I want to be in that number
It’s time to learn some traditional jazz on the harmonica! Here’s a song that everybody will recognise. It’s called When The Saints Go Marching In. That’s a long name, so we’ll shorten it to The Saints.
The Saints started life as an American gospel hymn that was sung quite slowly. Once the Jazz Bands of New Orleans got hold of it though, they really made it swing!
At funerals in New Orleans, a marching jazz band often accompanies the coffin through the city to the cemetery, playing in a slow, sombre mood. On the way home however, the band jumps into Dixieland tempo, which is sassy, happy and raucous. Let’s look at the tab and learn how to play things Dixieland Jazz style.
Doing The Saints
You can click here for the ARROW TAB. Purple music is for four hole harmonicas. Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. The number tells you which hole to play. D is draw (breathe in). B is blow (breathe out). We’re using a C major harmonica. Start slowly, memorise each phrase and gradually put it all together.
1B 2B 2D 3B 1B 2B 2D 3B
Oh when the Saints, go marching in
4B 5B 5D 6B 4B 5B 5D 6B
1B 2B 2D 3B 2B 1B 2B 1D
Oh when the Saints go marching in
4B 5B 5D 6B 5B 4B 5B 4D
2B 2B 1D 1B 2B 3B 3B 2D
I want to be in that number
5B 5B 4D 4B 5B 6B 6B 5D
2D 2B 2D 3B 2B 1B 1D 1B
Oh when the Saints go marching in
5D 5B 5D 6B 5B 4B 4D 4B
Come on, take me to the Mardi Gras
The biggest celebration of the year in New Orleans is, of course, Mardi Gras. In the UK, this is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day. In other countries, it’s Carnival or Fasching. This was the time of Lent when people would fast before Easter, turning their thoughts to the forty days and forty nights Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness. Which is where the term quarantine comes from. Today mortals try to forego something for lent, like chocolate, alcohol or coffee. which is a great excuse to go crazy again when the Easter Bunny calls.
You’ll hear from the entry clip, there is a lot of improvisation going on, which is the nature of Dixieland Jazz. Once you’re confident playing the standard phrases above, it’s time to start getting loose with the groove and swinging around some safe notes – and perhaps a few more adventurous ones.
In the meantime, grab some friends, some backing music and make like a New Orleans Jazz Band. You could even try marching together in a carnival parade.Key harmonica skills
- Straight Harp (Root in blow 4)
- Single note melody playing
- Rhythm and timing
- Dynamics
- Improvisation and jazz
Practise Track