The Spectaculars
You might have read the quick bio on the home page, but their story really begins in 1961 when a 13 year old kid from Milwaukee named Leon Olson got an electric bass guitar. It was just a "cheap" Danelectro bass, but it lit the fire that continues to blaze today. A short time after that, he was told by a local band "The Triumphs" that if he got a "real bass" he could join their band, replacing future jazz guitar legend Jack Grassel. So, went off to the local music store and ordered up a black Fender Jazz Bass. After a month or so, the Jazz Bass never arrived and sick of waiting, he took the Sherwood Green Fender Precision Bass home that had been hanging, unwanted, in that store for a year or so. It turns out that the color no one wanted was one of the rarest colors Fender ever put on a guitar or bass and that 1962 P-Bass would be worth a fortune today! He went on to become great friends with those Triumphs, especially Bob and Dennis Zenoni of Uncle Bob's Music. Sadly, Bob Jr. passed away a few years ago. But the teenage bond he and Dennis formed as The Triumphs rhythm section is as strong as ever. However poised the boys seemed for making the big time with their appearance on The Ted Mack Show in December 1963, shortly thereafter The Beatles arrived on our soil and suddenly bluesy, soulful American music was no longer in style and was pushed aside for that Mersey Beat. Fast forward a few years, The Triumphs disbanded, Leon quit the business. He switched to a career as a factory man, met his wife, Barbara and started a family. In 1971, Eric came along and not long after that, Michael followed. To make ends meet, he joined the biggest name in Milwaukee country music, Bobby Nelson. Playing 6 nights a week at the renowned Clef Club, where the crowd lined up around the block to get in, he would be able to hone his chops further while sharing the stage with Crystal Gayle, Penny Dehaven, Webb Pierce, Marvin Rainwater, Big Al Downing and more. But even working a day job and playing 6 nights a week wasn't enough, as the factory job came with numerous layoffs. It was during those layoffs from Wisconsin Motors that he would hit the road with a band and send home a paycheck the only way he knew how. In '77, Lisa arrived and the family was now complete. But, the factory closed and he packed the family and moved to Houston, Texas, where he heard the economy was booming. Just two years later, he was laid off from Howard Hughes' own Hughes Tool Company, a company that never had layoffs before! It is here that The Spectaculars' truly get their start.
The Olson family moved up north to an abandoned farmhouse with no electricity or indoor plumbing in Argonne, WI. By the next Easter, electricity and running water installed, the boys received their first guitars as presents from their grandma Olson. After 2 unsuccessful tries at building a guitar, 12 year old Eric finally had something to learn on. The first song he picked on it that first weekend was Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix. Eric and Mike were both budding guitar players, until their dad needed rhythm on original songs he was recording on his 4 track Fostex tape machine. Due to the fact that Leon and Eric are both left handed (though they play guitar righty) they struggled with drumming on the right handed kit left at the house by the drummer in his current band. So, by default, right handed Michael was elected drummer and guitar duties were left solely to Eric. With that green bass long gone and a Gibson Thunderbird in his hands, Leon realized that his sons recording his songs could really play! Around this time, his wife's brother, Uncle Jim, came into the fold and the 4 piece was christened, "Lee's Genes"... get it? Well not many others did and after seeing their name mis-spelled as "Lee's Jeans" too many times, they settled on the name "The Spectaculars" in 1986. They were originally a top 40, oldies and country cover band until a day in February 1987 when a trip to Stevens Point to see The Fabulous Thunderbirds changed Eric's life and the band's mission.
