Blues Harp Women - 2 CD set
Product no.: RUF 1222
Description
Release Date: 04 December 2015
Big Mama Thornton is responsible for this album. I played one of her tracks on my radio show, heard a nice harmonica solo and checked the liner notes to see who it was. It was Big Mama! It was the first time I recall hearing a woman playing blues harp and it set the wheels turning in my head. I started wondering if there were other women who played the harmonica and why they are virtually unknown. I began searching. Eventually I found others, then more. I was inspired to create a website. As I was discussing it with a friend, he mispronounced harmonica as “hermonica”. “That’s it!” I shouted. “That’s the name for the website!”
So hermonicas.com was born and became what Adam Gussow called “the definitive site on women harmonica players.” We discovered and contacted almost 200 players around the world. There was some discussion on putting an album together. As far as we know, it had never been done before. A label-owning friend suggested I try Ruf Records and (bless his heart) Tom Ruf agreed to back the project.
It has taken a few years and numerous obstacles to overcome, (working with 30-plus artists can get very complicated) but finally the album is finished and is about to become a unique part of music history; the very first women’s blues harmonica compilation album ever made!
I hope this album will shed some light on what has been a black hole in the blues universe. It proves that as with other instruments, women are the equal of men on the harmonica. Perhaps this will help them get the attention that has passed them by in the past. I am delighted to have been a part of this project.
Norman Davis Producer/host: The Juke Joint (Facebook) and Midnight Flyer (midnightflyerblues.com)
Tracklist
CD 1
001
Harmonica Girl
Paula Rangell
00:04:25
002
Roadmaster
Roxy Perry
00:04:16
003
Heavy Water
Stacy Jones Band
00:05:45
004
Down Home Shakedown
Big Mama Thornton
00:03:33
005
32-20 Blues
Lynnann Hyde
00:04:45
006
Down To The Hollow
Trina Hamlin
00:04:26
007
Stop! Wait A Minute
Tracy K
00:03:33
008
One More Lie
Teresa "T-Bird" Lynne
00:05:08
009
Naughty Girl
Octavia
00:04:39
010
Why You So Mean To Me
Kat Baloun
00:04:50
011
Ain't Easy
Beth Kohnen
00:03:20
012
Stuck On You
Jane Gillman
00:02:48
013
Mechanical Beast
Zola Moon
00:04:07
014
Please Call Daddy
Mattie Phifer
00:05:17
015
Sadder Than Sad
Dorothy Jane "DJ" Gosper
00:08:51
CD 2
001
Cash Is King
Jenny Kerr
00:03:35
002
Blues Got Me
Cheryl Arena
00:06:25
003
Lookin' Good
Annie Raines
00:07:33
004
He's Gone
Marion Turner
00:03:18
005
Meet Me Where They Play The Blues
Terry Leonino
00:03:58
006
Crazy Maisie
Dana Dixon
00:04:28
007
Everbody's Dancing
Beata Kossowska
00:03:02
008
Take The Lead
Jill Fromewick
00:03:26
009
Never Leave Me Home
Diana Redlin
00:03:07
010
Summertime
Christelle Berthon
00:04:26
011
Hit The Road
Judy Rudin
00:04:22
012
Doctor C
Cecilia Loforti
00:04:02
013
Rikers Island
Maria Coyote
00:03:35
014
Fast Food Mama
Jackie Merritt
00:02:50
015
Bring It On Home (To Me)
Big Nancy
00:03:29
016
Rhonda Alla Blue
Rhonda Rucker
00:03:13