Neil is one of a handful of chromatic harmonica masters who have followed the great Toots Thielemans. He has been a guest artist in performances from Canada to Belgium, received a standing ovation at the storied Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society and raves at the Bill Evans festival in Vancouver. He is an award winning jazz interpreter on piano and harmonica, a Seydel Harmonica endorser, and is active in teaching and presenting in the virtual and real harmonica world. “Love the piano and harmonica. My favorite harmonica Player at the moment” Toots Thielemans (2014).

After Rev. Albert retired from the ministry, he took up harpsmithing and has been refurbishing harmonicas for about 10 years under the name AlbertHarp. He is now the go-to harpsmith for the Amish who mostly play Auto Valve Harps which are no longer made by Hohner. On any given Sunday morning, he plays 3-4 instruments with a church band, involving 5-string banjo, harmonicas, melodica, voice or autoharp. He sells about 50 harmonicas per month, both new and refurbished, primarily on eBay. “I’m not a customizer,” says Greg, “but I can make a used harp sound like new.” He lives in Rockford, Illinois with his wife and dog and has attended the SPAH convention every year for several years.

Richard had his first stage performance in a children’s choir in 1965. After winning multiple awards in high school for vocals and trombone, he majored in Theater in college and went on to performing on and Off-Broadway and at regional theaters around the country, including three shows at the Kennedy Center, with two at the Opera House. After moving to Chicago in 1994, he was a paid chorister at St. James Episcopal Cathedral for 10 years, and a trombonist/vocalist for a 12-piece big band. Vision loss caused him to quit the choir and trombone. So he sold the horn, bought a set of Hohner Special 20s, and began studying with Howard Levy. While sitting in with bands at the Green Mill, Martyrs, the Drake Hotel, and other venues in Chicago, he found out Joe Filisko was teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music and, with Howard’s blessing, switched instructors, went from Special 20s to Hohner Crossovers, and, helped found The Lay-Down Ramblers, a 5-piece band that plays eclectic Americana, including original tunes.

Since 1991, Richard has studied voice with, Jack Waddell, whose students include Broadway veterans Jessica Vosk, who sold out Carnegie Hall in early 2022 and is currently starring on Broadway as Elphaba in “Wicked,” Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas in the live TV production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” starring John Legend.

Robert Bonfiglio has a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music, he won the first Milhaud Scholarship to study composition with Aaron Copland. Bonfiglio was signed to an 8 CD deal with RCA Victor, his first recording was the Villa-Lobos Harmonica Concerto which he has performed over 400 times with over 200 Major Orchestras including: Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Pittsburgh Symphony, Teatro Colon – Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Gewandhaus MDR, Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony, Boston Pops with John Williams, New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE Madrid, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Mexico City Philharmonic and the Louisville Orchestra. Robert is the Founding Director of the Grand Canyon Music Festival now in its 38 Season.

David C. Bugli, recipient of the 2007 Nevada Governor’s Arts Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts, earned music degrees from Ithaca College and the University of Massachusetts.  He taught public school music for five years before he founded the Carson City Symphony in 1984; he conducts the Symphony in about six concerts each year.  For the Symphony, he arranges music that features guest artists on annual Holiday Treat and Pops Party concerts.  Some of his arrangements and compositions have also been performed by the Reno Philharmonic and other orchestras.  He conducts the annual Reno Tuba Christmas event, and has guest conducted the Foundation Orchestra and Elko’s Ruby Mountain Symphony, both in Nevada.

He also founded, leads, and plays piano in the Mile High Jazz Band, and, since 2004, has headed the Planning Committee for the annual Jazz & Beyond Festival in Carson City, NV, that features about 25 mostly-jazz performances each August.

Bugli plays classical and jazz piano, tuba, trombone, and a bit of chromatic harmonica, and he composes and arranges music, over 80 works for orchestra. He currently plays tuba in the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra. He taught piano lab and theory at Western Nevada College.

Since 2019 he has arranged for and conducted the “Tom Stryker Big Band” harmonica ensemble for SPAH (Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica) and composed and arranged music for the 2022 and 2024 Asia Pacific Harmonica Festivals.  He has re-constructed and edited several harmonica “big band” arrangements from the 20th century.

Website: DavidBugli.com

Hi guys. I’ve been playing harmonica since I was a kid but only got serious about it maybe 15 years ago when I discovered performing. Since then, I’ve played with a lot of different folks but have gigged routinely with a regional band named Kevin Dalton and the Tuesday Blooms or with some variation of that band. Kevin’s music is genre-spanning and trying to follow it has allowed me (or forced me…) to stretch my harmonica playing. It also led to experimentation with lots of different effect pedals to fill the sonic spaces that I could hear in my head. I’m thankful to spend some time visiting with you to share what I’ve found that works and what I’ve found that hasn’t.