Seeing how cool Jimmie Vaughan looked and sounded that night, Eric was focused from that point on to becoming the best Blues guitar player he could be. In 1988, with Eric delving ever deeper into the blues, the family visited cousins in Vernon Hills, IL and drove into Chicago for the open jam at the legendary Kingston Mines. After sneaking his trusty Ibanez Tube Screamer, obviously a Jimmie Vaughan inspired purchase, onto a stage where "No Pedals Are Allowed!", a 17 year old Eric proceeded to turn the heads of the established seasoned veterans of that Chicago Blues Scene with his nervous, adrenaline fueled runs and multi-step bends dripping with incredible feel and a tone that caused many to ask, "How's he get that sound?" He never revealed this secret until this moment, 30 years on. Later that night, Leon and 14 year old Mike got up and showed that they too were forces in their own right. With his pocket perfect bass lines and Mike's killer shuffle, Leon and his 2 sons announced to everyone there that The Spectaculars had arrived! In 1990, the family relocated back to Milwaukee. Uncle Jim stayed up north while they hooked up with Blues Harp Jimmy. The Spectaculars steadily climbed the ranks of the midwest blues scene highlighted by their 1992 and '93 appearances at Summerfest opening for Albert Collins, Junior Wells, Otis Clay, William Clarke and Lucky Peterson. Along the way, they were able to share stages with Hubert Sumlin, BB Odom, Billy Branch, Victor DeLorenzo, Big Head Todd Mohr, and Gus Taylor and Jimi Schutte from Lonnie Brooks' band!
In 1992, at the age of 44, Leon gave everyone a scare when his 30 years of smoking caught up to him, resulting in a heart attack. He quit smoking that day and hasn't had one since, but decided to slow down a bit and the band continued on a reduced schedule till 1995 when they began what would eventually turn into a 20 year hiatus! Sure, every once in a while they'd be lured back to the stage for a private party or other great gig opportunity, but those were few and far between. In the meantime, Mike and his wife Anexis, had become worship leaders for numerous Christian church bands, with Mike getting back to playing guitar again. So, while Mike was still involved in music, Leon and Eric had all but disappeared from the scene.
Fast forward to 2016, when Joe "Eko" Loeffelholz called Eric to see if he interested in putting a band together with some guys he knew. Joe and Eric had been friends for a long time and even played a few gigs together in Joe's band Coupe deVille, when Joe's regular guitar player couldn't make it. Joe said he had some great gigs and could get more and Eric saw this as an opportunity to get dad out of retirement and Mike back on the drum throne! So, he called them up and arranged a rehearsal. They were all so surprised at what came out of the four of them that night that they agreed to give it a go! Joe got a few gigs, Eric got a few gigs and before they knew it the calendar showed signs of life for the first time in years. Before that first comeback gig at St. Martin's Fair on Labor Day Weekend 2016, Joe mentioned that he knew of an amazing Hammond Organ player that had toured the world with the Lonnie Brooks band for over 15 years, played on countless top Blues albums by many well known artists and happened to be living in Wisconsin part time. All it took was one meeting that turned into jam session and Rob Waters was added to the mix. The addition of these two talented musicians rejuvenated the Olson clan and within weeks, The Spectaculars began recording their debut album! It took about 2 years to get the songs written and recorded and by then it was ready for mixing and mastering by the winner of Best Traditional Blues Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards, Blaise Barton. That brings us up to date.
Leon, Eric, Mike, Rob and Joe are set to unleash their album, "Let's Hear Us, Now!" on their own label, Spex-Tone Records on November 9th!
Tracklist:
01. Mean Old Woman 03:28
02. What Was I Thinking 04:41
03. On The Prowl 04:25
04. Lost My Marbles 03:48
05. Lost Another Friend 06:01
06. Sleepless Night 03:16
07. Can't Break Through 03:33
08. Never Saw It Coming 04:31
09. Power 05:33
10. Surrogate Blues 04:55
11. That's a Track, Jack! 02:41
Shirley King
"Jump Through My Keyhole" is the debut CD of Shirley King, daughter of the famous B.B. King. Shirley King was born and raised in Memphis, where she began to sing in a church choir at the age of nine. When she was 13 years old, she met another legend of music - Etta James. Young Shirley was so impressed by Etta's performance that she made Etta her musical model to follow. Ruth Brown and the late Mahalia Jackson also influenced the singer a lot. Shirley King performed with B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Albert King, Little Milton, Tyrone Davis, Otis Clay, Jerry Butler, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Eddie Clearwater, Billy Branch, etc. Jimmy Dawkins, Barrelhouse Chuck, Chicago Beau participated in the recording of this album.
