"Portnoy has few equals as a harmonica player, blues or otherwise. The Boston-based virtuoso radiates an insouciant charm playing Lullaby of Birdland, his pacing expert, and his splendid speech tones anoint Stormy Weather with a regal sort of world-weariness." Down Beat

With Down in the Mood Room, [Portnoy] makes his first charge at the battlements of jazz. And he scales the walls. . . . His shimmering vibrato and elegant bent notes sing with a diva's elan. . .. the sound is as deep and rich as Delta topsoil." The Boston Phoenix

"Down in the Mood Room is Portnoy's first venture into jazz, but it's packed with the same graceful playing that won over blues fans. His rich tone and swinging phrases power the Horace Silver standard Doodlin like a one-man horn section, and when he sinks into the melodies of Lullaby of Birdland and Stormy Weather, his vibrato and deliciously bent notes do, indeed, sing." Boston Magazine

"Jerry Portnoy shows tremendous versatility on this CD. . .. Down in the Mood Room is an exciting mix of jazz and blues and is sure to please the most discriminating listener." jazzreview.com

"The blues-meets-jazz format works so well here, even straight-ahead jazz compositions such as George Shearing's Lullaby of Birdland and Horace Silver's Doodlin' sound fresh from the sheets. .. . In an era when lesser musicians attempt to reinvent themselves by jumping aboard the swing bandwagon, Portnoy remains several steps ahead of the game." Chicago Sun-Times

"Few can blow the Mississippi saxophone like Jerry Portnoy. .  . Portnoy is a harp man extraordinaire. Rarely has Portnoy has as much freedom and control as on this new album . . . The sound is intimate, warm, and downright big. Portnoy's harmonica speaks with a human voice . . . This is a rock solid album of harmonica-driven jazz and blues with a good dose of hot guitar [Duke Robillard] by two of the best in the business."  Vintage Guitar

 “Portnoy chomps at his harp bit with the integrity and expertise reserved of the masters. .. . a milestone harmonica recording by one of the best.”  Blues Art Studio

 “This CD exudes class, sophistication and style. Portnoy’s Mississippi saxophone wails like a tenor with swinging intensity and drive. Jerry . . . kicks out all the jams on a harmonica tour de force that just oozes savoir faire. He is fluid and sinuous one moment and is boogieing [sic] hard and edgy the next. His own stuff is brilliant and funny as hell or deeply moving. This silver disk is all gold.”  Long Island Blues Society

Learn the blues harmonica from one of the masters.

Drawing on decades of experience performing and recording with blues legends Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, Jerry Portnoy shares the techniques, rhythms, and musical insights behind authentic blues harmonica playing.

Designed for beginners and experienced players alike, Jerry Portnoy's Blues Harmonica MasterClass offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to developing your sound, technique, and musical expression.

What's Included

• 3 hours of instruction from Jerry Portnoy

• 300+ musical examples, demonstrated at slow and regular speeds

• 9 guitar accompaniment tracks featuring blues guitarist Duke Robillard

• Step-by-step lessons covering foundational through advanced techniques

What You'll Learn

From chord rhythms and tongue blocking to bending, vibrato, phrasing, and tone production, Jerry explores the essential building blocks of traditional blues harmonica.

You'll also gain insight into microphone techniques, amplification, and playing with a band—skills developed through a lifetime on stage.

More than a collection of exercises, this MasterClass offers a direct connection to the musical traditions and expressive techniques of the great blues harmonica players.

Learn the techniques. Develop your sound. Play the blues.

Physical instructional CD package.