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Take Five With PT Gazell

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By AAJ Staff
June 4, 2011
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Meet PT Gazell:
Hot, swingin, smooth, original, clean, lyrical, faster than a speeding bullet, diatonically chromatic, one of a kind, masterful, the swingingest, Oh yeah, like what?

Nat King Cole

piano and vocals
1919 - 1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Nat King Cole,

Benny Goodman

clarinet
1909 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Goodman,

Louis Jordan

saxophone, alto
1908 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Jordan,

Ben Webster

saxophone, tenor
1909 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Webster,

Harry "Sweets" Edison

trumpet
1915 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry "Sweets" Edison,

Wes Montgomery

guitar
1923 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Wes Montgomery,

" data-original-title="" title="">Tiny Moore...that's what! Dig it.

PT Gazell—American master of the half-valved diatonic harmonica. Swing and jazz played on a 10-hole, Richter-tuned diatonic harmonica.

Instrument(s):
Harmonica.

Teachers and/or influences?

Toots Thielemans

harmonica
1922 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Toots Thielemans,

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker,

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner, Tiny Moore, Ben Webster, "Sweets" Edison, Nat "King" Cole.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
I saw peoples' reaction to music that touched them.

Your sound and approach to music:
I would say my sound is a cross between a tenor sax and a muted trumpet. My approach has always come from a melodic standpoint. My improvisation comes from the same place.

Your teaching approach:
The technical stuff is fine but remember you are entertaining not trying to do parlor tricks.

Favorite venue:
Anywhere in Europe.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
I would have to say it is a tossup between 2 Days Out and Swingin' Easy...Hittin' Hard.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
To bring new awareness to an instrument that is pigeonholed as either blues or country.

What is in the near future?
European tour in fall of 2011

Photo Credit
Courtesy of

PT Gazell

harmonica
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">PT Gazell

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