This is the definitive harmonica album.
You probably haven't updated your harmonica album catalogue since your one-legged uncle died and left you his collection of Juke Logan LPs. It is time.
There aren't many harmonica albums anymore. Most harmonica players are doomed to be featured on "The Harmonica Song" but very few get to release their own albums. And what makes Harmonica Hankins so remarkable, so pure, is that it is all and only harmonicas.
To make the album an even purer, academic pursuit, the Hankins decided to record it with only one harmonica.
Two Hankins. One harmonica.
You won't find that on any Carlos del Junco recording.
The effect of this is a greater focus and concentration on the styles and abilities of the players and less on the nuances of any particular harmonica. While great guitar duo albums like Al di Meola and John McLaughlin or Ry Cooder and Leo Kottke may showcase individual talent, they also lean heavily on the personality of the specific guitars. Harmonica Hankins remove one more variable from the equation.
These diligent students of the mouth harp have lent their talents to new and inspired interpretations of many harmonica standards. There are probably laws against releasing harmonica albums without "Oh Susana" on it. That tried and true masterpiece, along with "You Are My Sunshine" are the highlights of this album.
"You Are My Sunshine" features Art "Big Daddy" Hankin, and we are treated to a wise and soothing rendition of the folk standard. "Big Daddy" and ebbs and flows from note to note without haste. He beckons us with smooth notes and captures us with his laid back yet impeccable delivery. He has mellowed nicely with age and uses is wealth of knowledge and experience to guide his playing.
The other highlight, "Oh Susana" which features Becky Hankin, Art's daughter, is a more eager piece. Ms. Hankin delivers a more staccato, almost calypso rendering of the classic. Her youth and vivaciousness are translated through the mouth harp and on to the album.
The real beauty of this album is it's documentation of a father/daughter relationship and the passing of skills and talents from one generation to the next. In between songs you can almost hear the Hankins pass the harmonica back and forth like the telling of family legends around a campfire.
The only complaint I have against this album is that the cover features only Becky, the younger Hankin. No Big Daddy. No Harmonicas. It seems like a sly attempt to make the album and the harmonica in general more sexy. The cover art should better reflect the family atmosphere created by these timeless performances.
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