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Reviews: Blues Mongrel
The
harmonica has developed something of a dicey rep. Clueless audience
members playing amateur harp along with the band, tired revivals of
yet another purist Little Walter imitator, and Blues Traveler-style
wanking tend to make us forget that in the proper hands it is an instrument
that in one moment can create a highly emotive cry (see: Junior Wells),
and in another a breathtaking (no pun intended) saxophone-style solo
(see: Toots Thielmans).
Cuban-born, Canadian-bred, harmonica player Carlos del Junco is fully
capable of both types of moments. On Blues Mongrel, Little Walter's
"Blues With a Feeling" and Sonny Boy Williams' "Nine
Below Zero" prove that he is, to coin a cliche, steeped in the
tradition. But if that were the sum of his efforts he would be just
another in the current long line of purist revivalists whose well-intentioned
efforts are contributing to the blues becoming moribund.
Luckily, del Junco has no interest in merely reproducing the sounds
of the past, wonderful as they are. On this (as on his previous releases),
he and cohort, guitarist Kevin Briet, expand on the jazz and country
elements of the blues that are so often overlooked by the curators of
the tradition. Like his mentor, Howard Levy of the Flecktones, del Junco
is capable of playing chromatically on a standard blues-style harmonica.
For the musically unschooled, this means that he can play all the notes
on an instrument that was designed to play just some of them. Fortunately
for us he uses this facility for good rather than evil, in the form
of tastefully melodic solos--like the one on "Let's Mambo,"
a tune that celebrates the land of his ancestors. He is one of those
rare musicians whose ideas are completely unhampered by the limitations
of the instrument and, more crucial, whose ideas are unceasingly interesting.
He is joined on a virtually equal footing by Kevin Breit from John And
The Sisters, who, after two years of lucrative restraint in Nora Jones'
band, is unleashed here. Like his Junco partner (sorry, couldn't resist),
Breit's definition of blues expands to include chicken pickin', be-bop,
and exuberant humor. His five compositions provide perfect vehicles
for guitar and harmonica excursions that range from joyful to heartbreaking,
celebrating the full array of what roots music has to offer.
Blues Mongrel pulls off the difficult trick of proving that music can
be simultaneously sophisticated and raw, technically adept and highly
emotional, serious as a heart attack and as much fun as a circus clown.
Thanks to artists like Carlos del Junco and Kevin Breit, the blues will
continue to live and breathe for the foreseeable future. •
Michael Ross - http://www.puremusic.com/carlos.html
----------------
Harmonica
master Carlos del Junco reminds people what they've been missing out˜assuming
they're not already familiar with him. Blues Mongrel, his fifth release,
transcends categorization and the surprises come fast and furious. Such
as a total overhaul of Blues With A Feeling, as Carlos and guitarist
Kevin Breit, twist it into a hybrid--half Little Walter-ish desolation
and half Son Seals-like angst and fury--all surrounded by an arrangement
owing as much to avant-garde Jazz as to Blues. Two imaginations like
these ensure that this musical envelope will be pushed.
There‚s a kaleidoscopic of musical ideas and shapes: much like
Bela Fleck, Carlos del Junco effortlessly blends numerous genres (Blues,
Latin, Bluegrass, Jazz, Bebop, Country, Classical, R&B) into a coherent
whole. For instance, a tantalizing version of the Man From Flint theme
will get you leaping with joy. No Particular Place is lush, lively,
and brimming with humor. Other instrumental treats include Let's Mambo,
emblematic of the sensuous Latin rhythms that ripple so effortlessly
throughout Blues Mongrel. Every one of these 12 glorious tracks is deserving
of lavish praise, but Plain Old (Down Home) Blues blazes a special trail
by stretching the Blues to its outer edge. Sonny Boy Williamson's Nine
Below Zero is given an absolutely spine-tingling updating by dint of
the dazzling virtuosity of Mr. del Junco. An extraordinary talent like
Carlos del Junco (or Kevin Breit for that matter) would be a household
name in most other countries. Blues Mongrel by Carlos del Junco is a
triumph, and it merits my highest recommendation.
