How many regional or even national players are often overlooked by the blues press. Here's one I'm sure you've heard but maybe not heard of: Jimmy Zavala.
Better know for this tune:
Last Edited by rbeetsme on Jan 18, 2014 4:15 PM
We talked about him in a thread here within the past 18 months, I believe. But it's a great point. When very strong players don't tour and don't record, they can easily fly under the radar.
Martin: You're exactly right, and of course I knew that when I wrote what I wrote above. I can't blame you for intuiting a logical connection between my second and third sentence (above), but I actually didn't intend any connection. My mind moves too quickly for its own good sometimes. I could have avoided confusion, and your comment, by starting my third sentence: "Although Jimmy Z, highly exposed as he is, doesn't fall into this category...." and continuing with the sentence I actually wrote.
Paul Linden…It's simply ridiculous no one talks about this kid! Geaux listen to some old Sean Costello. "The Plumber" is crazy...This kid rips and is alive and well in Atlanta. Been raving about him for years to no avail.
Jason: I wasn't aware of Paul Linden, but on the basis of the clip above and this second clip, he's easily earned himself a spot on this website's honorable mention list. Thanks for turning me on to what he does:
As you have discovered Paul is a wonderful HARP player - tone for days. I do need to correct you however and point out that in the video you posted it is Jon Leibman and not Paul. Jon and Sean Costello were great friends and often played together when Sean was in town. I lived in ATL for one year and became good friends with Jon as well... He can sing SONNY BOY to SINATRA and has a very nice approach to the harp - overall he reminds me of SUGAR RAY...
Paul Linden has had a serious fan here in Sweden for many years. And I´ve told him so.
Those early Sean Costello records (he sort of faded out from the later ones) had absolutely great harmonica from Paul; and they were great from a more general blues standpoint as well.
Paul Linden is an awesome player! His work on Sean's albums "Cuttin' In" and "Moanin' For Molasses" is some of my favorite harp playing ever and is a fantastic accompaniment to the outstanding singer and guitarist that was Sean Costello. As Jason says "The Plumber" is a fantastic harp instrumental. As far as I can tell he recorded two versions. I've studied the version from Sean's Blues and can just about do it justice with my band, but the version on Moanin' For Molasses is off the chart!
Paul Linden is a beast, and such a multi-talented musician, not only on the harmonica, but also on the piano and guitar. The first video above is Paul blowing harp, but the 2nd one, "What Have I Done" he's playing piano. The harp and vocals on that video are Jon Liebman, another great harp player with a phenominal voice who also played with Sean Costello here in Atlanta. Jon is still in Atlanta, but Paul is in Mississippi now.
Here is one from Dr. Paul Linden, the current band he is in (I had put it in another thread) also worth noting he is a Prof at the University of Southern Mississippi and he holds a Ph.D. in Literature from Emory University, has some books under his belt. Some parallels to another harp player some of us are familiar with :-)
Talk about harp players flying under the radar. Here's a band that has been under the radar for years and has had a number of very good musician's in the line up. Warren Haynes was his first guitar player! I went on the road with them in 99 for a short trip. It wasn't much fun (and I'll leave it at that), but many good players have worked for AL Larue from time to time. I'm not sure, but I think Jason Ricci may have around 2002 or 3. I don't know that for a fact. Someone told me a great young harp player has playing for Al now and that I should go see them. I moved from Nashville in may 2003 and never got a chance to and then found out Jason moved there around the time I left. So I'm just guessing that's who it was.
Yeah man! Totally Walter! That Kid's a lot like Adam in more than a couple ways... When Paul left Sean's band (full-time) I think he went to France to finish a dissertation on French Poetry or something??!! Hey also worth noting to Walter Harp that the harp player on that cut "Take Me Back To New Orleans" is actually Harmonica Red! Another guy! I only know that from having to study all those records before playing with them so yeah you guys are right (Kudzu n' Chromatic) I was with Al for about 15 Months or a little longer. Al Lauro is a great guy and I learned a ton from him as a band leader but I would love to hear Chromatics stories off record... Ha! What a great thread! I have a few more guys that I know of but I can't even find youtube vids of them.. Who's this dork playing too loud in the tin foil suit here with Al back in the early 2000's?
Last Edited by Moon Cat on Jan 23, 2014 6:19 AM
@ Moon Cat I'm not sure but that might be the guy I replaced for a road trip. I don't remember his name, but he and Al where very good friends. Nice suit! I also agree about Harmonica Red. He, myself and Charlie McCoy did and interview for a TV show in December of 99. I had never even heard of him before that night and he was very good! He also played with a country guy in the late 70's that was very popular. I can't remember his name. I remember it was hell raising country not the typical 70's country music. His harp playing with Al was different more bar room blues rock. Jason I don't know your Email. Email me and I'll elaborate.