Credits:
Shirley King - Vocals
Jimmy Dawkins - Guitar
Keit Scott - Guitar
Cornelius Boyson - Bass
Ray Scott - Drums
Barrelhouse Chuck - Piano (1,2,3,6,7)
Jim Dorch: Hammond B3 (3,4,5,8), Backing Vocals (6)
Edward Wilkinson Jr. - Sax tenor (3,4,5,8)
Chicago Beau - Harmonica (1), Backing Vocals (6)
Тracklist:
01. Jump Through My Keyhole 02:50
02. I Ain't Got It 04:13
03. 3 O'clock Blues 05:24
04. Pass It On 03:42
05. Going Down Slow 05:13
06. Got My Mojo Working 03:45
07. It's Too Bad Baby 05:21
08. Everyday I Have The Blues 04:03
Subluna
Subluna is a three man strong blues / boogie smoking band that has toured around Sweden for several years. Blues is about love of music and that is what is the driving force of this very swinging band! Subluna has always had that little extra, that little magic that you feel when it swings. How it goes, nobody really knows, but of course everything is about chemistry, between the audience and the band and between the three musicians: Thomas Mikaelsson, Håkan Larsson and Thomas Ziden, sometimes David Boden also hangs in! Subluna has a special sound that also goes home with the audience, together they have done several hundred gigs by this time so routine there is plenty. :-)
Subluna's history began in Graninge, a small village in western Ångermanland, where the three met and jammed for the first time. There they developed their strange forest-scented sound, the hypnotically Texas-influenced boogie swing that whips the audience into ecstasy wherever you go, Stadspuben Luleå, Three hills, Engelen Sthlm etc! Nowadays, Thomas Ziden lives outside Katrineholm, where he sings and plays with a number of different bands, but as soon as the opportunity is offered, they gather Subluna to mop up again!
The 1st gig was at Önsta leisure farm about 300 people and a damn move, the caretaker broke the current when he thought we were playing too loud, but when a rioting mood erupted sometimes the audience was forced to switch on the power again, while the power was broken so Håkan a drum solo. on April 30, 1981 we played at Hullsta farm and over a thousand people poured in, remembering that they had a hard time getting paid in the entrance when the pressure was great from the audience who wanted in, there were so many people on the floor in front of the stage so The disc jockey had trouble playing discs when the pickup jumped as the floor rocked. since then it has rolled on.
Tracklist:
01. Big Train From Memphis 03:35
02. You Really Rock Me 02:28
03. Come On Come On 07:08
04. Freight Train 03:42
05. Singing The Blues 03:19
06. Free Ride 08:30
07. Let It Roll 04:19
08. Rain 06:08
09. Got To Go To Orebro 03:09
10. Got Myself A Bluesride 06:19
11. Well Well Well 05:09
12. Sucker Sucker Train 08:55
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac - Unreleased BBC Sessions (1967-1971)
Credits:
Peter Green - Guitar, Vocals
Danny Kirwan - Guitar, Vocals
Jeremy Spencer - Guitar, Vocals
John McVie - Bass
Mick Fleetwood - Drums
Eddie Boyd - Vocals
Duster Bennette - Vocals
Christine McVie - Piano, Vocals
Tracklist:
1. Mean Old World 03:14
2. I Need Your Love 02:29
3. May I Have A Talk With You 04:12
4. Shady Little Baby 04:40
5. Wine Whiskey & Women 02:16
6. Lazy Poker Blues 02:16
7. My Baby 03:18
8. Love That Burns 04:11
9. Yonder's Wall 03:10
10. Psychedelic Song 04:54
11. Dead Shrimp Blues 03:31
12. Fool That I Used To Be 02:30
13. Dragonfly 02:09
14. Start Again 03:52
15. Get Like You Used To Be 03:04
16. You Need Love 04:48
17. Watch Out For Me 04:14
18. Oh Well - version 2 03:31
Tomislav Goluban
Chicago blues by way of Croatia as long time blues harmonica player-singer-songwriter from afar Tomislav Goluban chose to come to the source for this his tenth album. Assisting him in this quest is an A-team of Chicago stalwarts. Journeyman drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, bassist E.G. McDaniel and guitarist-producer Eric Noden are more than up to the task. Tomislav composed all the songs that pay musical homage to the blues tradition. He is an harmonica ace. While trying to rein in his accent his vocals at times sounding stilted. It limits his ability to exude unrestrained energy.
