THE HARMONICA MEN

Dusty Brown

Dusty Brown was born in Mississippi in 1929. Like many of his fellow bluesmen he migrated to Chicago in 1946 looking for a better life for his family. In 1955 he recorded 'He Don't Love You' for the Parrot label. This was a superior example of Chicago blues at its best, which also featured the driving piano of Henry Gray. Dusty has updated this song for our release with all the fire of the original. Dusty embarked on a tour of Europe in 1972.  In 1975 he opened a lounge in Chicago Heights, Illinois called Dusty's Lounge and featured many of his Chicago blues friends, including Sunnyland Slim and Hip Lankchain. Dusty moved back down South in the early '90's and has recently returned to Chicago where he has been reviving his music career appearing at many clubs and festivals.

Larry Cox

Larry was born in Tennessee in 1937. He received his first harmonica at the age of 4 from Sonny Boy Williamson #2,with which his father played guitar. Moving to Chicago in 1956 Larry took up playing pool and soon made this his profession. He returned to playing harp in the late 70's and began hitting the clubs like Theresa's and the Checkerboard Lounge. He played a steady gig with Louis and Dave Myers into the early 80's. His only prior released recording was a JSP date with Phil Guy in '81. Larry's main influences on harmonica are Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter. His classic Chicago blues sound is heard on this CD and this is the way it should be done.

Harmonica Khan #1

Harmonica Khan #1 (George Meares-EL) was born in North Carolina in 1934. He learned to play harmonica from Bogey Scott in 1944. He spent many years' tap dancing, singing and playing harmonica on the streets for tips. His appearance on this recording brings us back to the heyday of Maxwell Street with his primitive foot stomping, bone rattling and hoots and howls. In 1957 he moved to Camden, New Jersey and played throughout the Philadelphia area. Appearing as Harmonica Kidd he played at New York's Apollo Theatre and on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour. In 1968 Harmonica Khan moved to Chicago where he became a regular at the many Southside clubs and played with musicians as Junior Wells and James Cotton. Khan recently returned to the Chicago music scene after spending many years at Stateville prison in Joliet, Illinois. With his, as he called it, a once in a lifetime act Harmonica Khan #1 was once again becoming a favorite on the Chicago blues scene. Sadly, Khan passed away before the release of this CD. He will be greatly missed.

Russ Green

Russ Green was born in Chicago in 1967 making him one of the so-called new generation of the blues. This time the moniker fits the man, as you hear on this CD Russ is a great singer and powerful harp player. His first ambition was to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix; unable to afford this he picked up the harmonica. The sounds he heard in his head came to a realization when he first heard the harp player Sugar Blue in 1992. After a 3-year stay as a film student in Seattle, Russ returned to Chicago and again found himself searching out Sugar Blue. This time they became fast friends and Russ began to learn the technique of his style. Russ took this education and created his own creative individual style. Russ currently plays in Chicago with various musicians while he readies his own music career.

Omar Coleman

Omar is another one of the young lions on the Chicago scene today, born in Chicago in 1973. He cuts hair as a barber during the day and cuts heads as a musician at night. With his great voice and harp playing, Omar gives a funkier take on his style of blues. His influences are the generation just a little older such as Billy Branch and Sugar Blue and also the legends Jr. Wells and Big Walter Horton. Omar plays regularly with John Primers' band and is a feature at clubs such as Rosa's Lounge.

THE CHICAGO BLUESMASTERS

Twist Turner has been active on the Chicago blues scene for the last 30 years playing and recording with a literal who’s who of the blues. Twist moved to Chicago in 1975 and began working almost everynight of the week including holding down the gig as house drummer at the Legendary Theresa’s lounge with the Jr. Wells band. He’s worked with artists Jimmy Reed, Buddy Guy, Guitar Jr., Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Willie Kent, and many more. Twist also spent 5 years in the bay area in the late 80’s and the early 90’s where he worked with Luther Tucker, Arkansas Larry Davis, Deacon Jones, Sonny Rhodes, Guitar Gable and others. He now operates "Twist Turner’s House of Sound" in Chicago.

Mark (MAX) Brumbach is a native Chicagoan who started playing guitar and harmonica in the mid 1960’s. His first jobs on harmonica were with the late Johnny Young, Wild Child Butler and the great Sunnyland Slim (with whom he recorded for Airway Records in 1974). He began playing piano in the early 1970’s, backing up such blues stalwarts as Eddie Taylor, Sam Lay, Johnny Littlejohn, J.B.Hutto, and Otis Clay. He toured Canada with the great Jimmy Reed, and ended up staying there two years to tour with rockabilly wild man Matt Lucas. He has also performed with many country artists over the years, and recently recorded with guitar legend James Burton, on a Matt Lucas revival album.

Rick Kreher Born and raised in Chicago, Rick has been on the blues scene for over 30 years. He was a member of the great Muddy Waters last band with which he played nearly 5 years. He also had long stints with Studebaker John and the Hawks, Mojo Buford and The Rockin’ Johnny Band. He has recently toured and recorded with many of the Chicago masters for all the major blues labels. During the late 60’s and 70’s he was a member of the same group that included many of the current movers and shakers in the blues business visiting as many clubs as you could every night of the week in Chicago.

Pat McKeever is one of the best blues bassists in Chicago today. He has a great style and tone. Among his many credentials, was a long stint with Eddy Clearwaters band.

Little Frank is based out of South Bend, Indiana and while he is still in his late 20’s he has become a first call by many of the Chicago legends. They include Pinetop Perkins, Willie Smith, Hubert Sumlin and many others. His style harkens back to the masters of 1950’s Chicago blues.