may well have been the first of the Folk Punk genre

Went to the great music scene in Hamburg

Played with Tony Sheridan for ten years

Did lots of session work in Germany and played in a band called Tuff Enough

Played with Abi Wallenstein through the 1990s

Started playing with Chris Jones

Gotta Look Up album with Chris Jones contains Double Crossed and Blue song

Steve has spent a lot of his career playing as part of a duo

Has played with a band in recent years and is now playing acoustic only material

Played with Dick Byrd for 40 years

Has made lots of melodic recordings on harmonica

Has used the major seventh tuning extensively on his recordings

Two recent albums with full Live Wire band

Steve has created several well known harmonica tuition resources, including the play along tracks

Playalong tracks were popular in China, and Steve was invited to China as a result

Playalong tracks are part of a Blues Harp app available on smartphones

Steve helped set-up the Trossingen festivals and how became a consultant for Hohner

How the Harmonica Masters Workshop came about

Received SPAH Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 for longstanding work in harmonica

Steve was involved in re-designing the Hohner Pro Harp, and the CX12

Steve Baker Special harmonica from Hohner

Been involved in development of the Marine Band range: Deluxe and Crossover

10 minute question

Embouchre and difference in tone from tongue-blocking

Chromatic

HB52 Harp Blaster mic, which Steve also helped develop

Marble is Steve’s amp of choice

Future plans