In the hands of harmonica master Grant Dermody the harp rumbles like a freight train, sidles up like a soul singer, purrs like an electric cat, rings out in a rhythmic dance. Pair it up with his voice, a strikingly honest vocal approach that resonates in the direct center of your chest, and the intrigue just increases.

The swamps of Louisiana, the wide open skies of Montana — all that’s deep and sweet and awe-inspiring about Americana and its musical roots — reside there. There’s simply nothing like the growling grace that emanates from Grant Dermody.

Rodrigo Eberienos is a Brazilian harmonica player, educator, and recording artist known for his expressive sound and versatility across blues, jazz, country, folk, and Brazilian music. Throughout his career, he has recorded for television series, soap operas, commercials, and albums by numerous artists.

A JDR Harmonicas endorser, Rodrigo has performed and presented workshops at major harmonica festivals around the world, including multiple appearances at the SPAH Convention, where he has shared the stage with internationally acclaimed artists such as Antonio Serrano.

In 2025, Rodrigo won First Prize in the Blues, Country, Folk & Rock category at the World Harmonica Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious harmonica competitions.

He has released several albums, with his most recent, New Old Stock, released in 2025.

Whether performing on stage, recording in the studio, or teaching masterclasses, Rodrigo is dedicated to expanding the reach of the harmonica and inspiring musicians worldwide.

Harmonica John Frazer
Known not only for his soulful singing and harmonica playing, John is equally at home with a guitar or behind the drums while featuring his harmonica skills.
Harmonica John performs classic rock, blues, Marley and Motown, Americana, plus some cool original songs

Career highlights include performances with Joe Walsh, Bobby Blue Bland, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, and the Farmers to name a few. John is a top harmonica teacher in San Diego and has developed an easy to understand “positions” lesson.

John is also one of the founding members of the San Diego Spring Harp Fest, held annually on the Saturday of Easter weekend. Recently attained non-profit status, John is seeking corporate sponsors to help advance the Spring Harp Fest mission.

Brenda Freed has lived, performed, and taught voice, guitar, and piano in the Texas Hill Country since 1991. She earned both her BA and MA in Music Education and Music Therapy from the University of Iowa, where she pioneered the Music Therapy Program at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Since 2007, Brenda has presented workshops at festivals and conferences throughout North America, including serving as the Voice Workshop instructor at the Kerrville Folk Festival for 10 years. After a SPAH attendee asked her for voice lessons in 2012, she realized many harmonica players wanted to sing and front their own bands. She created an Effortless Singing seminar for the following year’s conference and has been teaching at SPAH ever since. Since 2024, she has also taught a class on identifying guitar chords to help harmonica players recognize song keys in jam sessions.

Brenda also teaches private online lessons and is passionate about helping musicians of all skill levels build confidence through fun, experiential learning. She is the creator of the instructional recordings Effortless Singing and Effortless Harmony Singing.

A recording artist with ten albums of primarily original music, Brenda has toured throughout the U.S., England, and Ireland. Her three most recent albums were recorded with her husband, and harmonica player, Michael D’Eath, with whom she performs as Him & Her.

Connor Frontera is a professional harmonica player and instructor. Though he started as a blues harmonica player, he now plays a variety of music styles, incorporating diatonic, chromatic, chord, bass, and other kinds of harmonicas. He is the Florida State Harmonica champion, a former SPAH William Rosebush Youth Grant recipient, and loves performing and teaching harmonica at workshops and conventions. In addition to the harmonica, he loves Jesus, his wife Jen, and their son Ezekiel.

Mike Fugazzi is a high-energy vocalist and harmonica player redefining the instrument in modern rock. Known for replacing traditional guitar and horn lines with powerful, melodic harmonica, he delivers dynamic, crowd-grabbing performances that stand out in any setting.

Dennis Gruenling is one of the world’s most respected blues harmonica players, an entrepreneur, and a harmonica education innovator. As a musician, he is considered one of the modern masters of amplified harmonica playing. Dennis has not only mastered traditional Blues styles, but he pioneered a new approach to playing jump and swing blues on the diatonic and chromatic harmonica that draws on the classic Blues tradition while still sounding fresh and modern.

