Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bryn Scott-Grimes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Bryn, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
As a professional harmonica player, you’re not at the bottom of the totem pole – you’re not on the totem pole at all.
There is no harmonica in universities (well, maybe ONE or two programs here and there). There are no harmonicas in orchestras. There aren’t even harmonicas in most music stores. The irony is, of course, there are more harmonicas on the planet than any other instrument, because they’re so easy to manufacture, and are cost effective to produce. Ironically, most people at some point or another will buy one to add to their special sock collection in their drawer and pick it up maybe a handful of times in total.
So, back to my first point – you’re not on the totem pole at all. There is no roadmap for you and you’ll never find a listing of a band in Nashville ‘looking for a lead harmonica player’.
I’ve learned over time that this actually works to my advantage – a) there is very little competition (except amongst harp players themselves) b) you can make the pitch of adding something unusual to a band that they normally might not think of c) you get the chance to experiment and be a pioneer on the instrument since there are so few people who take it seriously enough to make any kind of a dent in progress and ingenuity.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Last summer I converted my Nissan Cube into a 1-man camper and hit the highway without any particular destination in mind. Along with living essentials, I brought with me a bass (strapped to a wood-clad ceiling), my guitar, ukulele, and 60 harmonicas.
2022 had been my most tumultuous year yet – exiting an unhealthy longterm relationship, closing down my professional recording studio, and moving away from my home in Toronto where I had lived for 14 years. I was ready for a big change, I just didn’t know where I needed to go or who I needed to be next. All I knew was an unsung melody was leading me somewhere and my instruments were coming with me.
After 3 months exploring and living in my car in the American South, I decided on a whim one afternoon in a Barnes & Noble in Asheville that I would move to Nashville. I thought about it before but hadn’t made a decision, and figured if there was any city I might be welcome, it would be Music City. So I drove straight there and started searching for apartments right away, luckily landing one in the Music Row neighbourhood within 2 weeks.
I am now in the middle of establishing myself as professional harmonica player, guitarist, and songwriter in this city and beyond. At this point, I’ve done a considerable amount of session work, and have earned somewhat of a reputation as a harmonica virtuoso who can add spark and intrigue to a track or live performance. I experiment with different tunings and keys, mixing and matching them and beatboxing at the same time. It’s a sound that’s hard to come by, but it works really well at bringing a ‘je ne sais quoi’ quality to a song.
I recently got the chance to do a harmonica score for part of a Canadian feature film called Stealing the Sky, which should be released later this year or next year. It was written by Marie Dame and directed by Megan Follows. I got to play myself in it as a harmonica player, jamming in an alley way, and also got do harp arrangements of Clare De Lune and Pachelbel’s Canon amongst other little harmonica overdubs. I’m excited to see it ‘hit shelves’!
My latest, and most ambitious endeavour has been launching a harmonica social media & mastery app called the BENDR Harmonica App. I’ve been working on it for over a year now and I’m really proud of it. Basically it’s a combination of chat forums designed specifically for diatonic harmonica players and a learning resource with a custom songbook, riff and technique libraries, backing tracks, video courses and more. You can also track your practice time and other harp-related metrics to keep you motivated and on track. For any one interested they can visit harmonicabendr.com, which has both the Google and iOS download links.
I’m also in the midst of launching my debut EP, The Build, which should be coming out later this year. I’ll be putting a band together soon to promote it and start branching out to play live after a year’s hiatus from the stage.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Curiosity and willingness to explore and take risks has been an important quality I try not to take for granted. Sometimes you forget that there are still an unlimited # of discoveries to be made in this universe and it’s easy to just default to what’s been done before you.
Attention to detail and learning to recognize patterns and connections over your lifetime is another useful skill that can be uplifting in times of chaos and despair. Often the puzzle pieces fit together if you look back far enough or you take note of the thoughts, feelings, and experiences with different people and moments in your life. A good place to start is to write down all the things in your life that have felt like coincidence then ask yourself if there might anything else that was at play that could have made that happen.
Self care is another big one. Having things you do on a daily and weekly basis to keep your body and mind limber, strong, and agile just makes everything else in life easier.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My family, first and foremost. I have one older sibling, and both my parents who are still together after 35+ years and all of them are a great support and always have been. We are an artistic/creative family at the core but each of us has a different specialty so we can each lean on each other for ideas, support, inspiration, etc., without it becoming competitive.
My household growing up was very conducive to daydreaming, doodling, play, and other imaginative practices and that has shaped my personality and inclinations ever since. I’m most at home when I’m inventing, composing, making little worlds within worlds – it’s no surprise really that I love songwriting, playing solos, and producing music.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brynscottgrimes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brynscottgrimes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brynmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/brynscottgrimes
- Other: My BENDR Harmonica App: harmonicabendr.com
