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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
The Kid Can Play!
The Kid Can Play!
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Grey Owl
387 posts
Nov 01, 2013
12:35 PM
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Grey Owl YouTube
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HarpNinja
3573 posts
Nov 01, 2013
12:44 PM
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Regardless of his age, he sounded awesome. I try not give a free pass via the age card, but with playing like that, he can hold his own with the vast majority of blues harp players.
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kudzurunner
4343 posts
Nov 01, 2013
2:09 PM
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I really like what he's doing now. He's got a lot of blues in his voice now, in a way he didn't two years ago, and a fine sense of the groove. The chromatic harp was unexpected. He's also got the poise to do everything he does on a big stage with one of the all-time greats on guitar. How many kids his age have that?
The paradox here is huge. This is a kid who has had all the advantages. I'm sure he'd be the first to agree. His mother has stage-managed him for many years--as the mothers of talented kids have every right to do--and he's had extraordinary access to top players, including Cotton and Rob Paparozzi, because he had her help, opening all those doors. Plus loads of singing and acting lessons.
I'm being descriptive, not judgmental. He's had all the advantages--advantages that very few of us, very few blues players period, and none of the greats (needless to say!), ever enjoyed. That's simply a fact. Do with it what you will. And he has a gift. He has real talent. And he's worked very, very hard to make something of it. And the fruits are evident in this video. He's a 12-year old kid who really sings and plays the blues.
I daresay he does his thing, right now, as well as Junior Wells did HIS thing at that tender age. So take that, Blues Nazis! But it's the truth. Make of it what you will.
Clearly it is NOT necessary to live a hard life, in any conventional meaning of that term, in order to play the blues. Nor does one have to have loved and lost love in the traditional blues sense (i.e., big passionate sex-charged romance) in order to play the blues. Nor does one have to have struggled mightily with addiction (for example) or other core issues that ruin lives. The blues Josh King sings and plays aren't driven by any of those familiar blues sources. I don't think he's poor! And he's not a long way from home. He lives in suburban New Jersey.
Then again, we have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. Could a kid like that play and sing like that if there wasn't some sort of deep sadness in there?
Interesting. His talent is absolutely undeniable at this point. He's a child actor who can really throw down on blues harp and vocals. I wonder what the future holds? My general assumption is that at some point, the mother has to be broken away from. Otherwise she fights battles that a kid--I mean a young man--needs to fight on his own. But so far the plan, the design, is working very well indeed.
PS: Here's the full bio from his website, for the record:
Joshua King is a 13 year old vocalist, musician, songwriter and actor from Charlotte, North Carolina.
He has worked as an actor in TV, film, commercial, radio, theatre and print. His acting appearances include Saturday Night Live, Late Show with David Letterman, Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Kings and All My Children.
When Joshua was 6 years old, his dad gave him a new toy harmonica. At first, Josh taught himself songs on it. A year later, he had his first harmonica lesson and heard about blues music when the teacher told him about James Cotton and Little Walter. No one knew then that Cotton would soon be a mentor to Josh.
Josh has performed with Grammy winners, Blues and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees and renowned bands. He has performed at blues and jazz festivals, NAMM, in small clubs and large concert halls. He sung at the US Open Tennis Championships, performed at the Lincoln Center in NY and for the State of New York's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
A strong improvisor and creative musician, Josh performs many styles of music including blues, jazz, gospel, rock, pop, R&B, country and classical. He has been internationally recognized for his prodigious abilities on diatonic and chromatic harmonicas as well as for his vocal abilities. ?He also plays guitar, piano, ukulele and composes music. He attended a music theory class at a college when he was 11.
At age 10, Joshua wrote lyrics and a vocal melody to an instrumental song "Blues in My Sleep" by James Cotton at the blues legend's..
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 01, 2013 2:24 PM
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kudzurunner
4344 posts
Nov 01, 2013
2:22 PM
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......request. Barely 12 years old, Josh performed this song with the James Cotton Blues Band at the Lincoln Center and received standing ovations for it.
Joshua has performed with James Cotton, Buddy Guy, Tommy Emmanuel, The Low Rider Band, Lee Oskar (WAR), Jonny Lang, Kim Wilson & The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Billy Squier, Frederic Yonnet (Stevie Wonder, Prince) and many more.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 01, 2013 2:22 PM
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Rick Davis
2643 posts
Nov 01, 2013
2:32 PM
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He sounds good. I could not care less about his background. He reminds me of Austin Young, prodigy blues guitar player from Colorado Springs.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Nov 01, 2013 2:33 PM
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hooktool
101 posts
Nov 01, 2013
3:11 PM
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Just wait til some low down woman does him wrong. :)
He clearly feels it, that is awesome.
John
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tmf714
2163 posts
Nov 01, 2013
3:50 PM
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A student of Dennis Gruenling-
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kudzurunner
4345 posts
Nov 01, 2013
5:01 PM
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Needless to say, Dennis did not have Josh's sort of advantages! He did it the hard way.
Josh has been lucky to come up in suburban NJ when he has: Dennis Gruenling and Rob Paparozzi are excellent mentors.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 01, 2013 5:01 PM
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sonny3
70 posts
Nov 01, 2013
5:51 PM
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In my opinion blues comes from the heart.Life experience is not necessary to play blues.But I know for myself that I have to sing songs that I can relate to, I can't act my way thru it. This kid can play, no doubt about it.Once he has come upon some real problems in life and has to fight back ,he may know what these blues really mean.Good luck to him.
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Mojokane
731 posts
Nov 01, 2013
8:55 PM
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he's not really 13, he's a midget.
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Why is it that we all just can't get along?<
Last Edited by Mojokane on Nov 01, 2013 8:56 PM
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Harpaholic
407 posts
Nov 01, 2013
11:05 PM
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The kid has skills. I liked the beginning and then he started reminding me of a young Popper. Maybe that's what he's going for??
I got board half way through the video and didnt't want to listen anymore.
The kid has soul and good phrasing with a helluva voice, just plays too many notes.
When I first heard Nic Clark, I didn't get board and probably never will.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Nov 01, 2013 11:27 PM
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kudzurunner
4346 posts
Nov 02, 2013
5:39 AM
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@Harpaholic: That's funny, I didn't get the same too-many-notes feeling at all. In fact, I was surprised by how much feeling came through ALL the notes, especially on chromatic. I have huge respect for Tommy Emmanuel, and I think the joy on his face and in his whole attitude shows us that HE has real respect for this kid.
I'm not going to play Josh off Nic. As far as I'm concerned, both kids can really play AND really sing. I was impressed by the acoustic wedding-band video of Nic that Rick posted the other day. Both young players are clearly benefitting from working very hard in a context where they're surrounded by serious blues players. Add innate talent to that and you've got a potent mix.
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Rarko
61 posts
Nov 02, 2013
6:20 AM
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Josh is 11 years old kid a Nic is young man (20 years old I think?).
We will see Josh in Nic's age...
Both players are very good, I love to listen Nic and play along, learn his riffs... Can't wait to see young man Josh and his band :)
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Whistler
22 posts
Nov 02, 2013
6:40 AM
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Thats what Salieri said to Mozart "There's just to many notes" LOL
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ridge
464 posts
Nov 02, 2013
3:15 PM
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1. Sings well
2. Plays third position
3. Uses overblows (correctly)
Many board members could learn a lesson from this player. Josh, if you're a board member/lurker, great job!
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geordiebluesman
769 posts
Nov 03, 2013
2:46 PM
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Oh that made me smile, that was great, and what a singing voice as well.
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