The last week has gone by in a whirl of variety and fun. Last Monday Laura and I arrived in Nashville, to stay with PT Gazell and his wife Sue.
On Tuesday we met Charlie McCoy, one of my early harp idols, for a fine lunch. What a buzz to meet one of the very few great stylistic innovators on the harmonica! Charlie's brilliant adaptation of 2nd position diatonic harp to bluegrass/country with such stunning instrumentals as 'New River Gorge' (a tune I covered on my very first CD) influenced everyone playing today, whether they realise it or not.
It's a pity he doesn't play so much of that shit-kicking fast funky stuff these days. He gave me his latest album of MOR/jazz melodies, and it was sadly rather sleep-inducing. I'd like to see him get back together with the kinds of players that he recorded with in 'Area Code 615' and put out an album of that hot stuff.
Later that evening PT and I hooked up with other Nashville harp players TJ Klay, Jellyroll Johnson and Buddy Greene for a bit of jamming. I'd never met Buddy before; what a nice guy, and great player. I knew Jelly's funky, bluesy style fairly well but this was the first time I heard TJ up close. I love what he's doing with the overblow style.
We all had very different approaches and harp setups (PT half valved, me with my alt tunings, TJ & Jelly overblowing, Buddy just dazzling with his more traditional bluegrass style.
On Wednesday PT organised a gig for the two of us at the Family Wash, an atmospheric popular small music venue. We were joined on our last song by TJ and Jellyroll for a new Blues song of mine called 'Harmonica Man'. It sounded great with 4 hot harp players each doing their thing.
Later I went to the famous Station Inn to hear Jelly playing with an 11 piece country band backing Jim Rooney, a legend in the scene. He very kindly invited me to sit in, and it was a real buzz trading solos with the brilliant pickers in the band - most of whom had track records as long as your arm with various big names in the Country scene.
Thanks to PT for organising a great few days in Music City.
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On Friday we drove down to Oxford Mississippi to hook up with our esteemed Forum host, the KudzuRunner Professor Adam Gussow. After a wonderful meal in the heart of this charming university town, Adam took us to Roosters Blues House, where local Bluesman Terry Harmonica Bean was rocking the joint. Adam urged me to get up for a blow, and Terry welcomed me warmly. I had a blast jamming with him and the band for the packed house full of 20 something college students, who all seemed to dig the Blues.
Next day Adam took us to a Blues Festival in rural Bentonia, about 2 hours south. We talked and jammed in the car the whole way, sharing harmonica ideas and licks (Adam is a very good multi-tasker ;)
The home of Skip James and other early acoustic Bluesmen, Bentonia has that classic southern small town look I've seen so many times on album covers and films, but never experienced directly. It was the real deal: 98 degree heat, dust, great southern food, a real juke joint, and great music all afternoon. Adam guested with well-known local Bluesman Jimmie 'Duck' Holms, who plays the one-chord Mississippi style. Every single tune was in D, and stayed there - no harmonic shifts at all in 45 minutes! But it was far from boring, and Adam's harp beautifully spiced up the underlying repeating riffs. It was the first time I'd heard this style live, and it get me enthused to try it myself. It would really suit looping, which is something I'm into at the moment. --------------
That evening we drove on to Jackson to meet Scott Albert Johnson (scojo), someone I'd never heard of until a few days previously after he replied to one of my earlier posts on this list. What a host, and what a town! Jackson wasn't even on the itinerary until Scott got in touch, but he packed in an amzing night of music for us.
After guesting with Scott's acoustic duo at Burger and Blues, he took us to three great late-night clubs in Jackson's revitalised heart. Chris Gill and the Sole Shakers performed the best live music I have heard on the whole trip, a super-tight, soulful, funky, incredibly exciting band featuring the brilliant Miss Meredith on vocals. She is the hottest singer/front person I have seen in years; Laura and I couldn't take our eyes off her! She should be world famous; I'm sure she would take England by storm if she ever crosses the Atlantic.
After that we went to F Jones Club, featuring Sherman Dillon and the Mississippi Sound. A great southern Blues band with tenor sax, Sherman was a very generous host and invited Scott and me up to play. I had a particularly memorable duet with sultry soul/blues singer Jackie Bell. As soon as I'd played a few notes she homed in on me, eyeballing me hard as she sang. There was no escape; I had to respond to the challenge. It was a very intense experience, looking deep into her eyes as I blew call and response to her vocals. The audience loved it as the intensity spiralled upwards. What an experience! I felt emotionally wrung out afterwards, but very happy.
Scott got the crown going with a rousing 'When the Saints Go marching In' at the end. Big thanks for his warm friendship in introducing us to Jackson - he seems to know everyone there! I can't wait for a return visit; it may happen in October - watch this space.
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We're now in New Orleans, just getting our first taste of the extraordinary live music scene here. Later,
Brendan Power WEBSITE: http://www.brendan-power.com YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic
Your living the life there Brendan. I bet you wouldn't have dreamed that your chance encounter with Sonny Terry at university would have led to all this?
What were you studying anyway? Was it anything at all to do with music?
Fascinating to read your travel diary - please keep it up for us wannabes to wallow in your glory.
Are those Buddhas shorts you've got on in those last few photo's? :0)
Last Edited by on Jun 21, 2010 3:59 PM
It was Religious Studies, tookatooka. I have an MA in the subject, but never used it because I got converted to the cult of the Harmonica halfway through my studies...
No, not Buddhas: Target specials bought in Lawrence, Kansas.
Looking forward to seeing you Brenden at Lanier Music in Mandeville Louisiana tomorrow afternoon!
Enjoy NOLA, tomorrow night is the best show in town at the Chickie Wah Wah with John Fohl, Anders Osborne and Johnny Sansone. You should be able to make it back over after the clinic. ---------- -- BTMF --
im still kicking myself in the teeth for missing it. but one things for sure, im not losing any hair over it... ---------- Kyzer's Travels Kyzer's Artwork
Adam, that's Chris Gill's band (he's the guitarist / singer)... the kit drummer is Derrick Martin (the same guy who played when Brendan and I sat in), who is also the drummer for Little Richard's band... and the percussionist is one of the best around here, Adib Sabir.
Cool ! The way you described it, I was hoping you post a bit of that jam. You seem to have a wonderful trip, I wish you good continuation ! ---------- http://www.buddybrent.be
