Yvonnick is from Paris, France, and has lived in New York for seventeen years
Was originally only supposed to stay for one year in New York as an exchange student from Sorbonne university in France
Had long dreamed of meeting jazz heroes in New York but was a big change and culture shock
Level of musicianship is very high in New York
Paris was a hotbed of jazz in the 1940s/50s/60s
When the young Yvonnick was learning jazz in Paris he met some American musicians, mainly from the Free Jazz genre
Level of jazz musicianship is very high these days due to online resources
Studies at Sorbonne university included two music degrees, with first degree focused on musicology
Professor at Sorbonne university started a jazz history course and helped Yvonnick move to New York
Didn’t study on the Chromatic harmonica during first course Sorbonne university, which was more general music studies
Diatonic harmonica was first instrument played, followed by guitar and played blues on these for a few years, with jazz coming later
Is an accomplished diatonic player and played jazz on the diatonic until age seventeen
Studied with Greg Zlap, JJ Milteau and Sebastien Charlier
Yvonnick’s early band in Paris playing jazz standards on diatonic
Played overblows for jazz playing on diatonic
Still plays diatonic everyday and teaches diatonic
Reason why decided to play jazz on the chromatic instead of diatonic
Was spending a lot of time customising diatonics to set-up to play jazz and the technical challenges of the diatonic
Loves the evenness of the timbre of the chromatic, which makes it easier to play jazz than on a diatonic
Diatonic harmonica has a lot of technical challenges to play jazz, although lots of young players using it very well
Believes it’s easier to start playing jazz on the chromatic compared to the diatonic
But if you love the sound of the diatonic then choose that, or play both diatonic and chromatic
Passion is the important thing
In 2012 started studying at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in New York
Yvonnick kept requesting for extensions for his stay in New York so went to Colombia university for 6 months
Chromatic was main instrument at the New School as they were very free on the instrument that could be used
Studied with some jazz greats at the New School including Charlie Persip and Lee Konitz
How chromatic harmonica was received on New York jazz scene depends on the context, with jam sessions being highly competitive
Mic in jam sessions can be an unknown quantity and harmonica needs highs turned down and a little reverb
Was well received by some of the musicians in New York
Is a bandleader including in the Yvonnick Prene Quartet and Padam Swing and has released seven albums under his own name
Important as a harmonica player to lead your own projects as the instrument is not as in demand as others
Padam Swing was a gypsy jazz band Yvonnick put together
Wonderful World album from 2014 is with Padam Swing
How Yvonnick started playing gypsy jazz
Gypsy can be a good entry point to jazz as chord progressions not so complex, but rhythms are!
Likes to explore different styles of music
First album, Jour de Fête, was released in 2013, just after completing studies and made to help obtain US visa
Released a Toots tribute album in 2015, Merci Toots, with guitarist Pasquale Grasso
Breathe album released in 2016
New York Moments album (2019) has a song dedicated to Greg Zlap, who Yvonnick learnt diatonic from when young in Paris
Listen album from 2023 played in a quintet and featuring the chromatic alongside tenor saxophone
Recorded in the Van Gelder studio, where lots of Blue Note albums recorded, booth blew up when Yvonnick was recording the Listen album
Latest album is Jobim’s World (2024), based around the music of Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim and is a duo with Geoffrey Keezer on piano
Working on touring the Jobim’s World album in 2025
Also performs with other pianists
Recently played some concerts in Paris including a concert recorded on radio France with pianist Manual Rocheman
Has recorded many sessions as a sideman with other artists
Enjoys playing with vocalists
Has been hired to play at events, such as a perfume company
Runs the New Harmonica School in New York
Also has an online harmonica tutorial website called My Harmonica Studio
Has written numerous harmonica tutorial books
Focused on teaching for a few years, but now is concentrating more on playing
Has played in some great venues, including the Blue Note and Birdland in New York, and a gig in Africa in the Ivory Coast
Jazz players need to work on longer term goals, really mastering scales and inversions
Meets so many people who don’t know the notes on the chromatic harmonica and just play by ear
Also to leave some time to have fun in your practise and also to learn some tunes
Advise for people who want to get into playing jazz: listen to jazz, start with simpler tunes, scales, jazz blues
Have some knowledge, have a good sound, know the notes of chords, scales and intervals
Jazz is played in the moment so need to react fast, have good ears, a good sense of time and rhythm
Yvonnick is an ambassador for Hohner an a reseller for their new Xpression Chromatic, on which he has his face on the box
Does some set-up of the Xpression before selling them
Features of the Xpression chromatic
Embouchre: Yvonnick started puckering but also does lots of tongue blocking for playing intervals
Still plays plenty of diatonic harmonica and recording of an Eminem song with a singer
Mics: has tried many, including SM58 and Audio-Technica condenser
New favourite mic is Beyerdynamic M88
Amps previously include the Fishman Acoustic and Roland. Now using a Henriksen amp originally designed for jazz guitar
Bought an extension cabinet for the amp recently so other band members can hear the harmonica
Effects: tried a lot of pedals in the pandemic, but returned most of them, and now uses just a little reverb with the M88 mic and Henriksen amp
Always have to diversify and not go into auto pilot to be able to make it as a harmonica player
Future plans: has started working on a new project
