Howard Levy

How to Play Riff-Based Bluesy Sax Licks on Harmonica 

Some of the early electrified blues players like Little Walter were emulating the popular R&B riff- oriented sax players of the 40s and 50s like Louis Jordan, Sam “The Man” Taylor, and Earl Bostic. The handheld-mic-through-an-amp harp tone greatly resembled the sax, and these sax players played swinging, riff- oriented music designed for dancers. People used to dance to Blues, Swing, Jazz, and R&B, which back then meant “Rhythm and Blues”- a more rhythmic, jazzier style than Blues- the precursor to early rock and roll.