Shaker/Madcat Harmonica Microphone Workshop

Thursday , January 14, 1999
12:00 am
Location: Elderly Instruments
workshop (free)

The Shaker / Madcat Microphone For over twenty years harmonica great Peter Madcat Ruth has been using his mystery mic to produce some of the most unbelievable sounds in the harmonica world. Musicians have marveled at his techniques, wondering "how does he do that?" and wishing they could. Their wish has just come true. Joe Harless, the inventor of Shaker Harmonica Mics, and world class harp player Peter Madcat Ruth have joined forces to design, manufacture, and distribute the Shaker / Madcat Microphone The new Shaker / Madcat Microphone is like no other harp microphone available today. It is an entirely new system which picks up the harp sounds from inside your cupped hands. The new Shaker / Madcat Microphone slips easily between the fingers of your left hand, allowing you to cup your harmonica completely without having to hold on to a microphone. The Shaker / Madcat Microphone has a unique new design which enables you to amplify not only the sound of the harp, but all the hand shaped tones usually associated with acoustic harmonica playing. The Shaker / Madcat microphone's volume control is conveniently placed, so you can easily control the volume while playing. With the Shaker / Madcat you have access to a greater pallet of tonal expression. The Madcat model doesn't look like any other microphone. It doesn't respond like any microphone ever produced. It is a totally new approach to harmonica amplification. The design is radical, the shape is functionally perfect, the technology is typically Shaker - - way ahead of the rest. The Shaker / Madcat Microphone is an original that will change the way harp players think from now on. About Madcat: Peter Madcat Ruth has established an international reputation through his exhilarating, riveting virtuosity on the harmonica. His expertise on this instrument has amazed audiences world-wide. He is equally at home playing blues, folk music, jazz, country, or rock and roll. Performance Magazine refers to him as "A harmonica virtuoso who is rapidly approaching legend status." Madcat's music has been evolving for over 35 years. It started in the Chicago area in the early 1960s, with Madcat playing folk/blues on guitar and harmonica. By the late 60s he had immersed himself in the Chicago Blues and was studying harmonica with Big Walter Horton. In the early 70s Madcat moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he was a key presence in two of Ann Arbor's finest progressive rock bands: New Heavenly Blue and Sky King. By the mid 70s Madcat was touring the world with jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. In the 80s, Madcat went solo infusing the folk/blues tradition with elements of rock and jazz. In 1990, Madcat teamed up with guitarist/singer Shari Kane to form the duo Madcat & Kane. For the past eight years they have been touring nationally and internationally. Madcat's experience is extensive. He has been an invited guest performer at many harmonica festivals in the United States and Europe. His harmonica playing is heard on over 50 record albums. National television and radio appearances, symphony orchestra performances, radio and television advertisements, and harmonica workshops all attest to Madcat's reputation as one of the best and most versatile harmonica players in the world. Madcat is more than an expert musician. He is also performer who has such a good time playing music that audiences, ranging from pre-schoolers to senior citizens, delight in his performances. His enthusiasm is unpretentious and contagious. As Dave Brubeck said: "Madcat's got that magical quality. It doesn't matter if he's playing a hoe-down kind of thing that evolves into blues and pretty soon into jazz. Audiences here and overseas go with him all the way." Some Quotes: "Madcat has got to be one of the greatest jazz soloists in terms of getting an audience. He's got that magical quality. It doesn't matter if he's playing a hoe-down kind of thing that evolves into a blues and pretty soon into jazz. Audiences here and overseas go with him all the way. He's into music without categories." -- Dave Brubeck "Peter Madcat Ruth is a harmonica player of faultless technique, imagination and delivery." -- Melody Maker Magazine "A harmonica virtuoso rapidly approaching legend status." -- Performance Magazine "Madcat treads the line between control and abandon, a sure fire method for heating up a crowd." -- Niel Tesser "Harmonica wizard Peter Madcat Ruth's wild blues playing sparked raucous approval and his quieter work was simply amazing." -- Milwaukee Journal "The best blues harmonica player in the world... And no one plays an audience better, either." Bob Talbert Detroit Free Press "By any standard, Peter Ruth must be considered one of the greatest harmonica players of all time. His virtuosity on the diatonic harp is simply amazing!" Richard Hunter, author of Jazz Harp, Oak Publications "Madcat is my favorite harmonica player." -- Corky Siegel "One comes away impressed, not only with the skillful arrangements but with the jovial informality with which he performs. His act is great fun to watch." Michigan Daily "The variety of orchestral textures and multiple rhythms he can produce is astonishing." Renaldo Migaldi Michigan State News "Madcat is with out a doubt, one of the most phenomenal harmonica players that I have ever heard, and I've heard them all." Jerry Murad the Harmonicats "Madcat is the best of the best- of that there is no doubt." Michael G. Nastos Ann Arbor News

Check out recordings we carry featuring Peter "Madcat" Ruth