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January - February 2006 Newsletter
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Harmonica Joe Finds Satan (and Adam) Joe and Satan at Boca Ciega Center Five or six years ago, Gerry Hundt, a very talented musician friend of mine, introduced me to Satan and Adam. Because I was struggling with my harmonica playing, he told me to read "Mister Satan's Apprentice: A Blues Memoir" by Adam Gussow. I found some answers to my problems and was also introduced to the music of "Satan and Adam." Sterling Magee, a.k.a. Satan, was a one man blues band in Harlem when Adam Gussow met him. Adam, a harmonica player, asked to play with Satan and they ended up playing together for 12 years. Between 1991 and 1996 they released 3 CDs. Eventually Sterling Magee quit playing music and for health reasons he began living in the Boca Ciega Center in St. Petersburg FL.
This is where my saga begins. I was planning a trip to St. Petersburg and told my friends that I was going to find Sterling Magee. Well, what were the chances of this really happening? At this time I didn't even know where he lived. But, on arriving in Florida, I was given the Sunday paper. On the front page of one section was a picture of a blues guitarist. It was none other than Sterling Magee. The article also revealed that Sterling had been living at the Boca Ciega Center for 4 or 5 years. Alice Janisch and Kevin Moore, the activities director of the Center, noticed that Sterling was moving his hands and feet constantly so they did some research into his background and found out about his long musical history including his relationship with Adam Gussow. They contacted Adam. Come to find out, Sterling had played St. Petersburg in the late 50's and early 60's. With the help of local blues musicians including T. C. Carr, Tracy Purcell and David Laycock, Sterling started playing music again. He plays in the courtyard at the Center and also at a blues jam once a week with T. C. Carr. The climax of this whole article was that there was going to be a benefit concert featuring a reunion of Satan and Adam on Friday. This was too good to be true. The search was all too easy.
I called Kevin Moore to get tickets for the benefit and also to see if I could meet Sterling before the concert. Kevin said he would see what he could do. I went to the Center to get the tickets and Sterling was sitting in the lobby with a big smile. I got to talk to him, had my picture taken with him and told him that I would see him at the benefit. On the news that night there was an interview with him playing in the courtyard. He stated that he had felt lost, really lost but that being in contact with music again gave him a rebirth, a rejuvenation.
Well off to the benefit I went; it was also a chance to meet Adam Gussow. Adam is now an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi. When I talked to Adam, I told him how his book helped my harmonica playing. He said that this was the first time that someone came up and told him that they got something out of his book. He was pleased.
The benefit was a great evening for everyone. T. C. Carr and Tracy Purcell did a really good blues set, followed by Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues. Wendy Delong sang a tribute song called "Sterling Magee come back to me" which was pretty moving. Now it was time to experience "Satan and Adam" on stage. This was the highlight of my blues experience...Satan with his guitar, two-footed percussion set and vocals and Adam on harp and vocals. You could see Satan's big smile break out with the music that used to be. Adam was just playing harp like they had never been apart. What a show! The tip hat appeared as it would have when the two were street players in Harlem. When the dollars went in, Satan's "Thank you sir" would come out. At the end of the show, T. C. Carr and Adam did a great harp jam with the rest of the players that night. Thank you all.
Sterling "Satan" Magee is truly a blues treasure, and it was my pleasure to meet him. For more information on Satan and Adam, GOOGLE search for Sterling Magee, Adam Gussow or Satan and Adam, also adamgussow.com.
Submitted by Harmonica Joe
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