Last Edited by chromaticblues on Jan 23, 2014 7:22 AM
Jason, I have never really known what to do, in a comping way, on straight-up rock grooves like the song above. I just love what you're doing there. It's the power of repetition. You're actually quite loud in the mix, carrying a lot of weight, but because you're playing straight groove and repeating the line verbatim, it all settles in and doesn't distract. That's great stuff. Listen and learn, everybody! (It has an accordion feel, too.)
Agreed, His playing to that groove is perfect in everyway including the volume... There is another cool vid with them were he goes into the crowd and tears it up Ricci style...
Jason has away of making you forget all the entries in this thread -
great, great, harmonica playing as well as performance...You had better be GREAT - when your on stage sporting a tin foil suit, hahahaha - you wore it well Jason :)
Last Edited by Frank on Jan 23, 2014 1:53 PM
I stopped myself from posting about Sebastien Charlier yesterday as i do not really consider him an under the player radar but since you are speaking of "accordion feel" Adam and what i am about to post is an under the radar harp skill. And a new skill that only Sebastien Charlier has developped so far to my knowledge and is using here and there in his works... It's so foreign that on one of his tune with a lot of reverb, i though there was a keyboard producing some of the chords. Not available on youtube that one, sadly.
Anyway, it really is just diatonic harmonica ( his 5 draw is raised by a half step but that is it)
BOB BUTTERFIELD! This guy has the harp player for "The North End Rythem Kings" in Burlington Vermont back in the late 70's, 80's and 90's. Anyone that has this band play back in the day knows this regional player has F@#$ing GREAT! The only player I have seen/heard that can play the high end "better" is Suger Blue! The first time I heard this guy play I just stood there and didn't talk to anyone and listened. Truly an amazing unknown (for the most part) player.
The Unknown Blues Band/Kilimanjaro were a great unit. Saw them many times in the early 90's at the P'Jazz series at the Pontchartrain Hotel in Detroit. ---------- The Iceman
Today I did a Skype lesson with this guy. Bart Landstra. He's a netherlands guy. I ended up just talking with him for hours about music and life. his phrasing tone and dynamics are exceptional! These videos FAIL to express the range I experienced hearing him on Skype but they are definitely worthy of an "Under The Radar" guy to check out. Thank you everyone dig him. By the way all this shit minus octaves is done lip pursing! Holy Shit! -Jason
Paul Weber. He lived here in San Diego for a season, also went to NOLA and hung with Harvey for a while. He is now with a trio (guitarist/singer, drummer, and Paul on harp and also tuba!) called the Hootin Hallers. Here he is with the band he was in when I met him (I did some work for him, a fine chap), playing that big rhythm diatonic style--but he plays chromatic, chord harp, overblows, etc. Oh and he plays guitar sings and writes songs. If he don't die first, he will make a name for himself.
So I wouldn't say this guy this necessarily "under the radar," but I don't hear nearly enough talk about Norton Buffalo. He is in my top 5 favorite players and his name just doesn't come up enough for me.
Super late to the party, but I ran into my buddy Jon Liebman on a recent trip to ATL and he said "there's a post somewhere online where they are talking about me and you being under cover harp players."
One good vanity search later and correcting for under the radar, and by golly, he aint joshin!
If there is still any interest, here is a little out of print nugget I recorded with another dearly deceased band mate,
Thanks for posting that Paul. Wonderful playing. I admire you're style of playing greatly. Some of my favourite harp to listen to is on those early Sean Costello CDs. I'd love to know what set up you use?
I must be the worst at social media, but consistently two years late! I came out of the ring for a few years after my songwriting partner Sean Costello passed away in 2008, then had a couple kids and life just went another way. But when I was making those records I was playing a magnetic bullet into an early brown fender amp, usually a super (the 1960 pro or bandmaster was too loud for studio usually). On the link above I was playing through a 50s oahu or airline with singe 10 I think.
Paul, saying hello for 2019, when you get back here. Littoral (Fire King to you) says it was great getting north and seeing you again -And meeting your kids (because by 2019 we'll accomplish all that). Kids do have a knack for putting music to the side. They're the most fun ever so it's alright. Music still gets to happen and eventually even more. The Frankie Moates is great -thanks. I'm stealing every lick. 12:18 solo is pure nasty
Last Edited by Littoral on Apr 28, 2017 7:06 AM
There are far more good harp players, good guitar players, good singers, etc. around the world that you never heard of than there are those who have achieved enough success to have their names publicized.
I always enjoy when lists like this let me hear another good player I never heard of.
This is also one reason why I enjoy SPAH, too! ----------
