Q: What are the recordings I should buy if
I want to learn about harmonica?

A: There was a ~favorites~ poll of harp-l published for harp-l on 10
Jan 95.

9,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
8,Hoodoo Man Blues,Junior Wells,Junior Wells
6,More Real Folk Blues,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice
Miller) 4,Paul Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield Blues Band,Paul
Butterfield
3,Stand Back!,Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band,Charlie Musselwhite
3,Blues Masters: Harmonica Classics,Various Artists,Various Artists
3,Can’t Keep Loving You,Walter Horton,Big Walter Horton
2,The Harmonica According to Charlie Musselwhite,Charlie
Musselwhite,Charlie Musselwhite
2,UFO TOFU,Bela Fleck and the Flecktones,Howard Levy
2,100% Cotton,James Cotton,James Cotton
2,Harp Attack,Various,James Cotton, Junior Wells, Carey Bell, and Billy
Branch
2,Harmonica Rhapsody,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad, Don Les, Al Fiore
2,Alone and Acoustic,Buddy Guy & Junior Wells,Junior Wells
2,The Chess Years,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
2,Full House,J. Geils Band,Magic Dick(Richard Salwitz)
2,The Charles Ford Band,Charles Ford Band,Mark Ford
2,Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw,Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield
2,Best of Slim Harpo,Slim Harpo,Slim Harpo
2,Keep it to Ourselves,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice
Miller)
2,Sonny and Brownie,Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee,Sonny Terry
2,Blue Blazes,Sugar Blue,Sugar Blue
2,Blues Harmonica Spotlight,Various Artists,Various Artists
2,Fine Cuts,Walter Horton,Big Walter Horton
2,Little Boy Blue,Walter Horton & Sugar Ray & the Bluetones,Big Walter
Horton
2,Big Walter Horton With Carey Bell,Big Walter Horton, Carey Bell
1,Nebraska,Bruce Springsteen,????
1,The Virtuoso Harmonica,Adalberto Borioli,Adalberto Borioli
1,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan
1,Blonde on Blonde,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan
1,Borah Minnevitch Harmonica Rascals,Borah Minnevitch Harmonica
Rascals,Borah Minnevitch Harmonica Rascals
1,Last Night,Carey Bell,Carey Bell
1,Charlie’s 13th,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
1,The Real McCoy,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
1,Harpin’ The Blues,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
1,Good Time Charlie,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
1,Signature,Charlie Musselwhite,Charlie Musselwhite
1,Say Siegel Schwall,The Siegel Schwell Band,Corky Siegel
1,The Blues Brothers Soundtrack,The Blues Brothers,Dan Aykroyd
1,The Blues Night,Various artists,Darrell Mansfield
1,Blues With a Feelin’,Mansfield/Turner,Darrell Mansfield
1,Harmonica High,The Sgro Brothers,Domonic and Tony Sgro
1,Midnight Prowler,Frank Frost,Frank Frost
1,Rockin’ the Juke Joint Down,The Jelly Roll Kings,Frank Frost
1,My Pleasure,Gary Primich,Gary Primich
1,Little George Smith, Harmonica Ace,George Harmonica Smith,George
Harmonica Smith
1,Bela Fleck & The Flecktones,Bela Fleck & The Flecktones,Howard Levy
1,Trio Globo,Trio Globo,Howard Levy
1,Girl,Howlin’ Wolf,Howlin’ Wolf
1,High Compression,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Pure Cotton,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Live From Chicago, Mr. Superharp Himself!,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Hard Again,Muddy Waters,James Cotton
1,Live at Antone’s Night Club,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Muddy Mississippi Waters Live,Muddy Waters,James Cotton & Jerry Portnoy
1,Two Sides To Every Story,James Harman Band,James Harman
1,Selected Favorites,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Peg O’ My Heart,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Bright Lights Big City,Jimmy Reed,Jimmy Reed
