Wendy Oxenhorn on the Blues Harmonica

PLAYING THE HARMONICA [:60] RUFFIN: NOW A JAZZ MOMENT OXENHORN: I put all my blues into my harmonica. THOUGH WENDY OXENHORN IS A NEA JAZZ MASTER FOR HER TIRELESS WORK AS A MUSICIANS’ ADVOCATE, SHE DOES PLAY A PRETTY MEAN HARMONICA … Harmonica up … AND HAS SINCE HER EARLY DAYS IN NEW YORK CITY. Harmonica under OXENHORN: I would get on the express train at 96 Street, I would ride on the number two between the cars, holding on to the iron with the CD player in my purse, Muddy Waters in my head, and one harmonica in my free hand because no one could hear you. I would yell going down from 96 Street to 14 Street, crossover, and do it again. It bit me like nothing I've ever been bitten with since the ballet. Inside, I knew I was a blues man. Harmonica up
THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH WENDY OXENHORN WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.
Excerpt of Wendy Oxenhorn on the harmonica performing with Joe Gray, Manu Lanvin, Steve Jordan, and Paul Shaffer from the Jazz Foundation of America’s “Great Night in Harlem Concert” at the Apollo (2015), used courtesy of Wendy Oxenhorn.