The Iceman
2778 posts
Nov 22, 2015
5:10 PM
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VA - Blues Harp Women (2015)
Label: Ruf Records | Release Year: 2015
Big Mama Thornton is responsible for this album. I played one of her tracks on my radio show, heard a nice harmonica solo and checked the liner notes to see who it was. It was Big Mama! It was the first time I recall hearing a woman playing blues harp and it set the wheels turning in my head. I started wondering if there were other women who played the harmonica and why they are virtually unknown. I began searching. Eventually I found others, then more. I was inspired to create a website. As I was discussing it with a friend, he mispronounced harmonica as “hermonica”. “That’s it!” I shouted. “That’s the name for the website!”
So hermonicas.com was born and became what Adam Gussow called “the definitive site on women harmonica players.” We discovered and contacted almost 200 players around the world. There was some discussion on putting an album together. As far as we know, it had never been done before. A label-owning friend suggested I try Ruf Records and (bless his heart) Tom Ruf agreed to back the project.
It has taken a few years and numerous obstacles to overcome, (working with 30-plus artists can get very complicated) but finally the album is finished and is about to become a unique part of music history; the very first women’s blues harmonica compilation album ever made!
I hope this album will shed some light on what has been a black hole in the blues universe. It proves that as with other instruments, women are the equal of men on the harmonica. Perhaps this will help them get the attention that has passed them by in the past. I am delighted to have been a part of this project.
TRACKLIST
CD 1:
01 Paula Rangell - Harmonica Girl (4:25)
02 Roxy Perry - Roadmaster (4:16)
03 Stacy Jones Band - Heavy Water (5:45)
04 Big Mama Thornton - Down Home Shake Down (3:33)
05 Lynnann Hyde - 32-20 Blues (4:44)
06 Trina Hamlin - Down To The Hollow (4:26)
07 Tracy K - Stop! Wait A Minute (3:33)
08 Teresa 'T-Bird' Lynne - One More Lie (5:08)
09 Octavia - Naughty Girl (4:39)
10 Kat Baloun - Why You So Mean To Me (4:50)
11 Beth Kohnen - Ain't Easy (3:19)
12 Jane Gillman - Stuck On You (2:47)
13 Zola Moon - Mechanical Beast (4:06)
14 Mattie Phifer - Please Call Daddy (5:18)
15 Dorothy Jane 'DJ' Gosper - Sadder Than Sad (8:50)
CD 2:
01 Jenny Kerr - Cash Is King (3:35)
02 Cheryl Arena - Blues Got Me (6:24)
03 Annie Raines - Lookin' Good (7:32)
04 Marion Turner - He's Gone (3:17)
05 Terry Leonino - Meet Me Where They Play The Blues (3:59)
06 Dana Dixon - Crazy Maisie (4:28)
07 Beata Kossowska - Everybody's Dancing (3:02)
08 Jilll Fromewick - Take The Lead (3:26)
09 Diana Redlin - Never Leave Me Home (3:07)
10 Christelle Berthon - Summertime (4:25)
11 Judy Rudin - Hit The Road (4:22)
12 Cecilia Loforti - Doctor C (4:01)
13 Maria Coyote - Rikers Island (3:35)
14 Jackie Merritt - Fast Food Mama (2:50)
15 Big Nancy - Bring It On Home (To Me) (3:30)
16 Rhonda Rucker - Rhonda Alla Blue (3:13)
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Nice to see my old student Jackie Merritt made the cut!
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The Iceman
Last Edited by The Iceman on Nov 22, 2015 5:11 PM
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Prento
11 posts
Nov 22, 2015
9:52 PM
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I've seen DJ Gosper live a couple of times at the Dubbo Jazz Festival. Great singer, great entertainer, great harp player.
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marine1896
485 posts
Nov 23, 2015
5:02 AM
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And why not!
Some sound bites here....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blues-Harp-Women-Various-Artists/dp/B0169H1GAA
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"Those British boys want to play the blues real bad, and they do"
Last Edited by marine1896 on Nov 23, 2015 5:12 AM
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Popculture Chameleon
104 posts
Nov 24, 2015
2:42 PM
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It is a great album to add to your iTunes collection- I have a large playlist of harmonica songs in my IPod to listen to in order to help me relax after a long hard day- I honestly don't care if it is a guy or a girl playing the harp- If it sounds good to me (and the entire album does) I will always be ready to listen with a smile
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