1,Best of Jimmy Reed,Jimmy Reed,Jimmy Reed 1,Live at the Fillmore East,John
Mayall,John Mayall
1,Blues Traveler,Blues Traveler,John Popper
1,Coming at You,Junior Wells,Junior Wells
1,Girls Go Wild,Fabulous Thunderbirds,Kim Wilson
1,A Larry Adler Concert,Larry Adler,Larry Adler
1,Before the Rain,Lee Oskar,Lee Oskar
1,King King,The Red Devils,Lester Butler
1,Payday,Little Mike & the Tornadoes,Little Mike Markowitz
1,Best of Little Walter,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
1,The Essential Little Walter,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
1,Muddy Waters Chess Set,Muddy Waters Band,Little Walter, James Cotton
1,Heavy Heads,Various Artists,Little Walter, Sonny Boy, Howlin’ Wolf,
Billy Boy Arnold
1,Goon with the Wind,Max Geldray,Max Geldray
1,Beans Taste Fine,Mike Turk ,Mike Turk
1,Lovin’ in the Valley of the Moon,Norton Buffalo,Norton Buffalo
1,Onie’s Boogie,Onie Wheeler,Onie Wheeler
1,Fathers & Sons,Muddy Waters, et. al.,Paul Butterfield
1,Golden Butter,Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield
1,East-West,Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield
1,The Other One,Paul deLay Band,Paul deLay
1,Paul Lamb & the King Snakes,Paul Lamb & the King Snakes,Paul Lamb
1,Music and Memories,Pete & Jim,Pete Pedersen, Jim Watkins
1,Live at the Blind Pig,Peter “Madcat” Ruth,Peter “Madcat” Ruth
1,Secret Sauce,Sky King,Peter “Madcat” Ruth
1,Key to The Highway,MadCat and Kane,Peter “Madcat” Ruth
1,Let it Roll,John Cephas & Phil Wiggins,Phil Wiggins
1,Dog Days of August,John Cephas & Phil Wiggins,Phil Wiggins
1,All the Way Crazy,Little Charlie & the Nightcats,Rick Estrin
1,Radioactive Material,The Mighty Flyers,Rod Piazza
1,Money Talks,The Legendary Blues Band,Ross Bon
1,Catch A Boogie-Woogie,Big Joe Williams,Sonny Boy “John Lee” Williamson
I
1,Sonny Boy Williamson I, Vol 1 and 2,Sonny Boy Williamson I,Sonny Boy
“John Lee” Williamson I
1,Blues Classics,Sonny Boy Williamson I,Sonny Boy “John Lee” Williamson
I
1,Don’t Start Me Talkin’,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson
II(Rice Miller)
1,Down and Out Blues,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice
Miller)
1,Sonny Boy Williamson II with the Yardbirds,Sonny Boy Williamson II with
the Yardbirds,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice Miller)
1,Sonny Boy Williamson Complete Recordings,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny
Boy Williamson II(Rice Miller)
1,King Biscuit Time,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice
Miller)
1,This Is My Story,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice
Miller)
1,Sonny Boy Williamson live in Paris w/Memphis Slim,Sonny Boy Williamson
II,Sonny Boy Williamson II(Rice Miller)
1,Brownie Mcghee and Sonny Terry Sing,Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee,Sonny
Terry
1,Happy Harmonica – Big Band Harmonica,Stagg McMann,Stagg McMann
1,Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Hits,Stevie Wonder,Stevie Wonder
1,Eivets Rednow,Stevie Wonder,Stevie Wonder
1,Crossroads,????,Sugar Blue
1,Best of Taj Mahal,Taj Mahal,Taj Mahal
1,Hooked On Harmonicas,The Sgro Brothers,The Sgro Brothers
1,Festival Time,The Sgro Brothers,The Sgro Brothers
1,The Silver Sound of the Harmonica,Tommy Reilly,Tommy Reilly
1,Colours of My Life,Tommy Reilly,Tommy Reilly 1,Affinity,Toots Thielemans
& Bill Evans,Toots Thielemans
1,Airegin,Toots Thielemans & Joanne Brackeen,Toots Thielemans
1,Man Bites Harmonica,Toots Thielemans,Toots Thielemans
1,The Sound,Toots Thielemans,Toots Thielemans
1,The Silver Collection,Toots Thielemans,Toots Thielemans
1,Rolling Stone,Muddy Waters Band,Various
1,Harmonica Classics of the 20’s & 30’s,Various,Various
1,Sun Records Harmonica,Various Artists,Big Walter Horton
1,Blowin’ Like Hell,William Clarke,William Clarke

