George 'Harmonica' Smith: Arkansas Trap
Released : 1971
Label : Black Cat/ Derran
Format : Mp3@ 320
>George 'Harmonica' Smith: Arkansas Trap
Released : 1971
Label : Black Cat/ Derran
Format : Mp3@ 320
Black Cat front
Deram front
George 'Harmonica' Smith
(circa 1960)
Born in West Helena, Arkansas, United States, but brought up in Cairo, Illinois, he began playing professionally in 1951. He was recruited to join Muddy Waters' band in 1954, making his presence between the short-lived Henry Strong, and James Cotton. He would rejoin Waters in 1966. He eventually made the decision to leave Chicago, and spent much of his adult life on the West Coast of America.
Smith played with the blues combo, Bacon Fat, and tutored its harmonica player Rod Piazza, and mentored guitarist Buddy Reed, before joining forces with Big Mama Thornton in the 1970s. He appeared on her live album Jail (1975), and with another harmonica student William Clarke.
The few solo albums he recorded in his life reflected his admiration for the playing style of Little Walter.
George "Harmonica" Smith died in 1983, in Los Angeles, California at the age of 59
Tracklist :
01- McComb, Mississippi (part 1)
02- Situation Blues
03- Roaming
04- Blue Fog
05- On My Mind
06- Viola B.
07- Monkey On A Limb
08- Trying To Hide The Things I Do
09- Fire Exit
10- She's Coming Home To Stay
11- McComb, Mississippi (part 2)
Recorded. November 29 & 30, 1970 in West Hampstead, London; George Smith, vocal, harmonica
J.D. Nicholson, piano (2nd voc on Fire Exit)
Greg Schaefer, guitar (piano on Monkey on a Limb)
Buddy Reed, guitar
Jerry Smith, bass
Dick Innes Jr, drums
Mike Vernon, percusion, (2nd voc on On My Mind, guitar on Viola B)