Blues Harmonica Artists

Rehearsal studio for BLUES bands and musicians?

Ok, i would like to create a rehearsal studio for musicians.

Hey, this project seems to be more of a fantasy scenario because it’s highly unpractical to draw up the boundaries of by style or genre. After all genre is just a made up thing that’s meant to sell records.

I don’t know how much you want to spend but by the sound of it you’re ready to invest over 15K into this project, so bearing that in mind let me tell you what kind of stuff a blues trio would use.

* Guitarist: Probably a Fender Stratocaster with single coil pickups (either the Custom Shop Texas Specials, or the Custom Shop ’69 vintage, but any single coil will do really) He will need a genuine tube amp; I would say like a Fender DeVille 212, or Fender Deluxe. (Unless you want to go all out and get a Mesa Boogie which will run you 5K+) As a pedal there are some excellent Boss OD pedals out there, and of course get some quality cables.

* Bass: A Fender P-Bass, or Jazz Bass are a must-have for blues, amplified through an Ampeg Amp. The amp should in turn be micked up and all of that played through your pa system but that’s just if you want that nice Motown sounding bass sound, it isn’t fully necessary to mike up the amp.

* Drummer? A decent set would do; just make sure you have a lot of toms, a good floor tom, and a very good ride cymbal. it doesn’t matter how many crash cymbals you have (you’ll need 2 at the most) This isn’t heavy metal. The other thing is a good hi-hat, but other than that I think that does it.

I still think this is a little too much equipment for one person to buy, but if you’re determined to do it, be ready to spend a whole lot more just on insulation, acoustics soundproofing, a PA system and recording software.

Good luck with it, and let me know how it works out.

Cheers!

Jay Gaunt, Blues Harmonica – NJN/State of the Arts

Viva ELVIS- The Album $3.17 Viva ELVIS – The Album, is a 21st century celebration of Elvis and his music, featuring the voice of the king in a whole new context. The undisputed King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, remains one of the most iconic and powerful forces in popular culture. “Before Elvis,” said John Lennon, “there was nothing.” After Elvis, the world looked and sounded different. With a swivel of his h…

Blues Masters: Very Best of Jimmy Reed $10.78 With his meteoric run of hits from early 1955 through late 1961, Chicago’s Jimmy Reed reigned as the most popular bluesman of his day, rivaled only by fellow Mississippi transplant B.B. King. By the mid-’60s Reed was playing New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater and touring England as a star. Reed’s sweet, Delta-inflected singing complemented the cool, walking bass shuffles of his clever…

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Black Magic $12.98 This album’s color cover photo is an action shot, showing Magic Sam in the process of choking and bending his strings, a good hike up the fretboard. It isn’t clear exactly what he is playing from the picture, although that certainly didn’t stop dozens of pimply hippie guitar players from trying to figure it out. In the meantime, the record goes on and the first soloist out of the gate is Eddie Shaw, playing tenor sax. He is blowing over the top of an R&B riff that, although not out of the syntax of Chicago blues, would also have been quite fitting on a Wilson Pickett record. It is unfortunate that Magic Sam’s recording career came to such an abrupt end, as he was one of the best artists working in the musical area between the urban blues tradition and newly developing soul music forms. This fusion was on the minds of many blues artists during the late ’60s, and not just because it was aesthetically conceivable. It was also a matter of commerce, as audiences — particularly black audiences — didn’t want to hear any blues that sounded too much like something their parents might have listened to. The harmonica player Junior Wells was another one who decided to get a bit of James Brown into his act, not always with great results. What listeners have here, on the other hand, is frankly delicious, the results of the surplus of talent Magic Sam possessed, a triple threat as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Yet with all this talent, the label should also get some credit. This period of the Delmark discography set a high standard for blues recordings, the sound quality and tight interplay among the musicians every bit the equal of the classic jazz recordings on labels such as Blue Note and Prestige. There is nothing fancy about the production, and no gimmicks. It is just a great band, allowed to play the music exactly the way it wanted to. The musicians have obviously worked together a great deal and either had these arrangements down cold from live gigs or had plent…

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Hohner Old Standby Harmonica, Key of C $12 Whether you’re riding high, singing the blues or just waiting on a train, this harp from Hohner will get you through the day. A longtime favorite of many Country artists, the Old Standby has standard tuning, and this model is in the key of C. Take it with you anywhere. The Old Standby lives up to its name, with solid Hohner construction to keep it by your side for years to come. Perfect for new players to veteran bluesmen alike, this harp is 4 inches long, with 10 holes and 20 plastic reeds (like most diatonics). The plated cover features the classic Old Standby anchor graphic.

In the Pocket: A Taste of Blues Harmonica $11.99 It’s nearly impossible to think of any traditional blues band without one of their members blowing on a harmonica. This collection of great mouth organ players begins with Ronnie Earl performing “Mighty Fine Boogie,” a song living up to its name. James Cotton’s harmonica begins to take a more prominent role as the song progresses, but it’s only near the end that he begins to shine. Cotton also duels with Billy Branch during a rendition of Tommy Dorsey’s “T.D.’s Boogie Woogie.” “Knocking at Your Door” has a slower tempo to it, allowing for Matthew Skoller to showcase his talents. It works particularly well against John Primer’s guitar solo. One of the stronger performances is Annie Raines during “Rock Me Baby,” a track where she does a lot by simply doing less harmonica work. It resembles an early Rolling Stones cover of “Little Red Rooster” in some parts. One of the timeless qualities of any blues harmonica is the emotion it tends to emit despite its lack of size or amplification. “I’m a Steady Rollin’ Man” demonstrates this perfectly as Carey Bell does a fine performance over Robert Lockwood Jr.’s vocals. Equally interesting is Kenny Neal performing “Bring It on Home,” using his harmonica to accentuate the song while his guitar maintains a steady rhythm. Junior Wells has a style all of his own during the jazz and swing feeling during “The Goat.” Taken from his Come on in This House album, it possesses one of the catchier and more infectious beats on the album. The last third of the album features more extended blues numbers, including Raful Neal’s rendition of “Starlight Diamond.” It’s a song that has a deliberate and leisurely pace to it, but tends to drag near its ending. The earthy and gut-wrenching feeling coming from Snooky Pryor’s voice and mouth organ during “Pony Blues” is hair-raising at some points, which is another shining moment. Ending the compilation is an “all star” assortment contributing to “Harp to Harp.” Featuring James…

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