Is This REALLY The Best Harmonica Player Ever?

Liam Ward
Nov 11, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Sep 8

In today's video I'll be doing something a little different and talking about possibly the best harmonica player ever: Little Walter Jacobs. I'll cover some of the things that made him so good and also invite you to try some of my song studies of his greatest hits.

💥 Check out my Little Walter Harmonica Lessons in the store.

Is Little Walter the best harmonica player ever?

Many names stand as titans of their instruments, but none elevated the harmonica quite like Marion Walter Jacobs, known to the world as Little Walter.

To get a sense of why Little Walter is considered the greatest of all time, you have consider the context. It was Little Walter who transformed the harmonica from a folky sideline instrument into a dominant, amplified lead voice. He wasn't the only one who played a part in this, but he was one of the first and certainly the one who did it in the most impressive manner - with a mix of brash cockiness and subtle swing.

Before Little Walter, the harmonica was largely a rhythmic or melodic fill-in. By cupping a microphone to his harmonica and plugging it into an amplifier, he created a revolutionary new sound - a raw, distorted, and powerful tone that could stand toe-to-toe with the electric guitars of his Chicago blues contemporaries. This technical innovation was the foundation for a new style of playing that would influence generations of musicians to follow.

Beyond the technology, Little Walter’s true genius lay in his unparalleled musicality. His playing was not merely loud; it was incredibly virtuosic. He possessed a level of speed and precision that was unheard of at the time. He could play complex, rapid-fire runs, intricate melodic lines, and subtle, soulful bends with a fluidity that sounded almost effortless. Unlike other players who focused on simple riffs, Walter played with the sophistication of a jazz horn player, crafting solos with a clear sense of structure and emotional depth.

His influence is woven into the fabric of modern music. As a key member of Muddy Waters' band and as a prolific solo artist for Chess Records, his sound defined the Chicago blues movement. His hit instrumental, "Juke," became the gold standard for blues harmonica and remains one of the most celebrated harmonica recordings in history.

All in all, Little Walter was a musical visionary. He took a humble instrument and - through his genius and innovation - gave it a voice of immense power and beauty. This cemented his legacy as the king of the blues harmonica.