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dEAK HARP
Deak started playing
harmonica at age 12 when he heard a schoolmate playing blues on a
harmonica. Deak listened to British blues until his brother Bob told him
about a harp master named James Cotton. |
"Gateway to the Blues" © 2008
To buy this latest CD - click here at:
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OTHER MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHTS:
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Modern Blues Harmonica 129
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8S71M9brVI At the recent Juke Joint and Planter's Celebration in Clarksdale, Mississippi, I had a chance to catch up with my old friend from NYC, Deak Harp. He was blowing solo street harp, amped up, with percussion, and it's an impressive sound. Courtesy of KudzuRunner
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Riding The Rails
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIYYzPIk8To |
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Deak Harp and Bill Abel http://
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Deak Harp
Gateway To The Blues Review
By James "Skyy Dobro" WalkerThankfully, I finally get to review an actual Blues album. So many of the "Blues" CDs that we get are not really Blues albums. Instead, they are Rock albums marketed towards an aging population of white middle-class Baby Boomers who miss the sounds of the Sixties, but can't find anything in the wasteland of commercial radio that bears resemblance in tone, texture, soul, or feel.
As expected with a name like "Deak Harp," you get a blues album featuring lead harmonica with 17 studio-recorded songs that cover three main areas. First, some songs could easily be used for harmonica instruction. Secondly, harp fans will thoroughly enjoy Deak's inspired playing. Finally, there are some great Chicago Blues numbers when joined by the band: Tom Holland – guitar, Eddie Clark – drums, and T Bone Tom on Bass.
From Central Illinois, Deak started playing harmonica at age 12. He listened to British blues until he learned about a harp master named James Cotton. Possessing all the Cotton material he could find, Deak finally met Cotton in person. At that first meeting, Deak helped Cotton by trading harmonica cases with his future mentor as James' case was damaged at the airport. It started a long-lasting friendship to this day. James asked Deak to drive for him on the east coast tours. Deak learned directly from Cotton who helped him with his tone on the harp. By February of 1992, Deak and Cotton were two of the featured harp players at a show at the Berkeley Carteret Hotel in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Today, Deak does guest gigs - some of which with the legendary John Primer, performs solo, and appears with the Deak Harp Blues Band all the while promoting this CD. All songs were either written or arranged by Deak Harp; "John Henry" and "Davidson County Blues" being traditional. Deak uses only Hohner Marine Band Harmonicas including a Big C 364 and a Super 64 Chromatic.
Recorded at Twist Turners House of Sound Chicago IL, and produced by Twist Turner and Deak Harp, this CD contains solo acoustic and electric harmonica. It travels through time up to the present Chicago Blues sound starting with the train "hollers" of the 1930s. For example, tracks one and two, "Riding The Rails" and "John Henry" are solo numbers heavy with a train rhythm and train sounds. The next four keep the train a-rollin,' nicely adding drums here and bass there.
Starting with the seventh track instrumental, "Old Soul," the band gets more involved in the mix with some 12 bar blues that is just wonderful. The full-band Chicago Blues shuffles continue through track 17. Most of the tracks are instrumentals including the unique patterns in the title track.
Track 10, "Yeah My Baby," gives us the first listen to Deak's sharp register vocals and road-lesson lyrics. Tom Holland plays a tasty lead slide guitar bridge half way through on top of his double tracked steady rhythm guitar. More well-crafted slide is found mid way through "Brocton Straight."
Other standouts include the break neck tempo on "Moving Soon," a burn-the-house-down slow blues, "Midnight Blues" with magnificent interplay between Deak's chromatic harp and Holland's electric guitar, and "Cone-A-Phone-A-Boogie" which uses a Gi Joe Communicator Helmet with a cheerleader megaphone duct-taped to it. Deak says, "I call it a Cone-A-Phone; it runs on a 9 volt battery and has got such a cool crunchy sound."
So, if you, too, are looking for some real blues content, and you just happen to love harmonica, look no further. Let this CD show you the "Gateway To The Blues."
CENTERSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH DEAK HARP:
CENTERSTAGE:
What do you think about downloading music online?
DEAK:
I cant answer that without going into a lot. All I can say the folks that is selling my downloads without my consent will be found .I have a major record company looking into it
CENTERSTAGE:
What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
DEAK:
Still finding new grooves to flow too.
CENTERSTAGE:
What excites you the most about music?
DEAK:
The Fans.
CENTERSTAGE:
What discourages you the most about music?
DEAK: Trying to get in the right place at the right time CENTERSTAGE:
What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?
DEAK:
It is a stair climb ...if I got discouraged I would still be on the first step ......
CENTERSTAGE:
Tell us about the most exciting thing happening with your music right now or in the near future.
DEAK:
Meeting all the fans and new ones ..
CENTERSTAGE: What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects, etc). DEAK: I am on a promoting tour to all the blues fest's promoting my newest pressing of Deak Harp Gateway to the blues
CENTERSTAGE:
Name the most unusual place you’ve ever played or made a recording. What made this place unusual and how did it effect the music?
DEAK:
We played on the back of a 1949 chevy pickup with a Hot tin roof on it ...outside the gounds of the Ground Zero Blues Club ...with Delta Groove Records and Big City Blues Mag .. The sound was great ...
CENTERSTAGE: In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music? DEAK: The Blues is everywhere you can find it ....
CENTERSTAGE: When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it? DEAK: About a month ago ........i got the idea from a old 70's melody and added a 1920's trad groove to it .....
CENTERSTAGE:
As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?
DEAK:
... Well i always like to hear a new blues band that is staying true to the 50's and 60's chicago sound .
CENTERSTAGE:
Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)
DEAK:
My love is the old blues from the 20's and 30's ..And i use that era to mold my sound to it ....
CENTERSTAGE:
Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?
DEAK:
The Kilborn Alley Blues Band .... Song ... is .. Im Spent and I wana be yur baby's daddy on Blue Bell Records .....Tear Chicago Down .... and ...... Put it in the alley..
CENTERSTAGE:
Name the one thing you want people to know about you and your music.
DEAK:
My music comes from a place inside me that i cant explain where it comes from ...But when i discover a new run or a new lick ... i greet it like a new friend .....and hope i come across that friend again ......
TOUR SCHEDULE
From Deak Harp's MYSPACE & Website
http://www.myspace.com/deakharp
Stay tuned for more artists here on CenterStage!!
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