Re: [Harp-L] Other Brit Blues/Rock Harp?

[Roger Trobridge <gopher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:01:54 -0500
From: "Rob Paparozzi" <Chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

>Roger Trobridge my friend and editor of HARMONICA WORLD in London is quite an authority on this subject....hopefully he can weigh in to enlighten us a bit!,-)
>
>I still think the BEST Blues Harpist from that ERA in the UK was the late DUSTER BENNETT....he played rack harp...but THE best I've ever 
>heard....check him out...

Who could resist such a charming invite and plug. (:-)

I am just putting the December issue of Harmonica World to bed so this
has to be short
www.harmonica.co.uk/magazine.htm

Lots of names were already covered - 

As was mentioned in another post, Mox was around at the time as were
others like John O'Leary (Savoy Brown), Shakey Vick, Van Morrison,
Paul Jones, Pete Hogman, Duffy Power, Rod Stewart, Phil May (Pretty
Things), Jack Bruce, Mick Jagger, John Mayall ... Many more have gone.

They came in waves.

The fifties had the early trad, skiffle and the first folk blues
players which is where Cyril Davies came from.
www.cyrildavies.com

The young guns then joined in as Cyril was dying in the early 60s and
virtually all the groups had someone (sometimes two - Stones and
Pretty Things) who would play harp, full time or part time. Duster was
a friendly loner with links to the early Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac.

There was a split as the pure country blues players migrated to the
folk clubs as the R&B boom exploded. Steve Rye (Groundhogs) was
probably the best known country player

Then came70/80s players like Paul Lamb, Mark Feltham (Nine Below
Zero), Peter Hope-Evans (Medicine Head and the Who), ... 

and then came the next wave ..... inc Pub Rock ..... 

Duster was one of my favourites - he played keyboard, guitar,
harmonica (including chromatic - properly) and drums. A real one man
band. He wrote nice songs too - Jumping at Shadows. There is a bit of
live footage of him playing. He opened for John Mayall on a tour of
the US/Europe 196/70, and did a great cover version of Fingertips in
1974. He made lots of private recordings which were put out recently
on CD.

Cyril Davies died aged 33 in Jan 1964.
Duster Bennet died aged 30 in 1976.

Back to editing the mag 

Roger

www.harmonica.co.uk