| . Brazil is a long way from Chicago (a
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| | have going on today, very swingy and
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| measured 5276 miles as the crow flies),
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| | jazzy, with lots of other American Roots
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| but not so far that this young artist
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| | influences but always with traditional
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| didn't feel that Chicago blues influence.
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| | blues as the center element.
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| He started playing the blues harp at
| |
| | Â CHC How important was William Clarke
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| 15, by listening to harmonica blues
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| | for you?
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| masters such as Little Walter, and Big
| |
| | JR Bill Clarke was a huge influence on
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| Walter Horton, and learned the basics
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| | me, he taught me how to play the
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| from Brazil's leading harmonica players.
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| | chromatic harp and 3rd position diatonic
|
| At 17 years of age, Johnny played at
| |
| | in that George Smith style, and hanging
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| what has been Brazil's largest blues
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| | out with him at his house listening to
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| festival. Once he picked up the harp he
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| | records and watching videos was a
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| could not put it down. "Addicted" to
| |
| | priceless education. He really got me
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| playing the harp, he followed the pull
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| | "addicted" to that bluesy Jazz sound, and
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| of its magic north until he had arrived
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| | we talked a lot about the saxophone
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| in California where he had discovered
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| | approach to the harmonica. And that was
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| many of the contemporary blues harp
| |
| | kind of like the same education that he
|
| masters lived. (It is 6206 miles from
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| | got from George Smith, he shared with me
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| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to San Diego, CA,
| |
| | lots of great stories about George and
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| or twice as far as San Diego is from
| |
| | Shakey Jake and his mentors.
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| Bangor, Maine. ) Johnny studied under
| |
| | Â CHC Can you describe the feeling of
|
| William Clarke to play a jazz influenced
| |
| | playing the 13th Annual Battle of the
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| harp in the style of George "Harmonica"
| |
| | Blues Harps with other harp greats as Rod
|
| Smith. After arriving in California he
| |
| | Piazza, James Harman, etc...
|
| was invited to join Jaimie Wood's band,
| |
| | JR In the same manner that Clarke was an
|
| a steady gig since he made California.
| |
| | influence on me, Johnny Dyer, Rod Piazza
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| He has since played with blues harp
| |
| | and James Harman have been wonderful to
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| masters such as Johnny Dyer, James
| |
| | me by sharing their collective wealth of
|
| Harman, Gary Primich, Rod Piazza, James
| |
| | musical knowledge. It was an honor for
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| Cotton, Billy Branch, among others.
| |
| | me to play along side them in this
|
| This young performer has a promising
| |
| | premier blues harp show that has been
|
| career ahead of him.
| |
| | going on for so many years here in
|
| CHC How is it possible that a young kid
| |
| | California. Also, that year Jamie had
|
| in Brazil discovers George Smith, Sonny
| |
| | the distinction of being the first female
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| Boy, Walter Horton, etc...
| |
| | to front a band at that event, and we
|
| JR It definitely wasn't a type of music
| |
| | were asked to return this past year for
|
| that young kids in Brazil, specially back
| |
| | the 15th annual battle of the blues
|
| in the late 80's and before the internet,
| |
| | harps.
|
| had easy access to. Luckily, I came
| |
| | CHC Can you tell us some more about your
|
| across a record store in Ipanema that had
| |
| | other musical projects beside playing in
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| some blues vinyls for sale. So it was
| |
| | Jamie's band?
|
| fortunate that for the first year I was
| |
| | JR Our band collaborates with Johnny Dyer
|
| learning to play the harp, all I had was
| |
| | quite a bit, and he really likes to have
|
| Sonny Boy's LP with the Yardbirds, Little
| |
| | me playing harp while he's singing, to
|
| Walter's double LP "Boss Blues
| |
| | get that Muddy Waters sound. It's a
|
| Harmonica", and Big Walter Horton with
| |
| | privilege and a lot of fun to trade harp
|
| Carey Bell.
| |
| | licks with him! I also occasionally play
|
| CHC Why did you chose the harp as your
| |
| | in a country blues duo setting with
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| instrument?
| |
| | Nathan James, my partner in Jamie's band
|
| JR My brother had a friend who was
| |
| | for many years, he sings and plays that
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| putting together a band and I was hanging
| |
| | fingerpickin' acoustic delta guitar
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| out with them at their first couple of
| |
| | style. In addition to that, I intend to
|
| rehearsals. They came up with a song
| |
| | release my own CD with several harp
|
| that called for a harmonica, so I figured
| |
| | instrumentals plus some special guests
|
| I would buy me a harp and be a part of
| |
| | and friends, just a fun project with lots
|
| the band. By the time I got any good
| |
| | of different styles from straight ahead
|
| they no longer had that band, but I never
| |
| | blues shuffles to soul jazz with organ
|
| stopped playing.
| |
| | and saxophone. I already have a few
|
| CHC Â Was it because of the music that
| |
| | songs recorded, so maybe sometime next
|
| you moved to the US?
| |
| | year it will be ready for release.
|
| JR Yes, once I was "addicted" to this
| |
| | Â CHC What's the difference between
|
| music, I wanted more of it than was
| |
| | Hering harmonicas and Hohner or Lee
|
| available to me in Brazil at that time.
| |
| | Oskar?
|
| Once I discovered that many of the
| |
| | JR Hohner harmonicas have been around for
|
| contemporary blues harp masters lived in
| |
| | over a hundred years as the number one
|
| California, I figured that was the place
| |
| | harmonica manufacturer and they make
|
| for me. So I have been living in
| |
| | great harps. I have not had much
|
| California for the past 10 years, and it
| |
| | experience with Lee Oskars. Hering has
|
| has been real good for me. But since the
| |
| | been improving their harps in a great way
|
| "internet revolution", the blues scene in
| |
| | these past few years, I'm officially
|
| Brazil has grown a lot and I have had the
| |
| | sponsored by Hering and endorse their
|
| good fortune to return home with Jamie
| |
| | "Special 48" chromatics and the "1923
|
| Wood and tour Brazil and Argentina three
| |
| | Vintage" diatonic harps with sealed wood
|
| times in the last three years. I'm very
| |
| | combs. I am really happy with the fine
|
| happy to be playing in Jamie's band. She
| |
| | work they have done with their harps,
|
| is a great vocalist and entertainer, and
| |
| | almost treating them as customized harps.
|
| I'm very excited about the sound that we
| |
| |
|