The jump blues instrumental “Pigeon Swing” showcases his undeniable harp skills. The title is a nod to his moniker of pigeon. He charges through like a whirlwind. “Locked Heart” explores Slim Harpo territory as the tune has an obvious similarity to the swamp blues master’s “Raining In My Heart”. Joe Filisko adds his harmonica to “Bag Full Of Troubles”. The liner notes don’t specify if both men handle the harp chores on this one, but whatever the case it’s first class all the way. Great guitar as well. His tribute to his mentor Philadelphia Jerry Ricks has a moving sentiment that is marred by an awkward delivery. His always tasty harp and Nodens’ slide guitar redeem the song. The acoustic version is more of the same.
Noden’s slide takes on a mournful tone along side the harmonica on the melancholy “Can’t Find Myself”. “One Way Ticket” gets the Sonny Terry style harmonica train imitation while the lyrics are rather mundane. The Bo Diddley beat appears on the upbeat “Do The Right Thing”. The band dusts off a slow Chicago blues groove for the autobiographical “Little Pigeon”.
More nice Chicago style playing on “Searchin’ For My Baby”. Croatian lyrics set against a Chicago groove on “Isel budem v kleticu(I’ll Go To My Cottage)”. Tomislav is obviously more comfortable singing in his native tongue.
The vocal delivery throughout detracts a bit, but there is no denying the superior quality of all the musicians involved. It’s heart warming to see international appreciation of America’s beloved blues music.
Tracklist:
01. Pigeon Swing 03:32
02. Locked Heart 03:53
03. Bag Full of Troubles 04:55
04. Jerry Ricks on My Mind 04:15
05. Can't Find Myself 02:52
06. Home Made Honey 04:14
07. One Way Ticket 04:21
08. Do the Right Thing 03:15
09. Little Pigeon 05:33
10. Jerry Ricks on My Mind (Acoustic) 03:24
11. Searchin' for My Baby 03:46
12. I'll Go to My Cottage 02:59
Taste
Blister On The Moon / Dual Carriageway Pain / Norman Invasion / Born On The Wrong Side of Time (first broadcast 27 October 1968)
Same Old Story / Dual Carriageway Pain (First broadcast: 30 October 1968.
I'm Movin' On / Sugar Mama / Leaving Blues / Wee Wee Baby (first broadcast 20 April 1969)
Tracklist:
01. Same Old Story (Top Gear Session 25 August 1968) 03:37
02. Blister On The Moon (Top Gear Session 25 August 1968) 03:33
03. Dual Carriageway Pain (Top Gear Session 25 August 1968) 03:15
04. Norman Invasion (Top Gear Session 25 August 1968) 02:25
05. Born On The Wrong Side Of Time (Top Gear Session 25 August 1968) 04:10
06. Wee Wee baby (Top Gear Session 30 October 1968) 04:38
07. I’m Moving On (Top Gear Session 20 April 1969) 02:32
08. Sugar Mama (Top Gear Session 20 April 1969) 06:22
09. Leaving Blues (Top Gear Session 20 April 1969) 04:19
10. Blister On The Moon (Live) 04:50
11. Sugar Mama (Live) 06:26
Stefano Stella
The singer and guitarist from Treviso Stefano Stella boasts numerous collaborations with established musicians of the national blues circuit. Active since the early 1990s, he was part of Guido Toffoletti's Blues Society in the period 1996 and 1997 and later flew to Austin, Texas where he confronted the local music scene. Over the years he has shared some projects with the blues historian Stefano Zabeo and recently he has also collaborated with the guitarist Steve Saluto.
