Other Magazines with
Harmonica Content

[ Harmonica Magazines | Resource Guide Main Page ]

Harmonica players can enjoy and learn from a wide variety of magazines not aimed at harmonica players.

Harmonica has a central role in blues, and many of the finest harmonica players are blues musicians. Consequently, after harmonica magazines, blues magazines tend to give the most coverage to harmonica players. However, the harmonica is used in a wide variety of musical styles and traditions. Magazines devoted to those styles do cover "their" harmonica players, and these (the magazines and the players) are worth checking out.

As a wind instrument, harmonica gets coverage in wind instrument periodicals, and as a free reed instrument in reed instrument mags. As an "accessory" instrument it gets a little coverage in guitar magazines, too. It also gets coverage in smaller regional blues publications not listed here.

Another, less direct, reason to haunt non-harmonica magazines is that you can pick up a lot of useful information from them. The harmonica does not exist in a vacuum. Articles on electronic gear or scales or soloing ideas might be directed towards guitar or keyboard players, yet still be useful for and adaptable to the harmonica.

One noteworthy fact is that most magazines have a substantial presence on the World Wide Web, with considerable content offered online. The printed magazines offer much more, but a magazine's website is always worth checking out.

Instrument-Centered Magazines

Guitar Player

Guitar Player is the wide-ranging granddaddy of guitar magazines. While guitar players' gear issues are not harmonica players' issues, there is considerable overlap. And it never hurts to understand those infuriating strummers with whom you are pretty much doomed to share the stage.

(from their website) Each month Guitar Player brings you stories on your favorite artists, profiles of the latest gear, and workshops and articles to help you become a better player.

12 issues/year. Subscription rates: US: $24.00. Mexico, Canada, and International surface mail add $15. For International air courier add $40.

Keyboard

While this magazine is supposed to be about keyboard playing, in fact it covers a wide range of topices, including recording, MIDI, music theory and gear. Much of it is either directly useful for harmonica players, or generally useful for musicians (harmonica players are musicians, aren't we?

(from the parent company's website)
The monthly source for keyboardists and all other musicians who use technology to make music. Keyboard addresses the entire music production process - from inspiration to recording to marketing

12 issues per year. U.S.A. - One Year - US$25.95; U.S.A. - Two Years - US$45.95; Canada/Mexico/International Surface Mail - One Year - US$40.95; Canada/Mexico/International Surface Mail - Two Years - US$75.95; International Air Courier - One Year - US$65.95; International Air Courier - Two Years - US$125.95;

Windplayer

Each glossy issue of Windplayer is filled with in-depth profiles on top players and what these players are doing to earn their money. Technical lessons, important news and reviews you can't find anywhere else.

Whether you are a professional musician, a casual player, student or educator, you'll appreciate the articles and stories you will find in each issue of Windplayer.

Windplayer gives you the inside scoop on how to be a better musician, and shows you what keeps the best players on top. Finally, this essential player's journal covers all styles a wind player can profit from -- Jazz, Pop, Commercial, Studio, Jingles, Rock, Blues, Classical, General Business, Orchestral, New Age, Brass bands, Chamber, Ska, Funk and more. Every issue is full of tips and advice from working pros. Use it to be a bett

They also sell books, videos and other educational aids. Back issues are sold at their website for $6 each (Toots Thielemans is featured and interviewed in No. 20).

Subscriptions: 4 issues for US$14.95. (Outside the U.S., 4 issues are $22.45)

Free-Reed Journal

The harmonica is a free-reed instrument, and numbers among its cousins the various accordions and concertinas, the harmonium, melodica, sheng, krummhorn, and several others. The Free-Reed journal covers all of them.

