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November-December 2004 Newsletter
CD Reviews
Jason Ricci and New Blood All of you that skipped Ricci’s recent show at Big Cities really missed out – this guy is a MONSTER on the harp!!! After a short listen to every note that was flyin’ out of Jason’s harps, members Harmonica Joe and Rick Hein were seriously considering giving up playing. Ricci prowled the stage, whipping off one mind-blowing solo after another. He has it all – speed, a great sound and tons of technique. He put on a masterful display of virtuosity – to an audience that never numbered more than 20 people. He is also an interesting songwriter – see what images titles like “My Head is a Bad Neighborhood” and “Doing Time in the Blues Penitentiary” bring to mind. Let Nino know you’re sorry you missed the show – maybe he’ll invite Jason back and give you another opportunity to be blown away. In the mean time, you can go to Ricci’s website and order this disc to keep you company until he returns. It will provide plenty of examples of how good a harp player Mr. Ricci is. Listen to his fills during the solo from guitarist Jason Madaris on the Charles Brown classic “Drifting Blues”, which he follows with a fine statement of his own. Ricci tackles two songs from one of his favorites, swamp blues legend Slim Harpo. On “Hip Shake” , Ricci’s harp work dances around the boogie rhythm, steadily building in intensity as short, jabbing phrases turn into lengthy lines of inventive playing. He gets even deeper in the groove on “Scratch My Back”. Jason’s talents are on full display as he burns through “I-55”, tossing out lightning-quick bursts of playing that get increasing more intricate until you find yourself when he finds time to breathe. Ricci also handles most of the vocals, his deep, gruff voice fitting the songs well. When your voice has a limited range, it is important to choose your song list carefully. Ricci seems to understand his vocal limitations. Guest vocalist Sunshine Hahn joins the band on “Careless Love, for a rendition that is closer to a country blues sound. The last track is a brooding instrumental, “Mississippi Mood”, dedicated to David Malone Kimbrough, Ricci’s former musical partner and the son of the late Junior Kimbrough. It is a fitting close to a fine disc of blues from a musician that deserves to be heard. Check it out and don’t miss the chance to Jason Ricci live – he is amazing!!!
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