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Our Review

Exactly where is Harmonicaland, anyway? Somewhere between Poughkeepsie and Pittsburgh? Au contraire--Bruce Kurnow's excellent Holidays in Harmonicaland exists in a rarefied world of brilliantly bluesy interpretations of seasonal favorites. The album cover suggests a land of mountain beauty--Colorado, perhaps? No matter. . . you, too, can live in Harmonicaland, if you can just steal an hour away with this notable new instrumental release.

Harmonica music for the holidays? You may think that harmonicas should be reserved for lonely cowboys around the campfire, or you may have trouble imagining seasonal songs streaming from some urban blues bar. If you think again, you will realize just how well matched the harmonica is with the holidays. After all, the blues harp has an incredible voice--textured, sassy and soulful like that of a human, but better, because the harmonica produces built-in harmonies. It can explode with joy or drop into an introspective growl. Brilliant! By the way, this album is not exclusively harmonica music; Kurnow also provides some creative keyboard touches.

One small caution: You really do need to appreciate the blues to embrace this CD. Although the styling here is not entirely blues (for example, "I Wonder as I Wander" and "O Come, O Come, Immanuel" are largely sweetly gentle piano pieces with the harmonica jumping in to provide a single-note melody line and cool harmony accents), most numbers do jump with dynamic blues. This jubilant/melancholy music speaks from the heart. I listen to a lot of holiday music, and while jazz is a very popular genre, blues is far rarer. In addition, I have never previously reviewed a Christmas album founded upon the harmonica. As a result, Kurnow's Holidays in Harmonicaland is an exceptionally fine treat!

The artist's harmonica expertise is extraordinary, and his arrangements for the 15 tracks are creative, colorful, and often moving. The pieces are largely ancient carols, but include some nice surprises like "Avinu Malchenu," "Dreydl Blues," and Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." Every single track speaks to me. That being said, I especially enjoyed Kurnow's treatment of "I Saw Three Ships"; the growling blues foundation sporadically releases blazing melody lines. His fiery opening "Carol of the Bells" is another innovative winner. Thanks, Bruce Kurnow, for an outstanding journey into the unexpected. Your Holidays in Harmonicaland has made my holidays extra-special this year.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)

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From the liner notes:

Produced by Bruce Kurnow
Executive Producer: Karole Kurnow

All songs arranged by Bruce Kurnow

Bruce Kurnow: Diatonic, Chromatic, Echo and Bass Harmonicas, Harmonetta and Keyboards
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Bruce Kurnow

From the Web site:

Bruce Kurnow, a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota and now a residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, is enjoying a long career in the music business. At age three he began piano lessons and was immediately hooked. As a teenager he discovered a special connection with the harmonica and has remained dedicated to exploring the possibilities of the instrument. He went on to become a music major at the University of Minnesota, primarily a classical school. He studied piano, stringed harp, voice, theory and composition, which have proven to be a solid foundation for his subsequent work, including twenty recordings of original compositions and eight others of non-original music. Bruce has been recognized with four Minnesota Music Awards for his harmonica, stringed harp and keyboard work. Since 1971 he has been an active studio musician, playing on hundreds of commercials, albums and film scores.

Bruce Kurnow

Holidays in Harmonicaland

Artist link

Track List