Tony Eyers interview

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Chapters
1:04
Tony is Australian, and the harmonica scene there, including Jim Conway
1:58
First time when heard harmonicas was going to see Sonny Terry play in the 1970s
2:41
Was a competitive swimmer, which took up his time as a teenager
3:21
Tony started playing harmonica when he met Jim Flitting at Yale in the US
4:57
First started learning playing at a festival after someone explained how to play in different keys
6:11
Formed a blues band when returned to Australia, inspired by Al Smith playing with Hollywood Fats
8:45
Tony started out as a blues player and was influenced by the classic players
9:46
Also plays baroque recorder, inspired by classical guitarist Andres Segovia playing Bach
10:55
Has played in a baroque ensemble for 25 years
12:18
How recorder playing has influenced approach to harmonica
13:16
Doesn’t play any chromatic harmonica but plays the baroque pieces on recorder as duets with chromatic players
15:07
In the 1990s took a break from music while completing PhD
16:30
Picked up the harmonica again to learn fiddle tunes after going to a Bluegrass festival
18:11
Brendan Power provided inspiration that fiddle tunes can be played on harmonica
19:20
Tony developed the Major Cross tuning
21:47
How he uses the Major Cross tuning for tunes and comparison with Paddy Richter tuning
25:56
How Major Cross tuning was taken on by Seydel as part of their Session Steel range, with Tony’s name on it
28:37
Tony also plays some tremolo harmonica
29:49
Releases regular videos of the Tony Eyers trio (consisting of three Tony Eyers!), including a comedy element in the great tradition of harmonica bands
31:00
Ran a teaching website in China which led on to Tony becoming a judge at Asia Pacific Harmonica festival
33:54
Black Mountain Harmonica album
37:09
Another album is in the pipeline
38:38
Played in an Australian Bluegrass band called The Lawnmowers
39:19
Likes to get out onto the street busking with a trio that he is in
40:08
Plays some harmonica on a rack with guitar and button accordion
40:55
Some good racks to use with the harmonica
41:56
Tony’s harmonica teaching websites, starting in China, then English Harmonica Academy
45:09
Also has a Spanish, Portuguese and German language version of his teaching websites
45:54
Runs a playing recorder website teaching site too
47:35
Put a lot of effort into creating his harmonica teaching websites
48:28
10 minute question
49:07
Approach to learning tunes
51:00
Playing with fantastic overblow players at SPAH who can read baroque scores on diatonic
52:26
Overblows
52:53
What harmonicas Tony plays
54:04
Favourite keys of diatonic to play tunes
54:15
Mic of choice is the Audix Fireball
54:31
RackIt harmonica holder and mic from Blows Me Away
55:20
Tony builds his own amps
56:02
AER amp used for clean sound
57:09
Mics used for recording
57:42
Future plans
Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast
Tony Eyers interview
Sep 01, 2021 Season 1 Episode 45
Neil Warren

Tony Eyers joins me on episode 45.
Tony is an Australian who first picked up the harmonica while studying at Yale in the US. Returning from America he started a successful blues band in Adelaide.
He also plays baroque recorder, and has been part of an ensemble for 25 years, which has helped shape his sound on harmonica.
In the mid-90s he became interested in playing fiddle music and developed the Major Cross tuning for the diatonic, now available through Seydel.
Tony has several successful harmonica teaching websites, including the Harmonica Academy.
And also has his own harmonica trio for which he has released numerous YouTube videos, where he maintains the great tradition of comedy in the harmonica ensemble.


Links:

Teaching website:
https://www.harmonicaacademy.com

Spanish version:
https://armonica.com.es

Harmonica Tunes website:
http://harmonicatunes.com/

Recorder teaching site:
https://learnrecorder.com

Major Cross Harp Tuning:
https://www.seydel1847.de/major-cross

Taiwan tour in 2010:
http://harmonicatunes.com/tony-eyers-taiwan-harmonica-tour/

Tony Eyers trio formation story:
http://harmonicatunes.com/tony-eyers-harmonica-trio/


Videos:
Jim Fitting:
https://youtu.be/sGpBxepQx7Q

Tony Eyers Trio - Jerusalem Ridge:
https://youtu.be/cEWJtrPAtLw

Tremolo playing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWr2qusnfu8

Tony Eyers Trio with button accordions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYhG5FnjRGA

Tony’s Fifties Busking trio:
http://thefifties.com.au/watch/

Tony explains Major Cross tuning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fn6nfMAbuA


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/