From the contents of the 1999 volume:

Stephen Chambers, "Louis Lachenal: 'Engineer and Concertina Maker'"

Robert Young McMahan, "Serious Works for Accordion by African-American Composers: Aria and Lift by William Grant Still and Four Preludes by Ronald Roxbury"

Terry E. Miller, "The Khaen, Northeast Thailand's Free-Reed Mouth Organ in the Age of Modernization"

Peter Manuel, "The Harmonium in Indian Culture: From Colonial Tool to Nationalist Icon"

Jared Snyder, "Rusted Reeds: A Short Survey of Historic and Field Recordings of Free-Reed Players from the African Diaspora"

PLUS: Reviews of books, music, and recordings; a music supplement -- Richard Hunter's Requiem for solo harmonica; bibliographies; announcements; our list of "Friends."

Orders for the journal (and enquiries about it) should be directed to:

The Free-Reed Journal is published jointly by the Center for the Study of Free REed Instruments (CSFRI) and Pendragon Press each Fall. Subscription rates: individuals: $15 per issue, USA and Canada, $20 elsewhere; libraries and institutions: $25, USA and Canada, $30 elsewhere.

To contact the Center for the Study of Free-Reed Instruments:

Phone: +1-212-817-8590
Fax: +1-212-817-1529
Email: freereed@gc.cuny.edu

Prof. Allan W. Atlas
Ph.D. Program in Music
Graduate Center/CUNY
365 5TH AVE
NEW YORK NY 10016-4309
USA

Blues Magazines

Blues Access

In addition to having the regular harmonica column Dear Dr. Harpo, Blues Access has also published Tom Ellis III's highly informative multi-part treatise on Paul Butterfield.

Four issues per year. Subscriptions are two years (eight issues) for $30.00, or three years (twelve issues) for $40.00. Canadian orders add $4.00 per year. Overseas orders add $13.00 per year. Funds must be in U.S. currency, drawn on a U.S. bank.

Blues Revue

Dedicated to the full spectrum of the blues, Blues Revue claims to be the world's most widely distributed blues magazine. There is an ongoing rivalry with Living BLues, and one thing often mentioned by fans if not by the publishers, is that Living Blues tends to cover blues musucians of color to the exclusion of caucasian and others, while BR covers any and all who choose to play the blues - and sometimes even related music like jazz or blues-influenced rock (like Jimi Hendrix).

10 issues per year. Annual subscription is is US$23.95, and a bit more for overseas subscribers.

Living Blues

Glossy, 8.5 x 11", perfect bound. Subscriptions $21 per year in U.S. Canadian subscribers add $6/year, and international subscribers add $12/year for postage. Call in orders to +1-601-232-5577 or 1-800-390-3527 or fax at +1-601-232-7842. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of your first issue.

Real Blues

(from their promo material)
Real Blues presents authentic Blues, Soul, Gospel, Zydeco for the serious music fan. Real Blues seeks to promote, preserve and perpetuate the genres of Blues, Soul, Gospel and Zydeco, which are much more than just categories or genres of music; they are passionate and eloquent avenues of the expression of human feelings. If you love this music then Real Blues is the magazine for you - North America's Guide for the Connoiseur of Blues Music.

Subscription rates: Canada: $5.50 single, $30.00 yr. (6 issues); US: $5.50 single, US$30.00 yr. (6 issues); Other: (Airmail) US$8.00 single, US$45.00 yr. (6 issues).

Southland Blues

As the name and location imply, this magazine covers southern California. Distributed free in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area, it covers a good slice of west coast blues - with the country's only worldwide blues tour guide, a separate SoCal local blues calendar, blues artist profiles, CD reviews, video review, book reviews, live reviews, local and national news, radio guide and more

Subscriptions: $25.00 per year for 12monthly issues in U.S.; Canada: $35.00; Ouside U.S. or Canada: $45.00 per year.

Jazz Magazines

Downbeat

This is perhaps the world's oldest jazz magazine, and from time to time they bring back old interviews and articles just to remind us (like the joint Paul Butterfield-Muddy Waters interview around 1969).

Like many magazines nowadays, they have an online store.

Subscriptions: $29.95 per year ($43.45 outside the United States) or 2 years for $49.95 ($76.95 outside the United States)

Jazziz

AN upscale jazz magazine that offers excellent content and offers an optional bundle of CD and magazine.

