Classic Harmonica Blues

Overview

Matthias Hohner, a clockmaker by trade, began making harmonicas in Germany in the 1850s, and it became a popular instrument in America in the first decade of the 1900s, particularly among African-American musicians, who embraced the instrument's expressive versatility, inexpensive cost, and complete portability, and it was soon in widespread use among blues musicians. This set, the 21st release in the Smithsonian Folkways Classic Series and compiled and annotated by Barry Lee Pearson and Jeff Place, features some of the great vernacular harmonica players of the 20th century, with tracks drawn from the extensive Folkways Records archives and from live performances recorded at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival by Sonny Terry, Doctor Ross, Eddie Burns, Phil Wiggins, and others who made the harmonica their own. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	05/21/2013
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074020425
Rank:	28931

Tracks

1. Theme Song  - the Harmonica Boss Doctor Ross  - Isaiah Ross
2. Heart in Sorrow  - Brownie McGhee  - Walter McGhee  - Gene Moore  - Sonny Terry
3. Take Your Fingers Off It  - Charles Burse  - Charlie Burse  - Gus Cannon  - Sam Charters  - Jab Jones  - Charles Pierce  - Will Shade
4. Nine Below Zero  - Eddie Burns  - Rice Miller
5. Bye Bye Bird  - Willie Dixon  - Rice Miller  - Charlie Sayles
6. Gillum Blues  - Jazz Gillum  -  Memphis Slim  - Arbee Stidham
7. Crow Jane Blues  - Carl Martin  - Brownie McGhee  - Sonny Terry
8. Dog Days of August  - John Cephas  - Phil Wiggins
9. Minglewood Blues  -  J Band  - Noah Lewis  - Geoff Muldaur  - Annie Raines  - Fritz Richmond  - Paul Rishell  - John Sebastian  - James Wormworth
10. Good Morning Little School Girl  - the Harmonica Boss Doctor Ross  - Isaiah Ross  - John Lee Williamson
11. Sweet Home Chicago  - Kent Duchaine  - Robert Johnson  -  Johnson  - Robert Jr. Lockwood  - Lonnie Pitchford  - Johnny Shines  - Henry Townsend  - Phil Wiggins
12. One Way Out  - Eddie Burns  - Elmore James  - Rice Miller  - Marshall Seahorn
13. Boogie Baby  - Brownie McGhee  - Walter McGhee  - Sonny Terry
14. Low Down Blues  - Neal Pattman  - Art Rosenbaum
15. Hooka Tooka  -  Chambers Brothers  - George Chambers  - Joe Chambers  - Joseph Chambers  - Lester Chambers  - Willie Chambers  - Brian Keenan
16. Train Piece  - Charlie Sayles
17. Chicago Breakdown  - the Harmonica Boss Doctor Ross  - Isaiah Ross
18. I Feel So Good  - Big Bill Broonzy  - Jay Summerour  - Warner Williams
19. Barbara Allen Blues  - Roscoe Holcomb
20. Custard Pie  - Sonny Terry

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brownie McGhee   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Neal Pattman   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Jazz Gillum   Primary Artist,Harmonica
John Cephas   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
John Sebastian   Primary Artist,Guitar
Doctor Ross, the Harmonica Boss   Primary Artist
The J Band   Primary Artist
The Robert Johnson Tribute Band   Primary Artist
Phil Wiggins   Primary Artist,Harmonica
Gus Cannon   Primary Artist,Jug
Sonny Terry   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
The Chambers Brothers   Primary Artist
Eddie Burns   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Charlie Sayles   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Warner Williams   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Charlie Burse   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Tenor)
Roscoe Holcomb   Primary Artist,Harmonica
Jay Summerour   Primary Artist,Harmonica
Will Shade   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
Annie Raines   Featured Artist,Harmonica
George Chambers   Bass
Fritz Richmond   Jug
Henry Townsend   Piano
Paul Rishell   Guitar
Isaiah Ross   Vocals,Harmonica
Robert Lockwood, Jr.   Guitar,Vocals
Arbee Stidham   Guitar
Willie Chambers   Guitar
Brian Keenan   Drums
Kent Duchaine   Guitar
Joe Chambers   Guitar
Gene Moore   Drums
Geoff Muldaur   Vocals,Mandolin
James Wormworth   Percussion
Johnny Shines   Guitar,Vocals
Lester Chambers   Vocals,Harmonica
Lonnie Pitchford   Bass
Memphis Slim   Piano

Technical Credits

Will Shade   Composer
Big Bill Broonzy   Composer
Jazz Gillum   Composer
D.A. Sonneborn   Executive Producer
Isaiah Ross   Composer
Charles Pierce   Composer
Jeff Place   Producer,Annotation,Liner Notes
Robert Johnson   Composer
Art Rosenbaum   Engineer
Phil Wiggins   Composer
Willie Dixon   Composer
Barry Lee Pearson   Producer,Annotation,Liner Notes,Photography
Mark Gustafson   Marketing
Chris Bamberger   Editing
Stephanie Smith   Archivist
Marshall Seahorn   Composer
Walter McGhee   Composer
Charles Burse   Composer
Devin Bean   Audio Restoration
Willie Chambers   Composer
Daniel E. Sheehy   Executive Producer
Jab Jones   Composer
Arthur Rothstein   Photography
Margot Nassau   Licensing
Mary Monseur   Production Manager
Duncan P. Schiedt   Cover Photo
Bob Vorel   Source Material
David Horgan   Marketing
John Lee Williamson   Composer
Sam Charters   Engineer
Sonny Terry   Composer
Carl Martin   Arranger
Charlie Sayles   Composer
Elmore James   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Mastering,Audio Restoration
Joseph Chambers   Composer
Noah Lewis   Composer
Neal Pattman   Composer
Ralph Rinzler   Photography,Source Material
Nora Simon   Design
Rice Miller   Composer