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Solid blues

Posted on May 2, 2021May 2, 2021 by Mike

Tonight’s Tunedamage excursion is inspired by the AoSHQ ONT’s mention of the incomparable Little Walter’s birthday, which for some reason put me in mind of another blues-harp icon: Sonny Boy Williamson.

Led Zeppelin did an altogether inferior cover of the song, as you probably know. Not that I have anything in particular against Led Zep, mind. But as the current “president” would say: COME ON, MAN!!™

Since I would never want to be accused of shorting Little Walter ’round here:

No harp on this one, just vocals and guitar from one of the most amazing singers ever to grace this plane of existence: the great, great Otis Rush.

Staying in full-on Blues Mode, back we go to the harp for one more master of the instrument: perennial Muddy Waters sideman James Cotton.

Probably shouldn’t bring this up, but one of the biggest laughs I ever had on the road was on opening night of a stint as support act for a certain West Coast trio that shall remain anonymous, whose bass player was also a damned fine harmonicist. Only he didn’t call it a harmonica, or a harp, or a mouth organ, or anything similarly polite. No, to this guy—who turned out to be a total card and a really good dude all around—it was first, last, and always a nigger whistle.

I swear, I snorted so hard I nearly deflated a lung when he casually tossed that one at me while we were standing around waiting for soundcheck to commence. Got a few more good stories from that tour, which I’ll bank for later.

1 thought on “Solid blues”

Barry says:

May 2, 2021 at 10:08 am

“nigger whistle”

Never heard that before, but I noticed long ago in my youth that a harmonica would cause every black fellow to turn and listen and only maybe 50-60% of white folk. I suspect that is the reason, kind of a Pied Piper instrument?

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