Mojo Buford

The various bands led by harmonica player and singer George "Mojo" Buford hark back to the classic Chicago blues sounds of the early '60s. Among harmonica players, Buford has the distinction of being the only musician to have played with various bands led by the late Muddy Waters in the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. (Waters died in April 1981.) Buford left Mississippi for Memphis in his teens and honed his chops around Memphis before heading to Chicago in 1952. He began playing with Waters in Chicago in the late '50s, but by 1962 Buford relocated to Minneapolis, where he recorded several obscure albums for the Vernon and Folk-Art labels. He rejoined Waters' band in 1967 for a full year and then toured with him again in the early '70s, after harmonica player Jerry Portnoy left to form the Legendary Blues Band…

A lost studio recording from a legendary blues man! Bluesman George “Mojo” Buford started blowing the harmonica in his teens, eventually linking up to tour with fellow Mississippian Muddy Waters. Adopting his nickname from ravenous crowds requesting Muddy’s “Got My Mojo Working,” Buford gained the attention of some gifted young rockers (including lead guitarist of The Trashmen!), who steered him into the studio for three smokin’ ‘69 sessions - the results of which we’re finally hearing for the first time!

The various bands led by harmonica player and singer George "Mojo" Buford hark back to the classic Chicago blues sounds of the early '60s. Among harmonica players, Buford has the distinction of being the only musician to have played with various bands led by the late Muddy Waters in the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. (Waters died in April 1981.) Buford left Mississippi for Memphis in his teens and honed his chops around Memphis before heading to Chicago in 1952. He began playing with Waters in Chicago in the late '50s, but by 1962 Buford relocated to Minneapolis, where he recorded several obscure albums for the Vernon and Folk-Art labels.

This CD was originally released in 1989 and was re-released with 4 additional tracks by JSP in 1998. Buford is joined on this CD with JSP session musicians Richard Studholme-guitar, Geoff Nichols-drums, Jack Hill-piano, and Bernice Lartwright-bass. Buford's harp playing is sharp and his vocals are reminiscent of the old delta blues performed by the Muddy Water's band. The lyrics are often witty and somewhat humorous with warnings to big leg women to keep their dress tail down on "Big Leg Woman" to his declaration that he has found a new way of loving his woman on "Deep Sea Diver". The liner notes indicate that Buford has essentially disappeared after this 1989 release and has not been heard of since. This is not the case. In actuality, Buford has released at least four other CD's on Blue Loon Records all of which are also recommended.

Muddy Waters performing live at the University of Oregon in 1971. A postwar Chicago blues scene without the magnificent contributions of Muddy Waters is absolutely unimaginable. From the late '40s on, he eloquently defined the city's aggressive, swaggering, Delta-rooted sound with his declamatory vocals and piercing slide guitar attack. When he passed away in 1983, the Windy City would never quite recover. Like many of his contemporaries on the Chicago circuit, Waters was a product of the fertile Mississippi Delta. Born McKinley Morganfield in Rolling Fork, he grew up in nearby Clarksdale on Stovall's Plantation.

Singer Harmonica player R.J. Mischo began his music career 20 years ago in Minneapolis. He worked with the area’s legends of the Blues scene like Muddy Waters Alumni Mojo Buford and Sonny Rogers, as well as Percy Strothers & Milwaukee Slim. R.J. then lead his own groups and gained a reputation as one of the regions top acts. During his tenure in Minneapolis, R.J. was nominated into several categories by the Minnesota Music Academy and in 1996 won the award for Best Harmonica Player…..

R.J. (Robert) Mischo began singing and playing harmonica in the Minneapolis area in the late '70s. He played with the blues heavyweights of that area and timeframe such as Muddy Waters sideman Mojo Buford, Percy Strother, and Milwaukee Slim. R.J. also fronted several of his own bands, including Blues Deluxe and R.J. & Kid Morgan Blues Band (which featured guitarist Teddy Morgan and singer Percy Strother). His 1992 album with that band, Ready to Go, won praises far and near and still has an unmatched magic about it. Mischo was nominated for several Minnesota Music Academy Awards while in Minneapolis, and in 1996, he won the award for Best Harmonica Player…