As an instructor of over 25 years, he has helped students learn the language of blues harmonica both virtually and in person, in addition to pioneering his online Q&A harmonica webinar series.

He built his BadAss Harmonica business from the ground up, which not only restores and sells vintage microphones and amplifiers, but offers lessons, webinars, and his own exclusive line of harmonica merchandise. Gruenling spent 20 years teaching and performing on the road before joining forces with the Nick Moss Band and subsequently signing to Alligator Records. As a result in recent years, he has been awarded not only the SPAH “Bernie Bray Player of the Year” award (2019), but also 3 Blues Music Awards – Harmonica Player of the Year (2019), plus “Blues Band of the Year” and “Traditional Blues Album of the Year” (2020) for his work with The Nick Moss Band.

Lonnie Joe was born and raised in the Lubbock, Texas area, well known for its musical influences from artists like Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Bob Wills, and Waylon Jennings. His musical interests caught fire in his early college years when he started playing guitar and soon added harmonica as a second instrument. He started learning the songs of Bob Dylan, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Beatles and Charlie McCoy. He started playing guitar and using a Harmonica rack and singing as he learned new material from Rock, Country, Blues, Gospel, and Bluegrass artists.

His life experiences from jobs such as farming, truck driving, harvesting crops, teaching junior high mathematics, and owning a music store have contributed to his career of performing, songwriting, recording, teaching, merchandising and managing all the areas of his music business.
Howell spent 20 years in Nashville playing on recording sessions, writing songs, playing in bands, creating instructional videos, and writing instructional books on how to play harmonica. Four of those years were spent earning a degree in Commercial Music from Belmont University.
Howell’s harmonica style is described as diatonic Blues harp applied to Country. Many of his country and bluegrass songs use a “country tuned” harmonica played in the “Cross harp” position.

Howell’s track record includes four CDs, three Harmonica instructional DVDs, and 2 books written for Mel Bay Publications. He currently performs on a regular basis as a single act, or with his own group The Hot Texas Band. He teaches harmonica. fiddle, and guitar at his music store in Levelland TX.

Lonnie Joe’s CDs books, and DVDs are available on his store’s website: texasmusicsupply.com and his songs can be streamed at: lonniejoehowell.hearnow.com

David kachalon is a musician, songwriter, visual artist, and teacher who runs the Continuing Education Harmonica Program at both the Collage of Dupage and also at Harper Collage. In addition (since the beginning of the pandemic) he has been teaching at the online music school platform Tunelark. He has taught hundreds of players of all ages to successfully play music and have fun on the harmonica. Playing for over 20 years and teaching for around 12, David focuses primarily on the Filisko Tongue Block Method and the building of a solid foundation of techniques. He is fully authorized to use all Filisko Teaching Materials, and has led workshops around the country as well as taught at the SPAH convention for the past several years.

Now in addition he helps as a SPAH Seminar Coordinator. David is also the person behind the SPAH Instagram account Official_Spah63. He also helps as a Contributor and Content Facilitator for the SPAH magazine Harmonica Happenings.

David starting out playing in bands during high school, and has played in such groups as Spanish Blues Band Azul De Noche, the multi tournament winning Jug band Strictly Jug Nuts, the Muscovy Ducks Cajun Harmonica Enable and the Three Kings Harp trio. He also has an acoustic duo project called Hal and Dave, but mainly spends his time fronting The Frozen Ground Blues Band. They play covers of Chicago blues standards, as well as some original songs around the Chicagoland area. David chooses to play exclusively with only the Hohner Marine Band Crossover and Thunderbird harmonicas.

www.Davidkachalon.com 
https://frozengroundbluesband.com
www.Cod.edu
https://www.harpercollege.edu
www.Tunelark.com

Dave Moore is a singer-songwriter, who plays guitar, button accordion, and harmonica. He was influenced by country blues and conjunto music. Dave lives in Iowa City, records for Red House Records, and was a frequent performer on “A Prairie Home Companion”. He has toured throughout the United States and Canada. The harmonica was his first instrument, and he continues to play it, mostly on a neck rack.

Bill has been playing chromatic harmonicas since the 1960’s. In 2008 he joined the Windy City Harmonica Trio with Bud Boblink and Ron Agnew and performed with them until Ron’s passing. He learned harmonica repair techniques from Ed Mossner and specializes in chromatics, basses and chords.

He has recently revived the Windy City Harmonica Trio with Pete Hogie and Jimmy Craven.

