Inspired by nature

Bruce Kurnow plays a harmonica solo during a recent performance with the Peter Welker All-Stars. Kurnow, a prolific multi-instrumentalist and recording artist, recently released two CDs of holiday classics and has another CD of nature music due out in January. -- Edy Samson photo

Multi-instrumentalist Bruce Kurnow moved from Minnesota to Petaluma last year and has found musical inspiration in the great outdoors

By Chris Samson, Argus-Courier Staff

In musicians' parlance, the term "harp" is often synonymous with "harmonica." With musician Bruce Kurnow, however, the words are not interchangeable. This multi-instrumentalist plays harmonica and stringed harp -- as well as keyboards and the Gu Zheng (Chinese harp).

Kurnow, who moved from Minnesota to Petaluma a year and a half ago, has an impressive list of credits as a musician, recording artist, composer and producer.

In the early 1970s he toured and recorded three albums with the country-rock group Mason Proffit. He has performed with Passage, Consort, the Doug Maynard Band and other groups and has recorded with the likes of Paul Shaffer, Terri Nunn, Phil Upchurch, Ann Reed, the Steeles and Peter Ostroushko. As a solo artist, he has recorded 20 CDs.

His playing can be heard on two recently released holiday CDs: "'Tis the Season: Christmas Harp" and "Pachelbel's Christmas." "'Tis the Season," available exclusively in Target stores, showcases Kurnow playing stringed harp on 12 classic Yuletide songs. Local musicians Keith Allen (guitar and mandolin), Rita Thies (flute) and Peter Welker (flugelhorn) are also featured, while Kurnow's wife Karole makes her recording debut playing the recorder. "Pachelbel's Christmas," originally recorded as "Nature's Noel" for the NorthSound Music Group, is a remastered and resequenced version without the nature sounds on Kurnow's own label, Switchback Productions. Karole also painted the poinsettia on the cover of the CD.

In January another new CD, "Healing and Harmony," will be released by NorthSound. It is the first of a 10-CD deal Kurnow recently signed with the Wisconsin-based music company that specializes in nature music.

"It's melodic, relaxing music," Kurnow said, "with harp, keyboards and harmonica."

Much of the original music Kurnow has composed since moving to California has been inspired by hiking on Mount Tamalpais and other trails in the North Bay. "I try to convey that feeling musically," he says. "This is a great place to live and it's been a major influence on my music."

Kurnow, a native Minnesotan, doesn't miss the winter weather of his home state. "I'd been vacationing in California for a long time and thinking that I'd like to move out here," he said. "Karole and I decided to take the plunge and move last year. We love the weather and the hiking opportunities."

On his Switchback label, Kurnow has released "Forest Reflections," "Mountain Mysteries" and Lake Impressions" (all from his Portraits of Nature series), a collection of romantic favorites called "The Nature of Love" and a solo harmonica recording, "Harmonicaland."

"Harmonicaland," released in 1999, displays Kurnow's versatility and virtuosity on the mouth harp. The 12 original songs cover a wide range of styles, ranging from contemporary classical and meditative pieces to blues and barn dances.

"I'd been wanting to do a solo harmonica record for years, but I could never get around to it," he said. "I finally decided to go ahead and do it. I wanted some of it to be a throwback to a real old style of playing. I put it together hoping that the harmonica ties it all together."

The piano was Kurnow's first instrument. "I started with piano when I was 3," he said, "and I've been playing and studying it my whole life." He took up the harmonica as a teenager and then started playing the stringed harp in his early 20s.

"I'd always been interested in the harp, but it took awhile before I started playing it," he said. "I think I got interested in it from watching old Marx Brothers movies. I actually started playing the harp as a musical hobby for my own enjoyment. But I wound up doing a lot of work with it, which I didn't expect would happen. There aren't that many harpists around, so there are a lot of opportunities for playing and recording."

When recording his own music, Kurnow sometimes has to stop and decided which instrument to use. "Most of the time I have to decide whether to play the basic tracks on piano or harp, because they cross over the closest. If I need something more percussive or rhythmic, I'll use the piano. The harp is real natural for Christmas music."

Kurnow learned his licks and started paying his dues as a professional musician in his late teens and early 20s -- then strictly as a keyboard player.

"When I was 19 I was playing piano with Mojo Buford, who's one of the old Chicago blues masters," said Kurnow, who closely studied the older man's harmonica style. "I made sure I set up right next to his amplifier so I could hear every note. I learned a lot just from listening to him -- the importance of tone, holding a note. I played with him for about two years, mostly clubs in Minneapolis. He was the closest I've had to a mentor."

Kurnow's first studio recording work was with the Mason Proffit band. "I did three records with them and we toured constantly -- 300 shows per year," he said. "I didn't have that much recording experience then. But they were with a major label, Warner Brothers, and I had to learn quickly."

During the 1980s, Kurnow received several Minnesota Music Awards for harmonica (1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989), harp (1989) and keyboards (1989).

Minnesota has a very active music scene. "There's a lot happening there," he said, adding, "but not as much as in the Bay Area. This area is much bigger and there's more talent here. There are a lot of good musicians and studios here."

While in Minnesota, Kurnow shared a studio with his musical partner, guitarist Bobby Schnitzer. "Bobby and I grew up and went to high school together. He has played on a lot of my recordings and has co-produced a bunch of things with me," Kurnow said. Their musical collaboration has continued, however, despite being separated by half a continent.

Kurnow has set up his own recording studio in Petaluma where he can work on projects at his own pace. "Bobby sends me tapes of projects he's working on, I can record a track and Fed-Ex them right back to him," he said. "So I'm still working with him."

Besides working on his own CDs and doing session work for other musicians, Kurnow has been playing at wineries and private parties. He recently played with Peter Welker's All-Star Band at the Petaluma Waterfront Jazz Festival and the Carousel Fund Casino Night.

On Dec. 2 from noon to 4 p.m., he will play at an open house at Fraley's Antiques, 110 Petaluma Blvd. North. "I'll play harp and harmonica and an antique grand piano from the 1800s he has in the store," Kurnow said.

For more information about Bruce Kurnow's recordings, call 766-6314 or e-mail brucekurnow@attbi.com. Some of his recordings can be ordered through amazon.com.