[Harp-L] Mr. Shoji

[Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Not that this will make much difference in the debate here, but I believe
Mr. Shoji assists Joe Filisko at Joe's classes at the Old Town School of
Folk Music.  He's one of the better blues guitarists in Chicago and I've
seen him twice at the classes backing up students and guests like Jim Liban
and Ron Sorin.  He is also a respectable blues harpist.  Joe teaches a good
number of Little Walter solos note for note and I suspect these tapes
started out as a teaching device for Joe's students to practice with.  Shoji
also takes over Joe's classes when Joe is out of town.  The guy is a blues
musician in Chicago.  Unless he has some outside source of income, he's
probably living a hand-to-mouth existence.  As one musician aptly described
it, "playing the blues in Chicago is like trying to sell milk to a dairy."

Mick Zaklan