[Harp-L] Nic Clark - 13 yo self taught harp player.

[BluzeHarp@xxxxxxx]

I have the good fortune of being involved with three amazing young  blues 
harmonica musicians.  The first and by far the most  advanced of this group is 
Jay Gaunt from Mahwah New Jersey, many of  you saw him in Young at Harp at the 
last SPAH.  Jay  is 14 or perhaps now barely 15 and playing for just over two 
years...  I pretty much have no words for how good he has become, even since  
SPAH... very nice kid too!  Jay and a young woman from  Loveland Colorado, Miss 
Michaela Rae Knox (guitar) will be billed as  the "Bluze Kids" this coming 
summer.  Michaela, a year younger than Jay but  playing since she was five is 
equally amazing  and has received a glowing compliment from none other  than BB 
King himself.  Wildly popular at the time  of last blues festival here, they 
have been given the  opening slot on the main stage at the Greeley Blues Jam.  
They are in great  company, the rest of the main stage lineup includes Walter 
Trout,  Marcia Ball, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Doug Kershaw and Charlie 
Musslewhite...  wow!!!  Send Jay some congrats!  Also two more stages at the festival  
and a huge downtown crawl the entire day and night before.  Mark your  calendars 
for Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13, 2009 and come  support the Bluze 
Kids debut as a main stage act...it's history in the  making folks!   (And 
only an hour north of Denver)
 
The second kid hit my radar about two months ago, I think he's but five  
years old.  He's the son of Eric Boa, who is Al Chesis' amazing guitar  player.  
Al is a great Chicago style harp player who  sometimes gigs with Pinetop, Bob 
Margolin, Willie Big Eyes, Bob Stroger...  Muddy's old band mates.  "Little 
Sonny Boy" is obviously not the  virtuoso that Jay has become, but at five he 
already has ok tone, good  timing and knows when not to play, it's pretty 
amazing.  At this point  a novelty but if he hangs with it who knows, I'll try to get 
some  video.  
 
The third is Nic Clark, I met him last year when he was hangin' around  the 
at the GBJ (Greeley Blues Jam) hoping to get backstage to meet Magic  Slim.  
Nic is about 13, only been playing for a year, and is self  taught.  Like Jay, 
this kid clearly has both the passion and the  natural ability to take him far. 
 His mom just sent me links to a couple  videos they took at a jam session in 
Denver (at Ziggies w/Doc  Brown).  Muddy camcorder audio, and too dark to 
really see Nic,  but even then worth a listen.  
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_50Y7OoubU_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_50Y7OoubU)    and  
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gevMng5GEwY_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gevMng5GEwY) 
 
I will have all three of these talented young men  together on the Blues 
School stage at the GBJ and maybe also at an  afternoon blowdown during the Friday 
downtown  crawl.  I think our future is  bright.
 
Christopher Richards
Twin Tone Harmonica Microphones
 
 
 
 
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