Ryan is from Connecticut in the US, where he plays regularly around southern New England, and used to play in New York more often
Even New York’s music scene is getting smaller
Ryan is a harmonica, player, vocalist and songwriter
The Blues Brothers album ‘A Briefcase Full of Blues’ was an inspiration to get Ryan started on playing the harmonica
Bought first harmonica age 12 or 13
Neil also loved the album A Briefcase Full of Blues and how Ryan likes to get to the source of the original songs
The first harmonica Ryan played was a Mel Bay one which came with an instructional book, before he bought his first Hohner Marine Band
Bought any harmonica albums he could find in the store
Also played clarinet and saxophone at school, but those instruments didn’t play much of a part in learning the harmonica
Learnt the harmonica by ear and also buying some of the tutorial books around at that time, including the Jon Gindick one
Didn’t rate the Tony Glover ‘Blues Harp’ book as he says it was full of mistakes
The school bands in the US are a good breeding ground for musicians there
In the 1930s a lot of US schools had Harmonica bands
Played in front of people aged 13 or 14 where the bug bit Ryan for performing live
Joined first proper band age 16 and joined first blues band age 19 where he played in clubs underage
Ryan’s day job is a history teacher, but he tries to keep his harmonica life separate from that
Did a degree in Music and Sound Recording and doubled with Music Business
Has been able to put some of learnings from the Music Business qualification, although things have changed a lot since he did that course
Moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s attracted by the blues scene there, and saw how the music industry was decimated by job losses there
Sat in with Rod Piazza a few times when out west
Other musicians Ryan saw in Los Angeles included Rick Holmstrom and Junior Watson
Learnt from observing the harp players on the west coast, rather than taking lessons or direct advice
Ryan plays a lot of great blues chromatic in his recordings, starting playing the chromatic in his teens before he moved to the west coast
Mainly plays blues chromatic, appreciating the ability to learn one pattern and switch chromatics to play in different keys
Occasionally plays styles on chromatic and loves Stevie Wonder and Toots Thielemans
Moved back to the East coast in the year 2000, forming his long term band Ryan Hartt and The Blue Hearts
Ryan Hartt and The Blue Hearts has been one of the top blues bands in the New England area for much of that time
The band mainly plays blues but also some soul, rock, ska and even proto-rock
Ryan is the primary singer in the band
Has always sung because the harmonica players he listened too were also singers, with Little Walter’s My Babe the first song Ryan sang
Became a songwriter because wanted to say something original and not just replay the old songs
Recorded four demo tracks in 1998, in Los Angeles at the same studio as used by William Clarke
Released three albums with The Blue Hearts on his own ‘Far-Tone’ label
Empty Wallet was the first album released with The Blue Hearts in 2003
Second album with The Blues Hearts was Yeah Man in 2005, making the top eight of the Blues Foundation’s ‘Best Self-produced CD Contest’ and latest album also currently in a competition
The Sonny Boy Nighthawk song was played on a Steve Baker Special harmonica
Junior Watson played on four tracks on the Yeah Man album
Rick Holmstrom produced the first two Blues Hearts albums
Call My Name was the third Ryan Hartt and The Blues Hearts album released in 2012
Released first solo album in 2025, Be About It!, which Ryan produced between himself and the bass player
Be About It! has plenty of harmonica on it
Nothing Sweet As You is a melodic song played in first position on a chromatic, although Ryan initially thought he was playing it in third position
All Night Long is a jump saxophone inspired song which includes an overdub so can hear two harmonicas
Breaking Even is Ryan’s favourite song for the lyrics he wrote on the Be About It! album
That’s Right You’re Wrong has another overdub, with the same riff played in second position and then in first position
Does play some overblows sometimes, but not used much
You Belong To Me and the Hawaiian War Chant are two jazz songs played on diatonic, inspired by other harmonica players doing the same, such as Gary Primach and Jerry Portnoy
The Be About It! Album was released in October 2025 and Ryan has been busy promoting the album and hopes to go over to Europe to play
Harmonicas of choice are Hohner Special 20, Suzuki Manji, Suzuki chromatics in different keys and a 16 hole
Mainly plays third position on chromatic, but also some first position
Does some basic set-up himself but doesn’t use custom harps
Uses some of the Lee Oskar natural minor tuned diatonics, including on the song ska-influenced song Kaboom
Likes to use some fifth position
Embouchre: mostly tongue blocking, but mainly bends using puckering
Mics: currently uses a JT30 shell with a CR / CM element from a Green Bullet, also owned an ElectroVoice PE mic as played by Charlie Musselwhite, and played JT39 crystal mics
Amps uses a Fender Tweed Deluxe copy for smaller amp and Sonny Junior for larger amp
Uses a Boss DD3 delay pedal and a Lone Wolf Delay pedal
Future plans are mainly around promoting the new album, including some gigs lined-up in the Connecticut area
