The Harpman Cometh…to Hog’s Breath
Chris Manson November 7, 2002 Issue

The blues-influenced Hog’s Breath Band is even bluesier now with the addition of harmonica player Mark Cassady. “Mark the Harp” has been playing for 30 years; and he has a collection of custom-made Hohner harmonicas worth thousands of dollars.

“Mark is one of the best harp players I’ve ever heard,” Sol Morgan (bass/vocals) said. “He really adds to the energy of the band.”

Richard Sleigh in Pennsylvania makes Cassady’s harmonicas. “He builds them himself. They’re a lot richer in tone than the ones you buy at a music store,” Cassady said.

He started playing with the Hog’s Breath Band the weekend of October 18. “I’ve known Tim Jackson (guitar/vocals) for years, and I’ve sat in a few times. I sing a few…the rest of the time, I just try to fit in. Not every song is harmonica-friendly,” Cassady said.

“It’s hard to accompany a vocalist without getting in the way. Anyone can show off, but my belief is less is more.”

A recent Saturday night gig proved very harmonica-friendly, as Cassady added his subtle harp touches to Stevie Wonder’s classic Superstition, propelled by the funky bass playing of Morgan. Kim Brown sang a committed If It Makes You Happy. War’s golden great Low Rider followed, with vocals by Jackson and an imaginative Cassady solo.

The harmonica sound was integrated nicely into Suzie Q, made famous by Dale Hawkins and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Throughout the evening, the Hog’s Breath Band demonstrated an impressive level of energy and freshness, with solos that never meandered and rousing tunes that never wore out their welcome. Josh Blackburn provided incendiary lead guitar work all around.

Cassady’s previous credits include time with the Filthy Rich, the .44s and Jimmy Lewis’ band. His uncle introduced him to his instrument of choice. “He gave me some harps for Christmas one year, and when I showed some interest, he gave me a box of all the keys. I started playing country and blues,” he said.

There are 12 major keys, and any serious harp player needs at least one of each to tackle any song that might come up. Cassady keeps a case full of 40 harmonicas on stage with him and another 25 or so within reach in his “backup box.” In addition to the diatonic (blues harp) harmonicas, there are the chromatic harmonicas favored by performers like Wonder; these harps have a “button” on the side which enables the player to cover the full range of notes on a particular scale. “Just getting tone is an entirely different approach on the chromatic, and you can’t attack it like the diatonic. It’s very good for minor keys,” Cassady said.

“Mark adds a new dimension to this band. We enjoy him,” Brown said after she treated the enthusiastic Hog’s Breath crowd to a sexy reading of Bruce Springsteen’s Fire.

Cassady enjoys a variety of different musical styles. “I also listen to a lot of sax players for inspiration,” he said, noting the similarities in the two instruments’ nuance and phrasing. Cassady is quick to point out that one nickname for the harmonica is the “Mississippi saxophone.”

He recommends that the aspiring harp player on a budget pick up a Hohner Bluesharp “in the key of A, B-flat or C. They’ve started making them a lot better—you can replace the reeds if they wear out.”

One highlight of Cassady’s musical journey was playing with the recently deceased singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury five years ago at the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in Perdido Key. Newbury’s songs have been covered by Willie Nelson (Just Dropped in to See What Condition My Condition Was In, Thirty-Third of August) and Elvis Presley (An American Trilogy). The legendary performer invited Cassady to play with him at the Florabama.

“He was very nice to me. He liked me because I was very subdued. Most of his music is melancholy and haunted. Mickey Newbury was a real gentleman. I’m gonna miss him,” Cassady said.

Cassady never learned to read music—“I ad lib”—but he definitely has a feel for it. “My kind of playing just evolved. I never looked for anything to come from it. I just enjoy the camaraderie of playing with good musicians.” (Top)

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