[Harp-L] West Coast musings

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Unfortunate that we did not have the recording devices we have now when we used to go out and hear the real deal.
I only wish I had some of the shows Norton did at our local bar....

Used to go see Mark Ford quite a bit with Garth Webber..
great shows and one of the first Blues Bands (Blues is not exactly what is was) that could get the young Disco crowd 
away from those awful disco palaces and out to hear some good music.
The women would show up in carloads to see these guys.

My blues gigs seemed to be mostly male audience... Can't have everything.

Mark was a powerful player..Really exciting to see and when I asked him about his harps 
he told me at the time of this video I found on youtube that he played the cheap Huangs.
The silvertones were only $6 at the time and as I watched him...he played so hard on the harps, they would go out of tune...
and he would just chuck it over his shoulder and grab another one...  Played through a Lab series amp. ( Had some compression)
He also played a small amount of very passionate Chromatic too.
Great band...aways.

In this video it seems the harp is a bit out of tune...guess he could not get to where the harps were at that moment...big moment..
SF Blues Festival...I may have been there..at Fort Mason...
still...Even thought this is not his best work...sure glad someone saved and posted the moment.

Andy Just keeps the torch burning on this style which I think may have influenced many in this Bay Area.
He is a good player with his own chops and I think is still playing with the Charles Ford Band.
(Charles Ford was not in the band..it was their father's name.)
Pat Ford is the Big bro on the drums and has a great record label..   http://www.bluerockit.com/artists.shtml    some good material here.
Cris Cain and Charlie Musselwhite to name a few.

here is the concert footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2mBCPUThm4

Peace to you and thanks for all the great material 
Grant