Blues Harp

The title says it all. William Clarke cooks on Blowin' Like Hell, his first CD. And these are new sounds. Songs like "Lollipop Mama," "Gambling for My Bread," and "Lonesome Bedroom Blues" (all written by Clarke) are just great tunes. "Must Be Jelly" won Clarke a W.C. Handy Award for blues song of the year in 1991. You'll find yourself humming them. Clarke's timing and music are right on the money, with the great Alex Schultz on lead guitar. There is no doubt that Clarke is one of the few modern bluesmen who are exploring and extending the amplified blues harp tradition without violating any of its principles. No one plays chromatic blues harp with this kind of passion and sheer conviction.

This CD is very much in a West Coast Blues vein akin to what people like Rod Piazza or Paul Lamb release, but with a much fresher rendition. For a start, Nico's voice is melodious and can be very emotional when needed, but he doesn't use that in excess. What's more, Nico's harp playing is not 'systematic' but used only when it brings something to the whole sound.
The choice of material isn't very varied and it's certainly strongly anchored in the blues tradition. The interpretation though is enjoyable and the band seems to be having fun, something which isn't always obvious when listening to many albums today. Nico sings two tracks in French and the rest is in English…

Born in Chicago rather than in Mississippi (as many of his musical forefathers were), young Arnold gravitated right to the source in 1948….

Hammond-driven Blues Band with soulful vocals, stinging guitar, stylish harp and groove drums. Dennis Newman began his professional career in music at age twelve as a drummer/singer when he formed a pop group called "The Runaways", and played local events in his hometown of Rye, New York. He later switched from drums to keyboards and founded another rock band, "The Saratoga Wrecking Crew", and performed at high school and college dances. He also took up harmonica and fronted the "Odds ‘n Ends", a rock'n'roll band gigging throughout the New York/New England area. Newman relocated to Los Angeles and hooked up with various bands, and developed a unique playing style, backing his soulful vocals with swirling Hammond organ and stylish blues harp…

Hammond-driven Blues Band with soulful vocals, stinging guitar, stylish harp and groove drums. Dennis Newman began his professional career in music at age twelve as a drummer/singer when he formed a pop group called "The Runaways", and played local events in his hometown of Rye, New York. Newman relocated to Los Angeles and hooked up with various bands, and developed a unique playing style, backing his soulful vocals with swirling Hammond organ and stylish blues harp…

"…If you miss the days when blues was blues, rock was rock, and everyone knew the difference, MIDNIGHT BLUE is for you."
~ Living Blues (3-4/02, p.62)

While not the first male or female jazz harp player (Casper Reardon of Jack Teagarden's bands, Adele Girard performing with her husband Joe Marsala, or Corky Hale set precedents), Dorothy Ashby was the very best and most swinging performer on the multi-stringed instrument associated with the gates of heaven. Here on Earth, Ashby adeptly plucked and strummed the harp like nobody else, as evidenced on a single reissue containing her two best LPs for the Prestige and Prestige/New Jazz labels from 1958 - Hip Harp and In a Minor Groove. Alongside her prior efforts for the Savoy label, they collectively represent a small but substantive discography for the Detroit native in small group settings. With the exceptional flute sounds produced by Frank Wess, the combo plays music that is oriented via a unique sonic palate, further enhanced by the principals in the standards and originals they have chosen…