Harmonica player, Guitarist Composer and Producer
“David Herzhaft defies boundaries and expectations. Drawing from across and beyond the jazz sphere, Herzhaft shows surprising control and versatility with the blues harp – taking on bebop romps, contemporary fusion, down-home Americana, and even a Latin arrangement of Paganini’s daunting Caprice No. 5.”
– JazzTimes, March 2008 (Jazzin’ Around review)
Welcome to the official website of David Herzhaft, a harmonica player, composer, and producer whose music expands the horizons of the diatonic harmonica far beyond its traditional roots.
His instrument of choice may fit in a pocket, but Herzhaft has built a world of sound around it. On his acclaimed album Pacific Lounge (2016, Pacific Waves), he demonstrates that the harmonica can be a full-fledged voice for modern jazz, fusion, and atmospheric instrumental music.
“Yes, this small thing is a real musical instrument meant to play more than blues and folk music,” he says.
Born in Lyon, France, David was introduced to the harmonica at twelve by his father, an internationally respected author. “The diatonic harmonica is very technical because half of the notes are missing,” he explains. “You have to recreate them using bends and overblows—it can take years to get them truly in tune and on time.”
While mastering harmonica on his own, Herzhaft studied guitar at a jazz school in Lyon, learning from teachers trained at Berklee and the Guitar Institute of Technology. He soon joined his father and uncle in a family band, performing across Europe and Canada and opening for blues greats such as Koko Taylor, Johnny Heartsman, and Junior Wells.
In the early 1990s, a meeting with Howard Levy, co-founder of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones and the first musician to play the diatonic harmonica chromatically, became a turning point. Levy’s pioneering approach inspired David to explore the full expressive potential of his instrument.
The Pacific Connection
Herzhaft first fell in love with the Pacific Coast during a 1992 visit to the U.S. West Coast. “I just had to go back,” he recalls. A decade later, he began doing session work in Los Angeles, collaborating with musicians such as Yussi Wenger, guitarist for Ricky Martin. Together they performed locally as the duo Acoustic Connection.
After relocating permanently to California in 2012, Herzhaft began composing Pacific Lounge, inspired by the atmosphere of his new surroundings.
“The heat, light, palm trees, Malibu Beach, the clubs—but most of all, the Pacific Ocean—all of that shaped the music,” he says. “Each tune connects to a place or a person I encountered during the process.”
By 2013, he had written and pre-produced much of the album, but he waited to refine it until he found the right sound and direction. “I wanted something cohesive, warm, and melodic—less about the harmonica itself, more about the overall mood,” he explains.
The resulting album glows with the warmth of California sunshine, evoking the smooth elegance of 1970s CTI jazz productions. Guest musicians include guitarist Carl Verheyen (Supertramp), Brent Mason (Alan Jackson), Yussi Wenger (Ricky Martin), Grammy-winning percussionist Martin Flores, and saxophonist Dick Aven.
Together, they create an easy flow of melodic conversation. Mason, Aven, and Herzhaft trade playful ideas on “Lost in Death Valley,” where the harmonica even sneaks in a bit of “Jingle Bells.” Wenger adds flamenco flourishes to “Grand Canyon,” while Verheyen contributes guitar textures that shimmer like ocean light.
“Even though Brent Mason is known as a country guitarist, I love his phrasing and tone,” David says. “He’s done some great jazz recordings, so I thought of him for tracks like Malibu and Melody Maker. And Carl Verheyen lives just five minutes away—it made collaboration easy!”
Jazzin’ Around and Beyond
Pacific Lounge followed Herzhaft’s earlier album Jazzin’ Around (2007, H-Land), which featured Howard Levy and guitarist Frank Gambale in a dynamic mix of originals and inventive arrangements of works by Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ira Gershwin, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
His first solo release, Des Mots d’Harmo (2000), introduced audiences to his lyrical approach and technical mastery. Across his projects, Herzhaft has continuously expanded the expressive possibilities of the harmonica while remaining grounded in the emotion and storytelling of jazz and blues.
“I’m mostly influenced by non-harmonica players,” he says. “Very few harmonica players work in the jazz idiom anyway. Musicians like Michael Brecker, Sonny Stitt, Bob Berg, Mark O’Connor, Kenny Burrell, and Ike Quebec have shaped the way I think about phrasing and tone.”
A Voice for the Modern Harmonica
In addition to his albums, Herzhaft is an accomplished author and educator. He has written numerous instructional books, including Celtic Harmonica Reels, Harmonica Blues, and Harmonica Country, as well as two instructional DVDs. His works have been published in multiple languages and are used by players around the world.
In 2010, he founded an online Harmonica School—available in both English and French—combining decades of performance and teaching experience to reach a new generation of players.
“I just wish people would think about the harmonica like any other instrument,” he concludes. “It’s probably even cooler—it’s only a few inches long, yet you can play three full octaves on it.”
Collaborations and Recognition
Herzhaft’s versatility has made him a sought-after session musician. He has contributed to recordings by artists across genres—from jazz and blues to pop and world music—and has performed internationally for over three decades.
The JazzTimes review of Jazzin’ Around captured his artistry best: “David Herzhaft defies boundaries and expectations… showing surprising control and versatility with the blues harp.”
Through every project, Herzhaft has pursued one consistent goal: to elevate the harmonica into a truly global instrument—capable of jazz sophistication, world-music color, and pop accessibility.
Discography (Highlights)
Des Mots d’Harmo (2000) – debut solo album
Jazzin’ Around (2007, H-Land) – with Howard Levy and Frank Gambale
Pacific Lounge (2016, Pacific Waves) – with Carl Verheyen, Brent Mason, Yussi Wenger, Martin Flores, and Dick Aven
Learn More
🌐 Website: davidherzhaft.com
📸 Instagram: @davidherzhaft
🎧 SoundCloud: dashmastering
📺 YouTube: David Herzhaft
David Herzhaft is a professional harmonica and guitar player from France, now based in Idaho. Since launching his career in 1990, he has released three solo albums, appeared on numerous international projects, and earned a reputation as one of today’s foremost harmonica educators and innovators. His work continues to inspire musicians and listeners to hear the harmonica not as a novelty—but as a complete, expressive instrument with limitless potential.