Stefano Stella made his debut in October 2018 with his very personal Musician’s Blues project built together with longtime colleagues Corrado Menegon on bass and Simone Manzato on drums. So let's listen to what the Stefano Stella Band managed to put together on this brand new record.
Corrado Menegon's opaque bass acts as a forerunner in the first track of the album entitled LOVE IS OVER. An electric guitar with a Bourbon flavor writes a caramel-colored solo, evoking fruity and floral aromas with subtle spicy tips. Sweet and soft on the palate, Stella's six string leaves the aftertaste of aging in barrique with perfectly toasted American oak staves.
The tasting continues with STOP BABY STOP in which slides and harmonica whizzing comfortably in the rear seats of B.B.'s black Cadillac. King and Eric Clapton. A pleasant car ride to the Tartyinesque Titty Twister with the dust rising from the wheels, a handful of winking choruses and an imposing bass that makes friction with the asphalt. The bold tones combined with the choirs of Pia Coppe and the harmonica of Carlo Zambon foreshadow trouble: better to stop in time, the goal is not always what is expected.
MUSICIAN'S BLUES is a soft shadow that expands like an oil stain on the surface of the water. An expansion wrapped in a dark halo, a background blues that is even more enchanted by Stella's fingering and Simone Manzato's delicacy on the skins.
We now meet the first non-autographed track on the disc. BACKDOOR MAN by Willie Dixon is immediately muffled by Menegon's bass which becomes the essential protagonist of this reinterpretation. Stella's voice is circumfused and embraced by the female one that creates sugary dynamics and delicate fragrances like a rose but at the same time intense and persistent. A classic reinterpreted by dampening the incisiveness of Dixon's voice and making everything more loose and dilated. The half-placed wah wah gives softness to the piece, evoking the play of light and shadow of a fleeting love like that of the backdoor man.
HELP THE POOR written by Charles Singleton here recalls the atmospheres of David Crosby of Long Time Gone in the intro. A borderline blues that frays and expands to the lysergic atmospheres of the 70's. A violent and incisive wah wah points the finger at the listener, threatens and stabs him with precise and penetrating stilettos. In the final, the female voice arches her vocal eyebrows and vibrates disconsolate head swings, recognizing a problematic situation and holding out her hand for help. I'm in trouble don't see you. Help the poor, won't you help poor me?
Then it's up to I’M A WORKMAN that opens with an intro of drums reminiscent of the Hard Crowd of the Black Crowes and then moves towards the dirty electric beaches of CSN and the psychfunk ones of the Black Shit. The band worked hard to fit the most disparate references into an original musical tetris. A gigantic copper cauldron and three tireless workmen who mix dissimilar sound ingredients: the result is a ductile and raw polentone that goes perfectly with the ciccioso touch of the Stefano Stella Band sonic stew.
LONELY AVENUE, written and composed by Doc Pomus, starts here fluently and then suddenly sours with a harsh and harsh harmonic. To soften it all up, the vocal warmth of the refrain is accommodating, with a delicate consistency of almond paste. A blues that evolves and escapes in many directions while advancing "sitting" and with the handbrake pulled, placidly sprawled in a faded, comfortable and deformed armchair, worn and irreplaceable.
YOU DON'T LOVE ME by Willie Cobbs here is smoothed by the edges, rounded with a nice file to round off the pointed edges and make them caressing and curvilinear. The woodwinds, the acidity of the guitar turns and the pungent voice of the original disappear, leaving room for a pacioccona sonic roundness and a character of southern German-style truck band pacification.
This debut album ends with the SITTING IN MY KITCHEN shuffle. Initially the acrimonious and acid harmonica makes its way accompanied by a shuffle rhythm on the guitar that takes the run-up and presses the trigger of the start.
