[Harp-L] Jim Fitting and Great Shakes by Session Americana
Tony Eyers
tony@xxxxx
Fri Sep 9 22:31:14 EDT 2016
Upon arrival at college in the US, I was entranced by the musicians
playing outdoors amongst the Frisbees. One day I remember well, this guy
arrived at jam with his harmonicas, and took over. It was Jim Fitting.
I became part of his circle, and loved his band, along with everyone
else. Paul Kolderie was on bass, together with Shaun Slade they set up
Fort Apache Studio in Boston post college. They did well.
Jim is still in Boston, over the years he has sent me recordings of his
band, Session Americana. I've loved every note of Jim's harmonica, plus
the gritty vocal style he developed later years. The other tracks seemed
to come from different albums, given the widely different vocal and song
writing styles of the various Session Americana members.
So. Last week Jim sent me their latest album, "Great Shakes". In keeping
with the times, it arrived as a download.
It's startlingly good.
The disparate vocals now blend superbly. Americans always sing well,
these guys are a cut above. Jim's harmonica covers the classic styles,
acoustic, amplified, chromatic, his parts blend effortlessly with the
various songs. Almost as if the mixer, Paul Q Kolderie, has known Jim
forever. Which he has.
On "Great Shakes", Session Americana sound like every band I've liked.
It's available on iTunes, also on CD Baby, at
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sessionamericana7
Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
...everyone plays
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