Published monthly. Subscription rates: 1-yr. subscription in USA with monthly CDs: $69.95; 1-yr. subscription in USA without monthly CDs: $49.95; 2-yr. subscription in USA with monthly CDs: $119.95; 2-yr. subscription in USA without monthly CDs: $79.95; 1-yr. subscription in Canada/Mexico with monthly CDs: $79.95; 2-yr. subscription in Canada/Mexico with monthly CDs: $139.95; 1-yr. Overseas/Foreign with monthly CDs: $99.95; 2-yr. Overseas/Foreign with monthly CDs: $179.95. Applicable sales tax will be added to all Florida resident orders.

Roots

Bluegrass Unlimited

Bluegrass is a highly specialized and virtuosic outgrouth of old-timey music. While it is in some ways hostile to the harmonica, exceptions are made - Charlie McCoy, Doc Watson and Mike Stevens come to mind. As the "classical" acoustic adjunct to country music, it's worth being acquainted with. And who knows, maybe some of those purists will one day change their die-hard attitude about a music that's only been around since 1939.

Bluegrass Unlimited is a magazine devoted to Bluegrass. It's published monthly by Bluegrass Unlimited, Inc. Subscription rates are: US - 1 year-$24.00, 2 years-$46.00 (save $2.00), 3 years-$67.00 (save $5.00).

Blue Suede News

(from their website)
Blue Suede News covers the entire spectrum of American Roots Music, from '50 s Rock'n'Roll styles - Rockabilly and Rhythm & Blues to Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun & Zydeco, Swing and you-name-it hybrids. Basically, anything we like.

We're interested both in the pioneers of American Roots music and also in contemporary artists who are carrying on these traditions with a strong sense of those roots. While there are some other magazines that cover one area of this subject such as blues or bluegrass, none other covers the whole spectrum in the way we do.

We have feature articles on and interviews with musicians, photos, reports from various scenes, and a massive review section covering books, videos CDs, cassettes, vinyl, films and occassionally other products relating to music. We review over 150 CD titles in each issue!

8.5" x 11" saddle stitched, with 68 pages each issue.
Subscription Rates: Domestic- $14 bulk mail / $18 first class; Canada- $18; Europe, S. America- $22 air / $19 surface; Japan- $25 air / $21 surface; Australia- $25 air / $21 surface; Sample copy, U.S., Canada- $4.50; Sample Copy, Outside U.S.- $7.00; Last 2 issues, Outside U.S.- $11.00 (Jap/Aus $12);

Dirty Linen

Dirty Linen covers a wide variety of roots and roots-oriented music. An excellent magazine.

Folk Roots

(from their website)
FOLK ROOTS is the world's leading magazine in its field, which includes modern and traditional music with roots from around the globe, from Anglo-trad to Zanzibar pop, songwriters to tune finders, old ethnic to new country.

We have been at the sharp end of the folk/roots/world music scene for 20 years, dealing with an incredible diversity of music - our covers have featured artists in a fame range from Elvis Costello to Okinawan sanshin players, from Irish traditionalists to Youssou N'Dour, from Billy Bragg to old blues pickers, from Greek superstars to Ry Cooder, from English folk stalwarts to the Afro Celt Sound System and Transglobal Underground. Every issue is packed with features, news, reviews and information on the UK and international scene, and two a year come with very sought-after covermount compilation CDs.

In Britain, we're news stand distributed; we're also sold by major music chains and independent specialist shops, live music venues and by subscription worldwide. Our circulation is high for British specialist magazines - around 14,000 (giving a readership of around 40,000), with a full national spread and some 30% going overseas - but our influence is even greater. We're read by everybody of importance in the roots music business and beyond.

Subscription Rates United Kingdom: 1 year £33.80, 2 years £67.60; Airmail Europe and Surface rest of world: 1 year £40.00, 2 years £80.00; Airmail North & South America, Africa: 1 year £54.00, 2 years £108.00; Airmail Australia/NZ, Japan, Far East: 1 year £57.00, 2 years £114.00.