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Boz is one of the greats. Case Closed
Tag Archives: Muddy Waters
Johnny Nicholas: Blues Guitar Legend
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:40 — 45.8MB)
Nicholas grew up in Rhode Island, United States, where he formed his first band, The Vikings. The band performed cover versions of popular rhythm and blues hits of the time, along with songs by the Rolling Stones. In the mid-1960s, he formed the Black Cat Blues Band with Duke Robillard, Fran Christina and Steve Nardella. Around 1970, he formed the Boogie Brothers with Nardella. After attending the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1970, the band eventually moved on to San Francisco, California in 1972 per-request of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.
By 1974, Nicholas had moved to Chicago, Illinois and began playing with Big Walter Horton. During his time in Chicago, he would record music with Horton, Boogie Woogie Red and Robert Lockwood, Jr. In 1974, he created his own single, “Too Many Bad Habits” for Blind Pig Records. Moving to Providence, Rhode Island, he formed his own band, Johnny Nicholas and the Rhythm Rockers, which included Kaz Kazanoff on saxophone, Terry Bingham on drums, Sarah Brown on bass guitar and Ronnie Earl on electric guitar.
Nicholas began his stint with Asleep at the Wheel in 1978, when the band asked him to perform with them. During his off time, he would travel to various cities for solo shows, but would often visit Louisiana to play with Link Davis and Cajun accordion player Nathan Abshire.
By 1980, however, Nicholas decided to take time off from music in order to raise a family. in 1991 Nicholas returned to recording blues music with Johnny Shines and Snooky Pryor on the album Back to the Country. After returning to music, Johnny has released one studio album and three live albums on Topcat Records while also returning to regular live shows.
Rick Estrin of The Nightcats
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:53:17 — 77.8MB)
Estrin was born in San Francisco, California in 1949, and fell in love with blues after his sister presented him with Ray Charles’ The Genius Sings The Blues when he was 12. He began playing harmonica at age 15, and by age 18 was beginning to work professionally. Early in his career he played with Lowell Fulson, Z.Z. Hill, Travis Phillips, and Fillmore Slim. Estrin names Sonny Boy Williamson II, Little Walter Jacobs and Baby Boy Warren as key inspirations. He played with and was mentored by Rodger Collins (whose 45rpm recordings include “She’s Looking Good” and “Foxy Girls” In Oakland). Estrin moved to Chicago when he was 19 and worked with bluesmen Sam Lay, Johnny Littlejohn, Eddie Taylor and Johnny Young. He met and sat in with Muddy Waters at the Sutherland Hotel in Chicago. He told the Sacramento Bee, “Muddy started shaking his finger in my face and said, ‘You outta sight, boy! You play like a man! I know that sound. That’s my sound.’” Muddy tried to hire Estrin as a sideman but Estrin did not receive the phone call, and moved back to the Bay Area. He met guitarist Charlie Baty in 1973 and they created Little Charlie & the Nightcats based in Sacramento, California. Estrin fronted Little Charlie & the Nightcats for 30 years and performed around the world. They were nominated four times for the Blues Music Award for Band of the Year. In 2008, Baty retired from touring. Guitarist Kid Andersen joined Estrin with previous band members Hansen and Farrell and they formed Rick Estrin & The Nightcats that same year.
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Special Guest: Big Creek Slim
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:13 — 22.1MB)
Big Creek Slim is a blues man as sure as the day is long. Don’t believe it? Hear that voice. Feel the passion and intensity that he brings to the blues. Big Creek Slim’s trademark is authentic pre-WWII country blues and early Chicago Blues. Right now he’s the hottest Scandinavian blues name and has received a rain of awards, and has excited the blues crowds all over Europe.
Big Creek Slim Website
www.bigcreekslim.dk
Special Guest: Magic Dick
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:13 — 79.9MB)
Magic Dick, (Richard Salwitz) plays harmonica for the J. Geils Band.
Salwitz was born in New London, Connecticut. He attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he met John “J.” Geils and Danny Klein and became a founding member of the J. Geils Band in 1965. Salwitz’s harmonica playing became a major and distinctive element in the J. Geils Band’s sound during their hard-rocking 1970s heyday. His performance of “Whammer Jammer” on the band’s live album Full Househas been particularly noted. In The Rolling Stone Record Guide (1979), music critic Dave Marsh described Salwitz as possibly “the best white musician to ever play blues harmonica.” He was often referred to as “Magic Dick and his Lickin’ Stick”.
