Hike Up Your Skirts and Run To The Freight &
Salvage
On May 12th For An Evening of Blues
Harp Women
Join Three Blues Harp Blowing Gals
That Will Expand Your Mind!
Blues Roots DJ/Promoter Norman Davis along with the Freight
& Salvage is proud to present a special evening with Blues Harp Women;
spotlighting on a diverse group of female harp players. This particular show
spurs from the Ruf Records release, a double cd called Blues Harp Women
produced by Norman Davis, a DJ out of Idaho. This will be at the iconic
venue in Berkeley, on May 12th with the following harp blowers:
Jenny Kerr, Beth Kohnen and LynnAnn Hyde. Show time is 8 PM with doors opening
at 7 PM. Tickets are $22.00, and you can get them at the door or go to the
Freight & Salvage site: http://www.freightandsalvage.org
A little background on the accidental discovery of this
project: Norman Davis - A DJ with radio station KRBX. Davis spins wax on his
Monday night show "The Juke Joint" as
well as his long-running show: “Midnight Flyer" that can found via the
internet: www.midnightflyerblues.com
He is a long-time advocate of preserving the blues music genre and continues
his journey through various production projects like this CD.
From the DJ’s microphone or desk:
“Big Mama Thornton is responsible for this album. I
played one of her tracks on my radio show, heard a sweet 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 other women 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 of
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!
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.”
About the three woman harp players:
Jenny Kerr: San Francisco native and Oxford dropout,
multi-instrumentalist (finger-style and slide guitar, claw hammer banjo,
harmonica, piano), as well as a poetic and passionate songwriter, Jenny Kerr is
known for foot-stomping live shows and powerful, authentic voice,
delivering a seasoned yet spirited sound with forays into swamp rock,
straight-up soul, backwater honky tonk, and old-time blues and finely-hewn
ballads. Jenny has headlined festivals in 12 countries and shared the
stage with such luminaries as Guy Clark, Peter Rowan and opened for Dr. John
among others. Her most recent release is "Head of Fire" whose
title track was produced and performed on by legendary multi-platinum producer
Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow, Michael Jackson, Tom Petty). Learn more at www.jennykerr.com
Beth Kohnen: A former banker, Beth has
performed in the SF Bay Area since 1998 sharing the stage with blues legends
Steve Freund, Rusty Zinn, Willy Jordan, Birdlegg, RJ Mischo, Lara Price, and
Bonnie Hayes. She has also toured in New Orleans, Paris, Florence, Venice,
Scotland, and Dublin. She has released three albums--the first two with a
rocking full band and the latest a mellow duo with renowned blues guitarist
Rusty Zinn. Fans of Big Walter Horton have often exclaimed that they can hear
echoes of his deep tone and phrasing in Beth's music - not strange since he is
her favorite musician and primary influence.
LynnAnn Hyde: LynnAnn is a well-known and nationally
endorsed harmonica and button-box player (former Hohner Harmonicas USA Artist
Endorser/Lifetime Baldoni Accordions Artist Endorser) and is also a
songwriter/arranger of note in the Pacific NW. She is one-half of the duo
Kinzel & Hyde that regularly performs all over the West Coast. http://www.kinzelandhyde.com
So please come out to a wonderful evening of blues, harp and
female attitude!
