Tag Archives: chicago blues

Jazz Gillum – Harmonica Pioneer

jazz gillum harmonica

Jazz Gillum – (William Mc Kinley Gillum aka « Jazz ») Indianola, Mississippi, september 11 1904 – Chicago, Illinois, March 29 1966 For many years Jazz Gillum was the main and only harmonica player in the Chicago blues bands. He took part in modernizing the genre and opened the path for Little Walter and Big Walter Horton who eventually got much more famous than ...

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Blues Harmonica player: Carey Bell

Blues harmonica master Carey Bell

Blues Harmonica player BELL (Carey) (aka Carey Bell Harrington) Macon, Mississippi, November 14 1936 – Chicago, Illinois, May 6 2007. His godfather, the piano player Lovie Lee, brought him to Chicago in 1956 to join his orchestra. He soon became friend with Little Walter who’d let him sub for him at Club Zanzibar when he was unavailable or too drunk. He would also ...

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Harmonica master : Big Walter Horton

Shakey Horton aka Big Walter is one of the most influential blues harmonica players of all times. His acoustic and electric tone set a milestone for all blues players. There are two striking facts in this rare video of him from 1970 while touring the American folk blues festival in Copenhagen : 1 – All the musicians play swing and relaxed in a ...

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