New Jersey-based frontman, singer, & harmonica player Rob Paparozzi has been a blues performer since 1967. But Rob is far from being strictly a blues musician. In fact, he’s at home playing a wide range of music, ranging from rock to blues to jazz to pop and country. This versatility is reflected in the long and remarkably diverse list of major artists Rob has worked with, including B.B.King, Dr. John, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Carole King, Roberta Flack, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Randy Newman, Jimmy McGriff, James Galway, Dolly Parton & George Jones.

In the 80’s & 90’s Rob’s Hudson River Rats band in NYC backed the likes of Carole King, Julian Lennon and many more. Recording to CD’s with legendary drummer Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie.Rob was Musical Director for Bernard Purdie/Chuck Rainey Project and toured Japan.

Rob has been touring the world with the “Original Blues Brothers Band”, featuring guitar legend Steve Cropper and Saxman Blu Lou Marini 2000-to present. Rob performed in Lugano, Switzerland headlining the BLUES to BOP Fest. Rob’s Trio appeared to rave reviews in Norway at The Nidaros Blues Festival in Trondheim. Rob also did a 6 week SOLO tour in Japan.

Rob was Lead Singer with “Blood Sweat and Tears” as Front Man-Lead Vocalist and Harmonica Player (replacing singer David Clayton Thomas) in 2004-to July 2011.

Rob’ DEBUT CD “Etruscan Soul” garnered a Grammy Nomination  and featured Special Guests:

Phoebe Snow, Harvey Brooks, Will Lee, Chuck Rainey, Bernard Purdie, Leo Nocentelli, Shawn Pelton and Hugh McCracken.

His Latest Project ELECTRIC BUTTER big band CD with Ed Palermo got Rave reviews in Downbeat and Jazz Times.

In 2017, Rob continues to tour Steve Cropper and the band and they have a new CD release with “The Original Blues Brothers Band” Titled “Last Shade of Blue Before Black” on Severn Records. In February Rob performed at NY’s City Center with The Encores production of ‘Big River’.

In May 2017, Rob made his debut as guest soloist with:

The NY Philharmonic Orchestra

at Lincoln Center. Touring this year includes Japan, Europe and Australia.

2018 – May 1^st Rob joins The Lincoln Center WBGO GALA with Jeff Beck & Donald Fagen

http://robpaparozzi.com/

Todd Parrott has been called one of the freshest, most innovative and proficient harmonica players today. “He’s got it all: great chops, killer tone, speed, finesse, and impeccable taste,” says Buddy Greene. “He plays with a sensibility and maturity and never sacrifices musicality for mere technique.” Adam Gussow adds, “I think he’s got the best chance of any harmonica player I’ve seen to cross over and become the public sound and image of what pure-D American blues harmonica is about.” Todd began playing harmonica in January of 1990, after hearing the lively harmonica playing of a guest speaker who visited his church. This inspired him to purchase his first harmonica, and what started as a fascination quickly became a lifelong passion. Today, his soulful harmonica can be heard in churches and at harmonica events, both nationally and internationally, and on many studio recordings. Todd is also a well-respected harmonica instructor, having taught at nearly every major harmonica workshop in the USA, and is a regular teacher and performer at the annual SPAH convention. He is currently a faculty member at the Tomlin Leckie Harmonica School, and organizes his own annual harmonica event, The Carolina Harp Fest, offering harmonica players an additional, fun opportunity to learn, jam, collaborate and develop their skills. Todd is an endorser of Hohner harmonicas.

I am a full time working musician specializing in 10 hole diatonic harmonica. What sets me apart from other “HARP” players is my ability to play chromatically on the diatonic, This allows me to play jazz , blues , standards , country , including melody in addition to riffs. In 2009 I was the only diatonic player to be a finalist in the Arizona Best of the Blues competition held at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. I just renewed my contract with Sun City Grand for the 2022/2023 season; this will be my 10th year of teaching there. I have done a fair amount of studio work in and around greater Phoenix ;including the opportunity to work with Grammy winner Billy Williams who produces Lyle Lovett. This year I look forward to teaching at SPAH for my 5th time . Currently I perform about 70 shows a year in total with 3 different bands “Kate and the Dream Band” Lone Mountain Band Arizona” and PLay Wilde. Performances are on You Tube and Facebook.

Michael Rubin is a harmonica player/teacher from Austin TX.  Charlie Musselwhite says about Rubin, “I think your instructions are the best and when people ask me about learning the harmonica, I tell them about you.”

Rubin has played on Broadway and with such luminaries as Cyril Neville and Ruthie Foster.

This seminar is a blues jam for all levels, any instrument.  Not only will we jam, Rubin will give strategies for succeeding in a jam.

