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One of the most cherished annual events on the blues music calendar
hits the road with the biggest names in harp history: ringleader Mark
Hummel, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Curtis Salgado, and Sugar Ray Norcia, all backed by The Blues Survivors. Packing as much musical diversity as possible into one harp-heated evening, the
legendary group pays tribute to Little Walter - the fiery wizard who
altered expectations of what was possible on the humble harmonica. The
backing band is a who's who of the top blues players in the US: Billy
Flynn on guitar, Bob Welsh on piano and guitar, June Core on drums and RW Grigsby on bass.

"Mark Hummel came of age in the early seventies, at the height or rock and roll, but instead of picking up a guitar, like most of his peers, he went out and bought a harmonica, and he hasn't stopped playing since. A specialist in the West Coast blues, he's a seasoned showman who knows more than a thing or two about how to please an audience."   -  The New Yorker

"Hummel whoops up clouds of volcanic ash on one number after another."  -  DownBeat

"A fine songwriter...his band, known as the Blues Survivors, achieves an ideal balance between firmness and looseness...Hummel's breathtaking command of the harmonica is...showcased on the explosive uptempo instrumental 'Harpoventilating'".  -  Living Blues

"Hummel plays the harmonica with the fat, full sound that made Little Walter sound almost like a saxophonist rather than a harp man".   -  Chicago Sun-Times

"Little Walter Jacobs was one of the best singers of the blues and a
blues harp player par excellence"
Rolling Stone Keith Richards
"Little Walter was a very,very powerful influence on me"
Eric Clapton

"All these musicians know his music as I do, and Walter's songs have been our bible. It's the basis for how we approach the music. The guitars and drummers in my bands always studied these records,matching tones, lick and beats to my Walter influenced harmonica stylings and amplified approach. Most Chicago influenced blues harpists have done this with their sidemen on the basis that Walter kept the best musicians in his early bands. Robert Jr. Lockwood, Louis and Dave Myers, Luther Tucker, Fred Below and many others recorded the original sides that went on to become the holy grail of blues harp records that all other harpers are still trying to aspire to. Walter changed all the rules and raised the bar so high that nobody has yet surpassed him in both innovation or technical prowess. He remains my favorite harp man and was a great blues singer as well,and after forty years of listening to his sides I'm still thrilled by their sound. Jacob's influence will be forever felt among the deepest blues fans. For these shows I have put together a special limited edition CD titled BLUE AND LONESOME:A Little Walter Tribute featuring songs I cut cut over the years done by the great harp master." - MARK HUMMEL

MARK HUMMEL is a road warrior - a true Blues Survivor. Along the way, he has crafted his own trademark harmonica sound - a subtle combination of tone, phrasing and attack, combined with a strong sense of swing. Hummel has achieved wide recognition through nearly constant touring and appearances at the major blues festivals which have firmly established his solid reputation around the US, Canada and Europe.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut and raised in Los Angeles, California, Mark absorbed the music of such Chicago based harp blowers as Little Walter, James Cotton, and Sonny Boy Williamson, before settling in Berkeley, California in 1972. There he played with local bluesmen such as Cool Papa, Boogie Jake, Mississippi Johnny Waters and Sonny Lane. In 1980, he took the helm to lead the popular Blues Survivors Band.

In 1985, Mark Hummel & The Blues Survivors released Playing in Your Town, on Rockinitus Records, and immediately went out on the road. Earning their name, they toured virtually non-stop throughout the United States, Canada and Europe often playing alongside such blues greats as Charlie Musselwhite, Brownie McGhee, Lowell Fulson and Eddie Taylor. Mark's most current CD, Golden State Blues on the Electro Fi label, was recorded with his touring band, The Blues Survivors, plus special guests such as Rusty Zinn, Anson Funderburgh, Steve Lucky, and is receiving extended radio play.

In 1988, Mark was introduced to Canadian guitarist and vocalist Sue Foley. After several tours that year, Mark and Sue released Up & Jumpin', which also features piano legend Charles Brown. Mark hit the road again in 1990, before releasing Hard Lovin' in 1992 on Double Trouble Records. He has been on the road constantly since then, stopping only to record Feel Like Rockin' in 1994 and Married to the Blues in 1995 on Flying Fish Records.

