If you like this, please consider making a donation with PayPal. From as little as $5, your support helps to do what I do and pay for its maintenance costs. Thank you! *Donate here
American blues harpist (born born James Joshua “Jimmie” Whitin) Following advice from bluesman Memphis Slim, Blue traveled in the late to Paris, France where, according to Ronnie Wood, he was found by Mick Jagger busking on the metro (subway). “He told me, ‘Well, son, if I were you, and you were my age, I’d sit on my laurels and just stay here (in Paris), make little gigs and do sessions, but since you are a young man and still have a lot to learn, I would suggest that you go and hang out with people like Big Walter and Junior Wells and James Cotton. They’re not going to be around forever, and you will learn more from listening to them than you will ever understand from a record.’.
From the Sugar Blue site: Born and raised in New York, harmonica genius Sugar Blue began his career as a street musician, he grew up listening to the jazz greats and then honed his chops by wailing along with Bob Dylan (with whom he would later record…) and Stevie Wonder songs on the radio.
Like many american musicians before him Sugar Blue left these shores and relocated to Paris, where he became a first-call studio musician and performing artist. That’s his harmonica blasting on the Rolling Stones’ platinum disco hit “Miss You”.
Considered to be one of the first harp pyrotechnicians, he uses awe-inspiring high-register runs, circular breathing and electronic effects on his harmonicas blending them into his unique, visionary and singular style, technically dazzling yet wholly soulful.
Grammy winner Sugar Blue has been called the Jimi Hendrix of harmonica: he has played and recorded with Willie Dixon, Prince, Rolling Stones, Stan Getz, Bob Dylan, only to name a few…