Find information at michaelrubinharmonica.com

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D. is the professional ethics speaker known as The Ethics Guy®. He writes about ethical leadership for Forbes, with a focus on the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence. A proud student of David Barrett, Bruce began studying harmonica during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back Weinstein wrote a Forbes article titled “How The Coolest Musical Instrument Will Enrich Your Leadership”. In his seminar, AI in Songwriting and Music: What We Gain, What We Risk, and What’s Coming Next, he brings together his expertise in ethics and his passion for music to explore the promises and perils of AI in songwriting, recording, and performance.

Harmonica virtuoso Sandy Weltman’s talents are diverse to say the least. While at home in the jazz realm, he is equally skilled in blues, Celtic, Klezmer, Latin and more. Sandy learned much of his harmonica styling while under the tutelage of harmonica wizard Howard (Flecktones) Levy. Sandy is equally skilled on a number of other instruments including the ukulele for which he had employed and develop an alternate tuning scheme, conducive for for ballads and other solo work.

Sandy has performed with Howard Levy, Richard Hayman, Brewer & Shipley, Bela Fleck, Taj Mahal and many others. Sandy has performed on dozens of albums nationally and has released four albums of his own. To learn more about Sandy, please visit: www.sandyweltmanmusic.com

Sandy enjoys discussing the amazing evolution of the harmonica. From it’s humble origins in Germany to American folk music, blues,country, jazz and even many world styles, the harmonica has it’s own very unique story which Sandy elaborates and demonstrates in a very special way.

Sandy Weltman is one of the most creative musicians in St. Louis, with strong roots in both jazz and acoustic music. He’s a great entertainer and a consummate musician!”
Paul Reuter, Executive Director, Sheldon Concert Hall
“Weltman stretches the limits of the instrument by following his mentor Howard Levy as a pioneer of the basic 10-hole diatonic harmonica.”
The Riverfront Times
“Sandy Weltman is the most versatile harmonica player in St. Louis – bar none!” The Bluesletter

Adam West is a professional harmonica player and dedicated music educator based in Dayton, Ohio. He has devoted his career to using music as a tool for connection, healing, and self-expression. In addition to working with individual student he has had the honor of collaborating with several nonprofit organizations, including The Boys and Girls Club and the Guitars for Heroes program, where he leads free 12-week group classes in harmonica and guitar.

Adam’s teaching style is hands-on, encouraging, and rooted in the belief that music should be accessible to everyone—regardless of age, background, or experience level. He continues to seek out opportunities to use music to improve lives and strengthen communities wherever he goes.

Adam began playing harmonica in 2008, drawn to the instrument’s visceral connection and expressive power. His development as a player was shaped by relentless practice and a deep commitment to learning. Much of his early success can be attributed to the instructional work of renowned harmonica educators Jason Ricci, Ronnie Shellist, and Adam Gussow, whose lessons and videos were instrumental in his growth. Today, Adam is grateful to continue his musical education under the mentorship of David Kachalon, whose guidance supports his continued evolution as both a teacher and professional musician.

LC Williams and the Driver, otherwise known as Lauren Williams and Trent Souder, play a strong mix of traditional blues driven by Trent’s rhythmically-inspired guitar work. They honed their craft together in Maine for many years, Trent graciously making room for Lauren when she first fell in love with the sound of the harp and began playing in front of folks long before she should have! It would not be an exaggeration to say that hearing Lester Butler and the Red Devils was a life-changing experience for Lauren, inspiring an ongoing quest for tone (and coolness!). Incredible Maine player DW Gill gave her her first few lessons, and of course hearing about that other Mainer, the incomparable Jason Ricci, provided and continues to provide endless inspiration. Annie Raines gave Lauren a few lessons over the years, and her intelligence, down to earth teaching style and amazing playing also set a stellar example. Lauren and Trent now live in Florida and play blues in the greater Tampa Bay Area.

Bob has been a member of SPAH since 1980 and was honored with a life membership in 2000. In the 1990’s he served as SPAH VP for four years followed by serving as SPAH President for three years. He played lead in groups called The Harmonica-Nection, The Harmonic Convergence, The No Names, and The Harmonica Kids with his four children. Bob primarily plays the chromatic harmonica, though he has used the diatonic to introduce thousands of children to the instrument by providing them a diatonic and a first lesson. He was privileged to take one-on-one lessons from Jerry Murad of the Harmonicats. Bob hopes to pass along to others here at SPAH some of what he learned from Jerry.