Tracklist:
01. Love is Over 05:43
02. Stop Stop Baby 06:25
03. Musician’s Blues 05:49
04. Backdoor Man 07:14
05. Help the Poor 05:41
06. I’m a Workman 06:09
07. Lonely Avenue 06:10
08. You Don’t Love Me 05:05
09. Sitting in My Kitchen 06:59
Gregg A. Smith
Born July 25, 1951 in Honey Grove, Texas (about 70 miles northeast of Dallas)..moved to Portland, Oregon when he was about 17. I got into the community choir, the high school band, and joined a working band, The Antoine Brothers with Nolan Struck as the lead singer. Some years later in 1985 Smith released a live record, "The Texas Blues Wailer" to little fanfare but in 1990 Smith managed to get his first studio record, "Money Talks", distributed through the then hot Soul/Blues label Ichiban Records. A second LP, "It's My Time", was also distributed through the label before he was signed to the label for 1997's "I Wanna Rock Ya". Unfortunately this was during Ichiban's decline and the record was soon relegated to cut-out bins. Smith sauntered on with his finest album to date, "Stacked In The Back" before temporarily eschewing his Soul/Blues sound for a contemporary R & B feel on "Forbidden Fruit".
Credits:
Butch Bonner - Drums
Chris Dunn - Percussion, Vocals (Background)
Ricky Gowen - Keyboards, Vocals (Background)
Milton Harris - Guitar
Ludie Johnson - Saxophone, Vocals (Background)
Gregg A. Smith - Vocals
Leroy Ward - Bass, Vocals (Background)
Tracklist:
01. 24 Hours A Day (Live) 06:17
02. Hurt Before You Heal (Live) 06:11
03. You Are (Live) 05:36
04. Stand By Me (Live) 06:04
05. Blues In My Blood (Live) 07:29
06. Stuck On You (Live) 03:50
07. Angel (Live) 04:43
08. Money Talks (Live) 04:17
09. Stick And Stay (Live) 05:51
10. The Lowdown (Live) 05:17
11. The Thrill Is Gone (Live) 06:19
12. Party Warrior (Live) 03:37
13. Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Live) 06:38
Bobby MacVeety
Bobby MceVeety is an excellent blues guitarist from Sheffield, Massachusetts.
Tracklist:
01. Smashing Beat 03:36
02. Broken Wheel 03:23
03. Slippin on Down 04:29
04. Home Cookin' 03:12
05. Stay Legal 04:41
06. Clear Light 02:45
07. Balance 03:51
08. Home 04:22
09. Rising Sun 03:07
10. Love on Top 03:5
Derek Fresquez
Fronted by Derek Fresquez, the band plays contemporary, guitar driven blues and rock, with a taste of funk, delivered with a special "feel" that's hard to deny. With every lick he plays, Derek gives his listeners a glimpse into his soul.
Now in his early Thirties, Derek was raised in the blues. He started playing guitar in his family blues band at age 14, where he found his passion for the guitar, and love of “The Blues”. He played guitar in his family band “Rumpshaker” until 2017 when the family decided to focus on other activities. Out of that decision Derek built his first band “Cuttin the Chord” ... The band’s name is Derek's way to acknowledge and honor the family band he was raised in, when he decided it was time to move ahead, to build a pro level band of his own. This first album is just the beginning, with so much more to come!
This first album release oozes with feel... Gritty, soulful vocals and tasty blues and rock guitar licks, with a little funk edge added. You'll hear some of Derek's guitar influences like Carlos Santana, Smokin Joe Kubek and of course Stevie.
Tracklist:
01. Blues in my Blood 04:56
02. She's a Dream 03:39
03. Gotta Get Away 04:05
04. Dyin' Flu 04:50
05. Out with the Boys 05:26
06. Walk Alone 05:24
07. Ridin Free 04:33
08. Walk Out That Door 05:38
09. Something to Lose 04:41
10. Bluest Blues 06:35
Steve Cohen
Steve Cohen and Peter discovered a musical affinity early in their musical partnership that started 20 years ago.Their mutual interest in Taj Mahal,Rober Johnson and many others led them to perform together regularly in the Milwaukee area.This collection of half originals,and 2 each by Taj,Sonny & Brownie and Robert Johnson ,opens a window onto a unique perspective to a wide range of acoustic and plugged in acoustic style delta blues,Piedmont Blues and original blues styles.A deep feeling for traditional blues coupled with modern sensibilites are held together by stellar chops on guitars,harmonica and vocals.Guest appearence by slide guitarist arist Paul Black,and harmonica player Jim Liban as well.Excellent production.