Accidental Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOnWFbj8SGiV34ixhO0Cwg
Special Guest: Chris Cain
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:39 — 49.1MB)
Guitar virtuoso Chris Cain began playing professionally as a teenager in local clubs, at festivals, and at private events. .Cain received four Blues Music Award nominations in 1987 for his debut album, Late Night City Blues, including Guitarist of the Year. He signed to Blind Pig Records in 1990 and released his second album, Cuttin’ Loose, then released Can’t Buy A Break in 1992 and Somewhere Along the Way in 1995. 2018 brought more nominations, including Blues Music Awards Guitarist of the Year, Blues Blast Awards Best Males Blues Artist and Best Contemporary Blues Album for the 2017 release, Chris Cain. Chris records for Alligator Records.
Mark Hummel www.markhummel.com
Chris Cain http://chriscainmusic.com
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/markhummel
Accidental Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOnWFbj8SGiV34ixhO0Cwg
Special Guests: Kid Andersen & Wes Starr
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:52 — 50.2MB)
#greaseland #robertcray #wesstarr
Mark sits down at Greaseland Studios with guitarist/producer Kid Andersen ( Charlie Musselwhite, Rick Estrin, Little Charlie,Terry Hanck) and legendary drummer Wes Starr. (Asleep at the Wheel, Hal Ketchum, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, Omar and The Howlers).
The guys talk about their attraction to the Blues and their journey to California. Kid began playing as a younth in Norway and came to the US at the invitation of Terry Hanck. Wes was raised in Georgia and was exposed to the best of the blues. Wes made it to California via Nashville & Austin among other stops.
The guys also open up about sobriety and their path to becoming a sober performer and the challenges of staying sober on the road and in an industry that expects abuse.
Mark Hummel www.markhummel.com
Greaseland Studios https://www.facebook.com/Greaseland/
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/markhummel
Accidental Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOnWFbj8SGiV34ixhO0Cwg
Special Guest: The James Cotton Band
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:09 — 29.6MB)
#jamescotton #harmonicablues #markhummel
The James Cotton Band sits down and talks with Mark about playing with Mark’s longtime friend and harmonic legend James Cotton. James Henry Cotton (July 1, 1935 – March 16, 2017) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many of the other great blues artists of his time and with his own band. He played drums early in his career but is famous for his harmonica playing. Cotton began his professional career playing the blues harp in Howlin’ Wolf’s band in the early 1950s. He made his first recordings in Memphis for Sun Records, under the direction of Sam Phillips. In 1955, he was recruited by Muddy Waters to come to Chicago and join his band. Cotton became Waters’s bandleader and stayed with the group until 1965. In 1965 he formed the Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet, with Otis Spann on piano, to record between gigs with the Muddy Waters band. He eventually left to form his own full-time touring group. His first full album, on Verve Records, was produced by the guitarist Mike Bloomfield and the singer and songwriter Nick Gravenites, who later were members of the band Electric Flag. In the 1970s, Cotton played harmonica on Muddy Waters’ Grammy Award–winning 1977 album Hard Again, produced by Johnny Winter.
Mark Hummel www.markhummel.com
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/markhummel
Accidental Productions https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOOnWFbj8SGiV34ixhO0Cwg
Special Guest: Charlie Musselwhite Part 1
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:07 — 26.2MB)
#charliemusselwhite #elvis #chicagoblues #memphisblues #harmonicaparty
Charlie Musselwhite joins Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party for a conversation with the legendary Harp player. Charlie talks about growing up in Memphis and going to the Amusement Park and movies with Elvis Presley and the Memphis Mafia. Charlie remembers his unique childhood that brought him to music and to the blues. Charlie tells Mark about the move to Chicago and trying to find a place in the blues scene, First working in a record store and sharing the stage with Chicago Blues legends Lew Soloff, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, and Big Walter Horton. Charlie Musselwhite recent recordings include Grammy nominated releases with Elvin Bishop #elvinbishop Ben Harper #benharper .
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Special Guest: Elvin Bishop
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:10 — 27.0MB)
Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party brings in Elvin Bishop singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter. An original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of that group in 2015 and the Blues Hall of Fame in his own right in 2016 Elvin talks about Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite. Elvin discusses searching for a singer for his hit Fooled Around and Fell In Love. Elvin talks about his days at The Fillmore for Bill Graham, and physics! #elvinbishop #paulbutterfieldbluesband #bigfuntrio
Please SUBSCRIBE to Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party YouTube Channel. Mark Hummel Accidental Productions