Chris Michalek

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Chris Michalek (b. July 23, 1971) is an American harmonica player.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he is an accomplished modern diatonic harmonica master in many styles including Jazz, Funk, Blues and World Music. Michalek was also the organizer of the Global Harmonica Summit in 2000. Michalek is widely acknowledged as one of the pioneers of the overblow technique, which is used to play chromatically on the diatonic harmonica.

When he was already a teenager, Michalek's harmonicostic talents were discovered by members of the Twin Cities Harmonica Society, including the prominent harmonica player and one-time Harmonicat Dick Gardner. Though decades younger than the other members, Michalek's skills quickly exceeded those of all but the most advanced players in the group.

But it was the music of Howard Levy that opened Chris' eyes to the possibilities of the harmonica. Levy's overblow, a kind of controlled bend, makes available all notes on the diatonic harmonica. It allows the combination the excellent tone of the diatonic harmonica with the melodic possibilities of the chromatic. An instrument that once seemed limited became supremely flexible.

Chris quickly began to play jazz and to experiment with other styles of music. He's still playing today, now with well-known bassist Mahlon Hawk in the Buddha's Groove.