Tracklist:
01. Stones In My Pathway 03:43
02. Corrina 03:45
03. Good Morning Miss Brown 03:49
04. Blue Fog 04:15
05. Walkin Blues 03:46
06. Treated Wrong 04:08
07. Hard Life 04:56
08. Billy The Kid 04:11
09. What Is It About Love 02:53
10. Homeless Blues 05:22
11. The Way I Feel 04:23
12. Soon Gone 04:04
James Harman Band
JAMES HARMAN (1946.06.08/Anniston, AL – ) is one of the leading harmonica players on America’s west coast. Harman’s love of the instrument was instilled in him by his father. His father’s Hohner harmonicas were in the piano bench, and he would play them after his piano lessons. He experimented with other instruments as well, including guitar, organ, bass and drums, performing solo and with family members at dances and country suppers. He found the blues early in life, both on black radio and on the street corner: “Radio” Johnson, a local blind street singer who played slide guitar with a knife, was an early influence and collaborator.
As a youngster in Alabama, James played with a local blues musician named Radio Johnson, and bought R&B records. By the age of 16 he had launched his own band and subsequently recorded a number of singles and albums with various ensembles, including Soul Senders, Snakedoctor, King James And The Royals, the Icehouse Blues Band and Icepick James And The Rattlesnakes. In 1970 Harman moved to southern California and had to abandon music for some years due to health problems. He did not refrain from playing music for long, and in the late 70s he formed the James Harman Band, going on to make acclaimed recordings for the Rivera and Rhino labels before graduating to Black Top Records at the start of the 90s. He recorded some of his best studio work for this label, including 1991’s Do Not Disturb and 1995’s Black & White. Later recordings have appeared on the Cannonball and Pacific Blue labels. Harman, who by the start of the new millennium resembled Gandalf (from Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings) with his extraordinary white beard, is an imposing sight to watch perform. He is a fine singer and harmonica player whose approach to the blues is one of fun and enjoyment.
Pick up this 1995 Black Top release for some cool tones and tunes from master harpist James 'Icepick' Harman and band, who survived, as Harman describes in his hilarious original liner notes, a sonic invasion from a neighboring Van Halen video shoot which was interfering with the great 'tile tone' the guys were getting from putting their amps on top of the toilets. Their solution? Duct-taping a mop and broom handle together and shoving a sofa cushion up the air vent causing the audio bleed! So, this is rough n ready blues.
Credits:
Robby "Sugar Boy" Eason - Guitar
James Harman - Harmonica, Vocals
Norman Harris - Organ, Organ (Hammond)
Fred Kaplan - Piano
John "Juke" Logan - Piano, Piano (Electric)
Lee Campbell - Drums
James Michael Tempo - Percussion
Larry Williams - Guitar
Lee "Shot" Williams - Guitar
Wolf Brand Chili Girls - Vocals (Background)
Jimmie Wood - Vocals (Background)
Billy Sheets - Vocals (Background)
King Cotton - Vocals (Background)
Gregg Alexander - Vocals (Background)
Brenda Burns - Vocals (Background)
Donny Gerrard - Vocals (Background)
Tracklist:
01. Too Right to Run 04:47
02. Cut to the Chase 04:10
03. Hollywood Girls 04:11
04. The Four Questions, No. 1 05:13
05. Torqueflite 727 02:04
06. Lock Doctor 04:15
07. Everybody's Rockin' (At the Zoo Bar) 02:51
08. Black and White 04:28
09. Cold Tile Floor 05:14
10. Sometimes... (The Rules Just Don't Apply) 04:39
11. The Twins 02:21
12. Leavin' for Memphis (Crickets and Frogs) 03:39
13. Second Voyage of Noah's Ark (Crickets and Frogs) 06:42
14. The Four Questions, No. 2 05:33