12,Juke,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
5,Help Me,More Real Folk Blues,Sonny Boy Williamson II,Sonny Boy Williamson
II(Rice Miller)
4,Orange Blossom Special,The Real McCoy,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
4,Whammer Jammer,Full House,J. Geils Band,Magic Dick(Richard Salwitz)
4,Born in Chicago,Paul Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield Blues
Band,Paul Butterfield
4,Easy,Sun Records Harmonica, Little Boy Blue,Walter Horton,Big Walter
Horton
3,Rocket 88,100% Cotton,James Cotton,James Cotton
2,Seresta,UFO TOFU,Bela Fleck & the Flecktones,Howard Levy
2,Peg O’ My Heart,Several,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad, Don Les, Al Fiore
2,Mellow Down Easy,Best of Little Walter Vol.II,Little Walter Jacobs,Little
Walter Jacobs
2,Driftin’ and Driftin’,Golden Butter,Butterfield Blues Band,Paul Butterfield
2,Miss You,Some Girls,The Rolling Stones,Sugar Blue
2,She Caught the Katy,Best of Taj Mahal,Taj Mahal,Taj Mahal
2,Walter’s Boogie,Can’t Keep Lovin’ You,Walter Horton,Big Walter Horton
2,Trouble In Mind,Big Walter Horton With Carey Bell,Big Walter Horton,
Carey Bell
1,Eagle Rock,????,Leadbelly,-
1,Nebraska,Nebraska,Bruce Springsteen,????
1,My Life is Ruined,Rolling Stone,Muddy Waters Band,????
1,An Owl Song,On the Road Again,Canned Heat,Alan "Blind Owl"
Wilson
1,Walkin’ By Myself,Living the Blues,Canned Heat,Alan "Blind Owl"
Wilson
1,Don’t Think Twice,Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan
1,Blowin’ in the Wind,????,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan
1,Every Grain of Sand,Shot of Love,Bob Dylan,Bob Dylan
1,Moonglow,78,Borah Minnevitch Harmonica Rascals ,Borah Minnevitch
Harmonica Rascals
1,Jackpot(Bruno’s Bop),The Return of Bruno,Bruce Willis,Bruce Willis
1,Blues With A Feeling,Harpslinger,Carey Bell,Carey Bell
1,Harpoon Man,????,Charlie McCoy,Charlie McCoy
1,Christo Redemptor,Stand Back!,Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band,Charlie
Musselwhite
1,Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,The Blues Night,Larry Howard,Darrel
Mansfield
1,Every Day Will Be Sunday,Blues With a Feelin’,Mansfield/Turner,Darrell
Mansfield
1,Back Home in Indiana,Don Les Harmonicats,Harmonicats,Don Les
1,Scratch My Back,Midnight Prowler,Frank Frost,Frank Frost
1,I Didn’t Know,Rockin’ the Juke Joint Down,Jelly Roll Kings,Frank Frost
1,Last Night,Blues Masters: Harmonica,George Harmonica Smith,George
Harmonica Smith
1,Juicy Harmonica,????,George "Harmonica" Smith,George "Harmonica"
Smith
1,Magic Evening,Flecktones,Bela Fleck & The Flecktones,Howard Levy
1,Traintime,Wheels of Fire,Cream,Jack Bruce
1,Fever,100% Cotton,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Black Night,Harp Attack,Cotton, Wells, Bell & Branch,James Cotton
1,Mannish Boy,Hard Again,Muddy Waters,James Cotton
1,Black Night,Harp Attack,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Blow Wind Blow,Live at Antone’s Night Club,James Cotton,James Cotton
1,Mad ‘Bout Somethin’,Do Not Disturb,James Harman Band,James Harman
1,Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White,Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom
White,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Gallop of the Commedians,Selected Favorites,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Scheherezade,Selected Favorites,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Theme from The Avengers,Great Themes From TV and Motion
Pictures,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad
1,Harmonica Boogie,Various,Harmonicats,Jerry Murad, Don Les, Al Fiore
1,Blues in a Dream,????,Jerry Portnoy,Jerry Portnoy
1,Jerry Jumps In,Soul Searching,Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters,Jerry
Portnoy
1,Baby What You Want Me to Do?,Best of Jimmy Reed,Jimmy Reed,Jimmy Reed
1,But Anyway,Blues Traveler,Blues Traveler,John Popper
1,Lost My Mule in Texas,Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue
Unit,Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit,John Popper
1,Night Owl Blues,Lovin’ Spoonful,Lovin’ Spoonful,John Sebastian
1,Snatch It Back & Hold It,Hoodoo Man Blues,Junior Wells ,Junior Wells
1,Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White,Blues Masters: Harmonica,Fabulous
Thunderbirds,Kim Wilson
1,Rocket In My Pocket,Girls Go Wild,Fabulous Thunderbirds,Kim Wilson
1,Ravel’s Bolero,Larry Adler in Concert,Larry Adler,Larry Adler
1,Genevieve,Genevieve Soundtrack,Larry Adler,Larry Adler
1,I Got Rhythm,DJANGOLOGIE series,Larry Adler with the Quintet of the
Hot
Club of France,Larry Adler
1,Yes, I’m Singing,Before the Rain,Lee Oskar,Lee Oskar
1,Oopin Doopin Doopin,Harmonica Ace,Little George Smith,Little George
Smith
1,Backtrack,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
1,Off The Wall,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter
Jacobs
1,My Babe,Super Blues,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter Jacobs
1,Mean Old World,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter
Jacobs
1,Standing Around Crying,Muddy Waters Chess Set,Muddy Waters Band,Little
Walter Jacobs
1,Just Your Fool,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter
Jacobs
1,Teenage Beat,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter
Jacobs
1,Blue Midnight,Boss Blues Harmonica,Little Walter Jacobs,Little Walter
Jacobs
1,Blue & Lonesome,The Charles Ford Band,Charles Ford Band,Mark Ford
1,Travellin’ On,Travellin’ On,Midge Marsden,Midge Marsden Ô

 

There are also some discographies on the web that list the recordings:

 

Buy the Book!

I cleaned up my tab for Sonny Boy's Help Me and made it into a short book. There's a Kindle version for 99 cents, and if you buy the paperback you get the Kindle free.

Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs