Kim Field interview

01:52 - Kim is the author of Harmonicas, Harps and Heavy Breathers: The History of the People’s Instrument, which partly inspired this podcast

02:10 - Is originally from Seattle

02:24 - Mother played violin and father played the drums

02:58 - Learnt the trumpet at school and had a great teacher who focused heavily on tone, which helped when switched to the harmonica

03:34 - The trumpet made Kim appreciate the advantage of the harmonica, where you breathe both in and out

04:33 - Was inspired to take up the harmonica after seeing James Cotton in concert in 1968

04:57 - Was exposed blues on the Seattle concert circuit

05:38 - The great band James Cotton when recording for the Verve label and Cotton was so vigorous on stage

06:16 - Cotton’s Blues In My Sleep was the song that really turned Kim onto harmonica

07:33 - Great section on Kim’s website where he writes about his life with the harmonica

07:56 - Kim’s ‘Heavy Breathers’ book was written before the advent of the internet, so all the research carried out was done either in libraries or by interviewing people

09:29 - The book was a great excuse to talk to many of his harmonica heroes

10:21 - The book is divided into the different genres of harmonica, and different want the blues to dominate the book

11:16 - The book just covers mainly American players

11:34 - Had to reduce the number of pages at the directive of the publisher

13:00 - Had a companion CD added to the book as wanted to introduce people to the music of the players

13:44 - Covers the early history of the harmonica with information on the instrument and players who are no longer with us, as well as interviews with contemporary players

14:20 - Free reed instruments (including the harmonica) were burnt when they first appeared in Germany in the 1820s

14:57 - The Hohner Little Lady harmonica was the first instrument in space taken surreptitiously by astronaut Wally Schirra, who played Jingle Bells at Christmas time, and he was disappointed not to be endorsed by Hohner after that

16:13 - Example of Kim’s great writing

16:39 - Did a minor update to the Heavy Breathers book in 2000, but has no plans to make further updates

17:20 - Moved from Seattle to attend college in New York, joining first band there including with guitarist Louis Erlanger

17:48 - Amazing harmonica scene around New York at that time, including David Waldman who recommended Kim take some lessons with Paul Oscher

19:03 - Other good harmonica players in New York at that time, included Sugar Blue

19:15 - In lesson with Paul Oscher he learnt about tongue blocking

19:46 - The time Kim met Deford Bailey

22:56 - How Kim eventually got Deford to play some harmonica for him

24:41 - The time Kim got to play with Walter Horton

27:50 - Sadly there was no recording made of Kim playing with Walter Horton

28:20 - Kim was in The Slamhound Hunter’s Band in the late 1980s in Seattle, and did a tour of Europe with them

29:50 - Interviewed chromatic player Charles Leighton, who then helped Kim get the Heavy Breathers book published

33:03 - After a break from music formed a band called Kim Field and the Mighty Titans of Tone

34:39 - An issue with harmonica is not being able to play chords properly in a band setting

35:24 - Was also in a country band, The Titans of Twang, with Kim having a real love of country music

37:28 - Now living in Portland and has formed the band: Kim Field and The Perfect Gentlemen and has just released the album: Don’t Need But One

38:17 - PT Gazell posted a good review of the album on Facebook

39:17 - The Perfect Gentlemen band is centred on Kim, the first time Kim has been in such a band

40:13 - Ten of the eleven tunes on the album are originals and four instrumentals

40:49 - The horn section used on the album, including Chris Mercer who has played with John Mayall’s band

42:15 - How to get hold of the new Perfect Gentlemen album

42:33 - The producer of the album was introduced to Kim by Ross Garren

43:22 - The Blues Dream of Billy Boy Arnold book, which came together with the help of Mark Hummel

45:29 - Billy Boy Arnold was a huge John Lee Williamson fan and met him twice

46:55 - Due to Covid the 60 plus hours of interviews with Billy Boy were done over the phone and Kim wrote the book in Billy’s words, just piecing them together

47:23 - Billy Boy has been around the blues scene longer than any other living harmonica player

48:17 - The two times Billy Boy met John Lee Williamson before he was murdered

49:22 - Billy Boy was on the blues scene ten years before Muddy Waters and Little Walter hit the scene in the early 1950s

50:36 - Billy Boy is also a stone-cold ‘harmaniac’ too and met so many of the great harmonica players, including Little Walter

50:48 - Kim has written for various musical publications

50:58 - Ten minute question

51:59 - Harmonica of choice is the Hohner Marine Band

52:16 - Doesn’t perform using any overblows, but has tried them out, and overblows are a pucker technique, whereas Kim plays tongue blocked

52:58 - Doesn’t play much chromatic, but took some lessons with Magic Dick and there is a little chromatic on the new album

53:44 - Mics and amps: has a couple of vintage Fender Bassman’s and some vintage mics from Dennis Gruenling and a Bulletini mic

54:32 - Likes to use some effects pedals

54:52 - Urges all harmonica players to learn how to sing as it really helps with the tone on harmonica

55:41 - Effects pedals are another way to vary your sound. Uses some delay and reverb and uses the Sub ’n Up Octave pedal organ sound on one song on the new album

57:02 - Plans to tour the new album, playing outside Portland

57:09 - Is hosting the North West (USA) Harmonica workshops in October 2025