While researching the issue date of what I thought was a Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee recording of "Dealing With the Devil," I came across an unexpected find: the harp player isn't Sonny, but a guy named Jordan Webb. He's a masterful player; there's certainly some Sonny Terry influence or similarity--but there's also a lot of stuff that doesn't, to my ears, sound anything like ST. This recording was issued in 1940 or thereabouts
You tell me who this harp player is.
Here's a thread on another forum, seven years ago, in which the mystery of Jordan Webb was briefly discussed:
http://blindman.15.forumer.com/a/harmonica-on-i39m-calling-daisy_post7310.html
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2012 6:58 AM
Kudzu - If you seriously hadn't heard of Jordan Webb before this research, I must say I'm very surprised. He was the harp player with Brownie McGhee before Sonny Terry came along. I'd have thought that any serious student of blues harmonica would have heard of him, unless they'd been living under a rock.
Be surprised! I've never been afraid to admit my ignorance. Filling in the blanks--and there aren't many when it comes to postwar blues harmonica, but there are certainly a few when it comes to the wartime and prewar period--is part of my scholar's discipline.
In that line, I make a point, when someone comes forward who clearly has knowledge to share, of asking them to share it. Please share your knowledge of Webb with me, and with your fellow forum members. I suspect I'm not the only member who has not heard Webb's name before, and would love to hear more. Teach on, brother Kingley.
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2012 9:58 AM
I've read that a number of times and heard early Brownie recordings with jordan Webb. They sound very similiar to me. Probably grew up in the same region (which if I remember correct is North Carolina).
A quick check using the forum search tool reveals that this thread is the very first time in the four-year history of this forum that Jordan Webb's name has been mentioned.
If you run a standard Google search for "Jordan Webb" and "harmonica," it turns out that his name doesn't show up in any of the obvious "best harmonica players" lists. He's not listed on Dennis Gruenling's site, for example:
http://badassharmonica.com/blues-history/
I don't remember ever coming across Webb's name in lists of significant players, but perhaps he's well-known among conoisseurs of pre-war harp. Considering how many players, from famous to not-nearly-so-well-known, have been chewed over on this forum, I'm truly surprised that nobody has ever mentioned Webb here. As in, literally never. Not once.
When I google "harp-l" and "jordan webb," assuming that perhaps he's been widely discussed--or discussed at all--over there, I find an abortive thread-starter:
Here's a post from many years ago, one that suggests he's both great and obscure:
http://www.harpl.com/199844825.html
Drilling down into the harp-l archives really doesn't come up with much--except another player asking if anybody had heard of Webb, to which the late Chris Michalek answers "Yes.":
Classic Piedmont style stuff. No matter how long you've been around, there's always someone new to foind out about. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Classic Piedmont style stuff. No matter how long you've been around, there's always someone new to foind out about. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
From what I recall, Webb played harp with Brownie up until 1941 (or thereabouts). He recorded quite a few numbers with Brownie and also some with Sonny Terry too. He was a very good solid country blues player. If you search for Brownie McGhee albums you should come across Jordan Webb. Personally I prefer Sonny Terry's style, although Webb is indeed a very, very good player.
All of these are Jordan Webbb (ignore what the pictures says in the first video). The third has both Sonny and Jordan playing on it.
I have this inexpensive 4-CD set. It has mostly recordings done in the pre-Sonny and Brownie era, each with their own former partners. Jordan Webb is found on some tracks. There are also some early recordings of when Sonny and Brownie first got together. For the money, this is a pretty nice package. ----------
Last Edited by on Jun 26, 2012 12:30 PM
Put me in the category of those who have never heard of Webb. Thanks to Adam, I now know who he is. There was a time that I thought that I knew everyone who was anyone in the harp world. Forums like this one constantly prove me wrong by introducing me to those I knew nothing about. Many of those intros came from Adam, because he willing shares his discoveries....regardless if that discovery is well known by others. ---------- Ricky B http://www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com RIVER BOTTOM BLUES--crime novel for blues fans at Amazon, Barking Rain Press & the blog THE DEVIL'S BLUES--coming Fall of 2012
