The HARPbeats

The organization of The HARPbeats began in 2005 when Phil Caltabellotta and Wally Peterman met for the first time in Kansas City, MO at the S.P.A.H. convention. With Phil on chromatic and Wally on chord, they appeared on stage at harmonica festivals and conventions without a bass player for the next two years. They always wanted to add a bass player and even discussed it early in 2007. Only a few months later, George Miklas called Phil and talked about forming a harmonica trio again. Phil arranged for George to meet Wally at the 2007 S.P.A.H. convention in Milwaukee, WI. After meeting and playing harmonica in the hallway for two days, a new trio was born bringing over 100 years of harmonica playing experience together.

After their debut at the 2008 Buckeye Harmonica Festival, they were showcased at the 2008 Rocky Mountain Harmonica Festival. It has been said that their performance is reminiscent of the finest tradition of harmonica groups, and that they bring considerable talent and enthusiasm to the stage along with a completely new repertoire of music.

Meet the Members

Phil Caltabellotta, lead harmonica player for The HARPbeats, was born and raised in New York. He first touched the harmonica at about age seven and toyed with it for several years. At fourteen, he was bitten by the bug, the proverbial harmonica bug, and listened to all of the harmonica records that he could find! As time went on, he shared the stage with the fabulous Harmonikings (with Gene Broglie, Bob and Chris Bauer and Hank Graham), The Electra III Trio (with Richie Miller and Tom Scerbo), The Yellow Pine Trio (with Bud Boblink and Frank Warner), Phil ‘n The G.A.P. (with Al Data and George Miklas), and The Society Boys (with Shelly Lulov and Tom Scerbo). Phil’s girlfriend, Valerie Redler, plays the chord and is the new President of the Garden State Harmonica Club where Phil has been a member for 32 years. Phil loves S.P.A.H. conventions and jamming with his fellow harmonica players. Phil is a former NYC police officer and firefighter in Harlem.

Walter “Wally” Peterman, chord harmonica player for The HARPbeats, is from Shelbyville, IN. Wally reminisces that he was 8 years old when he got his first diatonic harmonica in a Christmas stocking and within days was playing tunes. He was first influenced by his dad who played the 16-hole chromatic. At 12 he got his own “64”, joined a harmonica band at 14, and bought his first bass harmonica at 15. At age 17 he discovered that he enjoyed making rhythm sounds with his mouth, so he bought his first chord harmonica and has been hooked ever since!! Wally learned by listening to harmonica recordings and copying rhythm sounds from his chord harmonica heroes, Al Fiore, Bob Bauer and Al Smith. In 1982 he joined the Windy City Harmonica Club and Orchestra under the direction of 44-year veteran Harmonicat, Al Fiore. Playing with such greats as Cappy Lafell, Stagg McMann, and Fiore, Wally learned to play with feeling! Wally’s wife, Valerie, plays the chromatic harmonica and shares his passion for harmonica playing. Wally says that he loves the reed sound and wants to make the world better through the harmonica. He expresses this passion through the chord harmonica every time that he is heard. Wally is a tool and die maker by trade, but you can always find him teaching people the chord and the technical side of harmonica repair.

George Miklas, bass harmonica player for The HARPbeats, was born and raised near Youngstown, OH and now lives in Mercer, PA. George began playing harmonicas at the age of 4, but at 10 he asked his dad to teach him to really play. At 11, his family joined the Steel Valley Harmonica Club where he learned from Vito Patierno, Mike Smith, Al Data, Herb Eck, and Jack Allison. At 12, George attended his first S.P.A.H convention in Youngstown, OH where he met Jerry Murad, Al Fiore, Dick Gardner, Dom & Tony Sgro, Danny Wilson, Charlie Hutler, and many others. Jerry, Al, and Dick held a seminar named “trio playing.” Enamored by their sound, George stood during the Q&A and told Jerry Murad, “…I will play on stage with you someday…” George received his first bass harmonica at 13, and his first chord harmonica at 14. Jack Allison (lead) and Herb Eck (bass) began tutoring George, teaching him the standard harmonica tunes. At 15, George was instrumental in forming a new trio named “Keep On Harpin’” (named after Charlie McCoy’s song of the same name) with Dale “Pixie” Ensign (lead) and Mike Seizer (chord). They performed at the 1980 and 1981 S.P.A.H. conventions. At 19, George was called to join Jerry Murad’s Harmonicats on the chord harmonica for 13 months after Al Fiore retired. This included performances with the St. Louis Symphony Pops Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Richard Hayman. At age 28, George again joined Murad but this time on the bass harmonica after Dick Gardner retired. George continued as the bass member of The Harmonicats for four years until Jerry’s death at age 76. George plays all of the harmonicas, concert bass tuba, electric bass guitar, orchestral bass violin, and has even sung bass in an opera—he loves bass. In addition to his role with The HARPbeats, he often appears with the Fabulous Sgro Brothers accompanying their harmonicas with the electric bass guitar. George also continues a long-time association with the Heritage Harmonica Boys (Russ and Dan Dennis) of Indianapolis, IN. Since 1984, George has written harmonica trio arrangements, recorded in the studio, and has even played bass harmonica on several HHB tours. His formal credentials include the Master of Education and Bachelor of Music Education degrees, and teacher certifications in OH and PA. George’s wife, Jodi, plays the chord harmonica, and his children, Janalyn and Caleb, each play their own set of diatonics. His whole family shares his passion for music along with promoting the harmonica everywhere they go. George has been a long-time friend and member of the Steel Valley Harmonica Club, Rubber Capital Harmonica Club, Buckeye State Harmonica Club, and S.P.A.H.