Here's a few videos of Flávio Guimarães. I really like his playing and I simply love the band backing him. Really tasteful playing by everybody on these tracks. The two Little Walter tracks he plays here are part of a Walter tribute album he has recently released. He plays equally at home in many, many styles of which jazz and blues are just two.
One thing I did notice was that the drummer looks a lot like Jon Sparrow (or is it just me?). Jon is there something you're not telling us? Lol!
I stumbled across him a month ago or so. He blew me away literally. The Igor Prado Band has been one of my favorites for a long time but Flavio is pretty new to me. That's what I want to sound like when I grow up ...
---------- If it ain't broke you just haven't fixed it enough ...
"Another band I really like are the T. Leino Band. "
Absolutely, Tomi and the boys are great. I dig that old fashioned stuff. There are some great videos on YouTube by Tomi and Steve Guyger. You gotta check that out. Steve is such a great guy and a mighty fine player ...
---------- If it ain't broke you just haven't fixed it enough ...
Flávio Guimarães is a great blues harp player and has recorded a lot over the last two decades, under his name or with his band Blues Etilicos. If you must buy/download one of his cds, I would suggest "Navegaita", which is half blues half brazilian. It's one of the few cds I keep in my car (along with Sugar Blue and Satan & Adam) for an almost daily listening.
Steve told me about Flavio after he returned from Brazil where he and Flavio played a few gigs together. This is the first chance I've had to check him out-great player and singer.
I just came across Guimaraes's "Juke" while searching for other stuff, and all I can say is "Damn!"
This is, for my money, the best recording of the song by any living player. (Flavio, if you read this, you may quote me on that.) Kingley posted the video above, but I'll post it here. I like it that much.
I'm not sure what makes it great. We can and should debate that. I'm on record, as y'all know, as somebody who specifically doesn't like contemporary copies of "Juke." I prefer Billy Branch's "Son of Juke," or thought I did. But Guimaraes has it all--not just tone, but exceptional swing and relaxation at a moderate tempo. He's deep in the pocket, which makes his version of the song seem fresh, as though he has all the time in the world. Never rushed. And yet he's pushing hard, too. That's an unbeatable combo. He also sticks 99% to the script while still tossing in a couple of small changeups on the original, and I like that, too.
Last Edited by on Sep 30, 2012 8:01 PM
Flavios JUKE version was a real eye opener for me and just ooozes the 'magic" of that beautiful instrumental by Little Walter. I even put up a $1000.00 BET on harp-l a few years ago to anyone who could top Flavios superior version! What makes his so GREAT is even though he is sticking to the SOUL of [The MASTERFUL Original of Walter] Flavio is determined to make it HIS OWN and to do the song "SERIOUS JUSTICE"-- he is feeling the perfection of JUKE in his bones and it shows in the way he plays it> THE DYNAMICS he uses are HEARTFELT - He ain't just going through the motions - He "understands" the tune inside and out and the powerful SWING just flows out of him! Flavio has some of the BEST HARMONICA CD's on the market today... Hearing him play his version of JUKE, inspired me to study the tune more closly and play it with a new passion. Mine pales in comparison, but if I may, I humbly submit my version...Long live Little Walters "JUKE"...
H2S...I believe that tune is actually a Steve Guyger tune... As usual Flavio does a GREAT rendition in the video you posted as a Little Richard tune :) Here is the Original...off of his "Steve Guyger - Last Train to Dover CD"
Frank, it sounded like a rendition of Lucille. Hence the Little Richard association. But you reminded me that I have that Steve Guyger cd in my collection (early dementia?), Thanks, putting it in the player now!
I figured you were associating it with a groove or something from Little Richards songbook and yeah, I can see how you could hear Lucille in there. I happen to have that Cd of Steve's on my Ipod and hear it every now and then so I thought I recognized it as sounding familiar, anyway have a great day :)
