Butterfield Tutorial.

A few months back I discovered that Paul Butterfield had produced a harmonica tutorial book with accompanying CD. It was first published in 1997, ten years after his death at the age of 44.

Butterfield was one of the first Chicago blues harp players to cross the racial and cultural divide. He had his own style and has become an icon for blues harp players.

I decided to take a punt and order a copy of the book/CD. It was a real surprise. The CD in particular is an absolute gem!

Butterfield doesn’t really give a traditional tutorial. There’s hardly a mention of the holes to ‘suck or blow’, at one point he says, “These notes, just search around for them, they’re there”.

But it’s the tone of his approach that works for me; he’s so relaxed and mellow. Straight from the first simple riff Butterfield is operating bends , tremolo and other articulations. There is an excellent piece near the middle where he reminisces about other harp players like Little Walter, Sonny Boy, etc.

The tutorial is not for newbie players. It suits the intermediate players.