Harmonica Gods

[sawyer@xxxxxxx]

 > If anyone has any information about these blues harmonica gods, I
 > would appreciate it.
 >
 > thanks,
 > -steve
 >

Two of the finest blues harp players I have heard never receive
mention on this list, to my recollection. One is George "Harmonica"
Smith who made one recording in his own right on London records in the
early 1970's.  Kim Wilson told me that Smith was his teacher and
mentor.  Smith played with Muddy Waters for a time, I believe.

The other is "Sugar Ray" (Norca ? Norcia?), currently playing with
Room Full Of Blues.  He recorded one or two albums with his own band,
"The Blue Tones" for a Boston-area label; also recorded with Ronnie
Earl and the Broadcasters.  He has a wonderful voice.  When I close my
eyes and listen to him live I can imagine I'm back at the Unicorn
Coffee House on Boylston Ave, Boston, in 1966, listening to Paul
Butterfield.

Speaking of Butterfield, though he is often mentioned here as a fine
player he is never given the credit he is due as the vehicle by which
urban blues was exported from the chit'lin' circuit to Middle America.
I gave an account of this in my book "The Arrival Of B. B.  King"
(Doubleday, 1978 hbk, Dacapo, 1980 pbk).  In my view, Butterfield
changed the cultural landscape of America and were it not for him,
B.B. King would still be playing places like "Leo's Show Case Lounge"
in Roxbury and "The Burning Spear" in Chicago, and Albert King's
recent passing would have been observed only in inner city tabloids.