Since 1991 Mark has been both producing and performing at his Blues Harmonica Blowout series. These shows have grown to be a much-heralded event and continue to draw sellout crowds wherever they appear. The list of participants is a Who's Who of Blues harp history: John Mayall, John Hammond, Norton Buffalo, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, Huey Lewis, Curtis Salgado, Kim Wilson, Watermelon Slim, Sugar Ray Norcia, Kenny Neal, James Harman, Fingers Taylor, Snooky Pryor, Dave Earl, Rod Piazza, Magic Dick, William Clarke, Rick Estrin, Paul DeLay, Billy Branch, Lazy Lester, Carey Bell, Little Sonny, Paul Osher, Lee Oskar, Cephas and Wiggins, Gary Primich, Paul Rischell and Annie Raines, Carlos Del Junco, Sam Myers and many more!

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE - is one of the most recognized names in Blues harmonica. Born in 1944 , Musselwhite has traveled the long road from backwoods Mississippi to a teenaged upbringing in Memphis, where he first heard and learned the blues from it's originators. On to the south side of Chicago, Charlie served his apprenticeship with Johnny Young & Big Walter Horton. By the mid '70s he & Paul Butterfield were the two trendsetting white bluesblowers in the biz. In the mid-'90s Charlie Musselwhite signed with Alligator Records and had a string of successful recordings. Musselwhite has recently hit his stride with a Grammy nominated Alligator Records release autobiographical CD of originals titled THE WELL. Charlie Musselwhite has received several Grammy nominations and won 19 W.C. Handy Awards. Not bad for a southern country boy from Kosciusko, MS. www.charliemusselwhite.com

BILLY BOY ARNOLD - a contemporary of James Cotton and Jr. Wells. who started with Ellis McDaniels in Chicago in 1955,where they created the "Bo Diddley" sound at Chess Records. Billy Boy learned harp at the feet of the legendary John Lee"Sonny Boy" Williamson when Billy was just 12 yrs. old. Billy went on to record singles for VeeJay like "Wish You Would", "Ain't Got You" and "You Got Me Wrong" with an allstar band made up of Jody Williams, Otis Spann and Syl Johnson. Arnold has released his Electro Fi Records debut CONSOLIDATED MOJO, which was produced by Hummel with backing by the Blues Survivors. Billy's most recent CD is a Tribute to Big Bill Bronzy on Electro Fi that features the guitarist on these shows,Billy Flynn. www.electrofi.com

CURTIS SALGADO - first gained northwest fame in the mid 70s as the main frontman - singer in the early Robert Cray Band. At the time, Curtis probably did much or more singing then Cray, who prefered a more backseat role as bandleader. Salgado also played fiery harmonica in the band but when these two vocalists joined their voices in harmony, they truly soared. This was the main reason John Belushi started the Blues Brothers, while filming "Animal House" in Eugene,Or. Belushi would come and listen,hang out & pick Curtis's brain to get inspriration to start the Blues Bros.(the first TV performance & LP are dedicated to Salgado). After leaving Cray, Curt hooked up for a short stint with Roomful of Blues, while Ronnie Earl & Ron Levy were members. When Carlos Santana called Salgado to be his vocalist Curt couldn't say no but soon was ready to resume his own career. Salgado has been a major star in the NW but is just beginning to make a national name. Thanks to several releases on Shanachie records, Salgado's soulful pipes and powerful harp blowing are catching the public's ear finally. Curtis also is making a major comeback from a liver transplant & cancer scare. Curtis has just signed to Alligator Records. Now the rest of the world can hear what the NW as known for 25 years, that Salgado can sing & play with the best of them.

SUGAR RAY NORCIA started the popular East Coast blues band THE BLUETONES 30 years ago with guitarist Ronnie Earl. They backed Big Walter Horton, Big Joe Turner, Jimmie Rogers, Otis Rush, JB Hutto & countless others in the early '80s all over the North East. They've recorded two albums for Rounder Records. In 1991 Norcia hooked up with Roomful of Blues and toured the world with the 11 piece band, appearing on their Grammy-nominated Rounder release TURN IT ON,TURN IT UP. Norcia  also recorded the Grammy nominated Telarc release SUPER HARPS during his Roomful tenure with harmonica heavywieights Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton and Billy Branch. In 2001, Norcia reunited the Bluetones with guitarist Kid Bangham & later Monster Mike Welsh. The Bluetones have recorded four CDs on Severn Records, their latest being SWINGING.

These shows also feature a special handpicked backup band with some of the best blues musicians in the USA:
Billy Flynn on guitar AND harmonica (Kim Wilson,Otis Rush,Legendary Blues Band,History of Living Chicago Blues tour)
Little Charlie Baty on guitar and harmonica (Little Charlie & the Nightcats)
June Core on drums (Musselwhite, Little Charlie and Nightcats, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Hummel)
RW Grigsby on upright bass (Mike Morgan,Gary Primich and Hummel)

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