Concert Program Harmonica Masters Workshops 2026
Kulturfabrik Kesselhaus, Trossingen,
28. - 31. Oktober

We’ll be kicking off this concert series with a double billing featuring German blues harmonica master Dieter Kropp and Britain’s ambassador of the blues, Eddie Martin.


Dieter is a powerful traditional blues player who has introduced thousands to the harmonica through his workshops and books and will open the show on harmonica and vocals, ably backed by the LiveWires.


After the break, Eddie Martin will start off solo on acoustic guitar and rack harmonica, before switching to electric guitar and amplified harmonica, and inviting the band up to join him for a ripping finale.


A great start to four nights of exceptional performances from some of today’s finest players.

The 2nd Harmonica Masters Concert 2026 brings together two of the finest exponents of contemporary harmonica. A modern stylist building on the tradition of legendary jazz musicians such as Toots Thielemans, Tian Long LI is one of today’s finest chromatic players, combining a nuanced understanding of the genre with a fluid command of dynamics and tone. He will be accompanied by pianist Thomas Förster.


Up next is diatonic harmonica virtuoso Konstantin Reinfeld, who is redefining the role of the instrument in both classical and contemporary pop music and has performed at numerous major international cultural events as well as winning the Opus Classic award for his groundbreaking solo performances.


In Trossingen he will be accompanied by guitarist Hanno Busch, renowned for his work with Jan Delay & Disko No.1 and numerous other artists including the Grammy award winning WDR Bigband.

Joe Filisko’s concert appearances in Trossingen need no introduction. He has been performing here since 2001 in a variety of line-ups including his Roots Duo with Eric Noden. In 2026 Joe will start off alone and invite a variety of guests to join him in the course of the show, concluding with the LiveWires. His mastery of traditional blues harmonica styles is incomparable and has inspired countless players to learn from his example.


After the break, the Friday evening concert continues with Bonny B., who will this time appear with his brother Ice B. on guitar. Their duo performances of gut-wrenching deep blues and gospel are tight and gripping, showcasing their remarkable intuitive grasp of the essentials which imbue the music with life and emotional depth.


They will also be joined by the LiveWires to close the show.

For his concert at the Harmonica Masters Workshops 2026, Chris Kramer will once again be accompanieded by Paddy Boy Zimmermann on guitar, providing the perfect foil to Kramers expressive harp and vocals. Their duo performances move between blues, folk and singer/songwriter, underlining their stylistic and instrumental abilities while providing great entertainment.


After the break, festival director Steve Baker will take the stage to lead the LiveWires through a selection of songs from his three solo albums. This incarnation of the band, featuring Jan Mohr on guitar and Henri Jerratsch on drums as well as the great Jeff Walker on bass, offers a more rock-oriented take on Steve’s musical vision and showcases both his thought provoking songwriting and his unique harmonica style.


After the concert, all instructors and accompanists will join the band for the legendary Grande Finale, bringing the Harmonica Masters Workshops 2026 to a fitting conclusion and offering all of them the opportunity to stretch out and underline why they are numbered amongst the finest players performing today.