9th Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival 2012

After Singapore in 2010, the 9th "Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival 2012" will take place from 3th to 6th August in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This biennial event is usually the appointment of the Pacific rim: Malaysia, Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Philippines, India, Polynesia, Thailand, Hawaii, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, United States (California), and other participants from around the World.

The organizing committee proposes a lot of activities to be held in the 5-star hotel "Berjaya Times Square" located in the golden triangle of Kuala Lumpur city center. Among other activities: concerts (Howard Levy, Chong Ah Kow, Brendan Power, Harmonicamento, He Jia-Yi, Jean Labre, etc.), seminars, open stages, displays, stands of all brands of harmonicas, eastern cookery courses, tourism. The highlight of the festival will be the World Harmonica competition, including seven categories open to all ages (children, juniors, adults). Note that the previous competition in Singapore (2010) gathered 2530 participants, ensembles included!

Everything is orchestrated by the dynamic Chong Ah Kow, President of the Festival, assisted by Ching Chong Chee. Chong Ah Kow was the first Asian player who won a gold medal at Trossingen in 1989 (category tremolo diatonic).

"We ensure you that your trip coming to Malaysia would become one of the most unforgettable holidays in your travel experience.
Best Regards
Chong Ah Kow & Chong Ching Chee"
Information : http://www.aphf2012.com &
photos : c/o my harmonica world aphf 2012
Published January 20th 2012

Walt Miller Death
Walt Miller, Walter Mueller (registry office), passed away on October 13th in his good city of Basle, Switzerland, at the age of 84. With him, disappeared one of the last great figures of the last century harmonica world, one of the last survivors of the Minevitch legend (photo: third from the left), and of the following adventure.

Not only a virtuoso, Walt was also the inventor of the "Millioniser", "Mini Wind Control", developed by Motorola and Suzuki Instruments : a "blown" synthesizer controlling 8 octaves! It won a worldwide success.
A friend, I met him in New York at the beginning of the fifties at the Century hotel (46th street), where we stayed, him with some "Rascals", I with Air France.
Walt was a virtuoso, perfectionist in the extreme... in the Swiss tradition.
I often visited him at Basle in his residence, his ivory tower. I remember him in his garden, with his two faithful companions, a couple of "Basset Hounds" dogs. Souvenirs.

The harmonica planet is mourning. I offer my very sincere condolences to his family, to whom I associate my friends harmonica players of France.
Jean Labre
Published October 25th 2011

Trossingen 7th Harmonica Masters Workshops 2011

Welcome to the Harmonica Masters Workshops 2011!

THE HARMONICA MASTERS WORKSHOPS once again promise to be the one of the Trossingen's cultural highlights for 2011. In November, the internationally renowned event takes place in Trossingen for the 7th time.
The small town, in the beautiful Black Forest region of the Southern Germany,is the headquarter of the famous reed instrument manufacturer Hohner. The company celebrated its 150th jubilee there in 2007 and Trossingen has hosted countless international harmonica events.
The Harmonica Masters Workshops are without parallel in Europe and combine classes taught by a world class team of instructors with evening concerts and sessions. They offer players the unique opportunity to study their instrument over a period of several days under the guidance of some of today's masters players as well as hanging out with them in the evenings and watching them in action at close quarters.
I hope you'll enjoy surfing our website and look forward to seeing you in Trossingen.
- Steve Baker
Information : http://www.harmonica-masters.de or

Published September 19th 2011

2011 SPAH Convention

As it was announced in our calendar, this convention is going to take place in Virginia Beach (VA 23462), from the 9th to the 13th of August, in the "Holiday Inn Virginia Beach-Norfolk Hotel".
Every year, people coming from everywhere are meeting there at this Uncle Sam "Rendez-Vous", with concerts, seminars, workshops, open stages, ending with a "family" concert dinner.
A colourful poster announces a plethora of great players: Buddy Greene, Robert Bonfiglio, Harmonicamento, Buzz Krantz, Peter Madcat Ruth, Winslow Yerxa & Tuula Cotter, Stan Harper, Sgro Brothers, Jelly Roll Johnson, Steve Baker, Al & Judy Smith, Joe Filisko... and more.
Visitor package for all the convention events will cost you $220 ($175 for SPAH members). The Holiday Inn hotel will offer a room for $99.
Information and booking: http://www.spah.org (Convention 2011) & http://www.hivabeachnorfolk.com, preferably before July 31st.

FRENCH HARMONICA PLAYERS ARE WHISHING A GREAT SUCCESS TO THE 2011 SPAH CONVENTION.

With a special thought for Pete Pedersen and Jaine...
Jean Labre
Photo poster SPAH
Published June 17th 2011

A Star is born...

Her name is Rachelle Plas... She might be coming from another planet. I discovered this young diatonic prodigy during the concert "Harmonicas de France" (France Harmonica) on May 21st.
Rachelle Plas quartet "put the stage on fire" in the second part of this concert. Rachelle is nearly 19 and she already displays an impressive mastery of the diatonic (she is Greg Zlap's student). "She's got everything", Alexandre Thollon told me after the concert which revealed also a talented jazz singer ; her voice, sometimes sweet, sometimes powerful strikes by its amazing ability to give rise to emotion.
Parenthesis, she is vice world champion in judo! I see there a link with her behaviour in life : well in her head, a constant gesture control obvious as soon as she appears on stage, behaviour probably due to the practice of "katas" black belts in judo (succession of codified fighting movements, very technical).

Her quartet includes talented musicians : Julien Joubert on guitar, Gilles Saunnois on bass and Xavier Hamon on drums. As for Rachelle, she is also a composer... inspired.
She told us during a recent interview: " I've obtained my studies top level S (baccalaureat) last year (at 17!). Then I started a degree in English because it's always useful to be bilingual... Now my true career ambition is to work in music."
Add to this that the French Federation of Judo has requested her, for the upcoming World Championships, to make the choice : music or judo!
And she made it : she has pluck this young girl, she knows what she wants.
During 60 years of wandering in the harmonica world, I never met such a phenomenon.

Contacts : http://www.myspace.com/rachelleplas to better discover & contact management :
Photos: Virginie Leroux, Patrick Thierry, Alljudo
Published May 30th 2011

Conference "Autour de l'Harmonica"

Conference illustrated musically by Jean Labre and Beija around the theme of harmonicas practised nowadays : diatonic, chromatic, pentatonic, bass, chord, etc. From the birth of the instrument, 4500 years ago in China by the Emperor Houang-Ti, and the birth of the Shô in Japan in the 8th century (with a demonstration of a replica of this last one). Listening of sound documents, CD's, and we'll also listen to you if you have any questions on the subject.
Welcome to you all.
Published May 5th 2011

Concerts Japan Solidarity

After the "Sakura Waltz" interlude during the Armos'concert on April 2nd in the chapel "Bon Secours", in Paris, a "Solidarity Japan" concert will take place in the concert hall of the town Hall of the 13th ward in Paris, on Friday April 29th, at the initiative of the sympathetic press attaché Izumi Hirano.
Free entrance in the limit of available places.
Featuring : Nami Miyata and her friends : Rie, Kanae Endo, Julien Lazignac and a few others Japan lovers.
Don't miss this event. You'll be welcome.
Published April 13th 2011

Earthquake in Japan

Our Japanese friends have just suffered a terrible cataclysm of an unprecedented intensity... An earthquake affecting the northeast part of the country, including Tokyo, followed by an apocalyptic tsunami which has destroyed the city of Sendai and the surrouding area. Sendai where is located (and hopefully still standing) the wonderful old Aoso Jinja temple, in which I had the great pleasure to take part in a concert, two years ago.
Allow me to send in my name, and in the name of all French harmonica players, this message of compassion and friendship, in support for our Japanese friends so cruelly affected by this disaster.
Jean Labre

Photo Jean Labre: Aoso Jinja temple
Published March 12th 2011

Yearly Festival Harmonicas de France

As indicated in our calendar column, the yearly Festival Harmonicas de France will take place in the city of Monthléry (91130), not very far from Paris (34kms).
The program will include :
- welcome diner concert on Friday
- on Saturday : Harmonica championship in the cultural center Michel Spiral, followed by an open stage, worhshops.
- Saturday evening : concert in cultural center Michel Spiral, featuring : Rachelle Plas quintet, Jean Sabot Trio, Orchestre Harmonica 17
- yearly general meeting
Information/reservation : 33 (0)4 68 68 03 83 http://harmonicasdefrance.com
Published February 22nd 2011

All on stage with "Armos"

"Armos" group have been highlighting the qualities of the chromatic harmonica since 2004, with a particularly rich repertory from classic music to jazz, variety, and compositions of its leader Pierre Rochat, talented player of harmonica, violin and guitar.
As indicated in our calendar column, their next concert will take place in the chapel "Notre Dame du Bon Secours" 75014 Paris, with an invitation in a final orchestral participation for the last piece "Ay Linda Amiga" (anonymous of the XVI th Century).

If you are interested, you just have to choose one voice out of the 3 proposed in the following music sheet.
Welcome to the concert
The "Armos" group
Guests of the concert: the "Duo Intermezzo" and Jean Labre.
Published February 20th 2011