LEE OSKAR - THE MUSICIAN

[BassHarper@xxxxxxx]

In answer to Chris Harris and Tim Moody - 

Lee Oskar, who was with WAR for 24 years, played his final concert with WAR
in Chicago on New Year's Eve 1993.  He doesn't like to say he "retired"
because that makes him sound "old", but he left the group to further his solo
career and  spend more time in the growth of his harmonica manufacturing
corporation.  Together with a group of musicians he had been gigging with as
Lee Oskar & Friends, he began booking the group as PEACE in the greater L.A.
area.  After the name PEACE (showing his break with WAR) had served its
purpose, the name was dropped, and he again began booking as Lee Oskar &
Friends.  That group has grown into a very tight ensemble that includes
guitar, sax/flute, bass, keys, percussion and drums, and is this very minute
completing a new recording project.  I was invited to the studio last night
to listen to some of the tracks - it was superb.  All the musicians are very
excited and pleased with the final results (prior to mixdown), and the new
release should be a milestone for Lee.  Yes, I have been privileged to play
with Lee many times, when he features the bass harmonica, giving the bass
guitarist a break.  For me, who was used to playing harmonica-trio-type
patterns and lines, it has been a complete gas to play Lee's grooves and
blues.  A definite learning experience for me, and Lee has plans to feature
various types of harmonicas on his next recording.  In fact, two years ago,
some of the Lee Oskar & Friends gigs included Eddie Gordon on chord,
harmonetta, chromatic and Millioniser 2000, as well as myself on bass harp.
 Watch for some new things from Lee.

And of course he continues conducting his all-day harmonica workshops - the
next is Nov 19 in Pasadena.  Let me know it you need details.

WAR is continuing to play around the country, and has added a few new
members, so it is larger than it was in recent years.  It still includes
Howard Scott, Lonnie Jordan, Harold Brown, and Ronnie Hammon.  Doing the
harmonica work is a young Japanese player, whose name escapes me, but I hear
he's doing very well.  Of course, his playing is not in the style of Lee
Oskar.  For those in the L.A. area, WAR will be playing Nov 10 at the Coach
House in San         Juan Capistrano.

Chris also suggested some discussion of Borrah Minevitch and his Harmonica
Rascals - nothing would please me more!  I was listening to some of their
recordings just yesterday, and watching the film segments from Always In My
Heart (1942) and One In A Million (1936).  I never fail to get a lump in my
throat when watching these films.  Let's talk!

Later -  Danny Wilson (BassHarp)