Gary Tate
http://www.livinblues.com/cdreviews2005/
--------------
Havana-born, Ontario raised del Junco has over the course of his six-CD,
15 year career elevated the status of the humble 10-hole diatonic mouth
harp to the equivalent of a Stradivarius violin. Del Junco, a world
champion harp player and winner of several national and international
awards, has perfected Levy's difficult "overblow" technique, which gives
the simple folk instrument full chromatic range and allows the musician
to bend notes right out of shape, to find the dissonant tones and textures
required in progressive blues and jazz, and to harmonize expressively
with infinitely more sophisticated instruments. He's a marvel to listen
to, a freak of nature who does to the harp what Bela Fleck does to the
banjo, and, assisted by a crack band (including guitarist Kevin Breit,
who composed many of the pieces, Denis Keldie on organ, bassist Henry
Heillig, drummer Jorn Andersen, and percussionist Arturo Avalos), del
Junco achieves an astonishingly complex yet seamless fusion of blues,
country, funk, jazz, and swampy roots rock. This one's a classic, a
ground breaker of a record that serious harp players will be studying
for years to come.
The Toronto Star
February 10, 2005
By Greg Quill
-----------------------------------------------
http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/sil/andy/050210andystereo.htmlheader
The first notes of Blues Mongrel jolt you like a cold shower or the sting of a lover’s slap across your face. The explosive ‘Blues With A Feeling’ envelops the listener in intoxicating, foot-stomping glory. By the time the third cut ‘Plain Old (Down Home) Blues’ had finished I knew del Junco’s CD was going to be in my permanent collection. This is real music; it grabs you by the neck and demands that you pay attention.
With a crack team of musicians including guitar wiz Kevin Breit, Blues Mongrel is a revelatory CD. I haven’t been this excited about the blues since Otis Taylor’s White African. Not every song is a winner though; ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ and ‘Run Me Down’ are both pretty ordinary. But the remaining tracks are solid showcases of one of the best blues harmonica musicians in Canada, perhaps even in the world.
Marvin Gunderman
KyndMusic
Hailed as a harmonica master, having won numerous awards for his singular approach to the oft-overlooked instrument, del Junco continues forward on his non-traditional path with his latest release, the aptly titled Blues Mongrel. As mentioned above, he incorporates Latin percussion, jump-blues horns, some blistering guitar riffs and that harmonica into a wide-ranging collection of 12 songs that stretch, bend, and twist, but never break, the listeners perception of what the blues is and can be.
And then there’s that harmonica. Ok, ok, I know I’m bringing it up a lot, but man you should hear it. I’ve always been a harp fan and even have several compilations in my record collection of nothing but harmonica music from overlooked rural innovators. I can listen to someone blowing on a harp for hours on end and I’ve found that few people share my passion.
But now, with del Junco’s release, I’ve found an album that will change their minds. You see, in Blues Mongrel, not only does del Junco expand the blues outside of its normal realms but he creates, in the harmonica, a flexible instrument with the range, emotion, and style of the guitar. With it he travels the globe, sitting at the crossroads in one song, a Cuban Mambo club in another, a Jamaican bar with the next, with a few other unexpected stops along the way, and he never leaves the juke joint while he does it.
In other words, Carlos del Junco’s blues defy physics. Let the purists cry into their whiskey. I’m enjoying this one.
Latin percussion, searing blues guitar and transcendent harmonica: Such is Cuban-born del Junco’s interpretation of the blues. And it works, really well.
Dave Terpeny, Editor-In-Chief
Georgia Strait , Vancouver
Carlos del Junco acknowledges that basic fact early on in Blues Mongrel, opening with a gritty version of Little Walter's "Blues With a Feeling", but after that he goes on to inject the form with curative doses of jazz, ska, and Latin music. Better still is that the Toronto-based musician branches out without ever getting so self-consciously clever that he loses sight of the soulful basics. The same could be said of guitarist Kevin Breit, whose snaky, syncopated slide lines are almost as prominent in the mix as the leader's harp; together they've made a modern blues record that's impressively played and authentically heartfelt--a rare feat indeed.
It must be tough being a harmonica virtuoso. Not only would you have to suffer the usual indignities of the musician's life but you'd also have to be serious about an instrument most people think fit only for small children or, worse yet, folksingers. And it would be tougher still to be a blues harmonica virtuoso: Little Walter Jacobs defined the state of the art back in the 1950s, and most players have been catching up ever since.
Alex Varty
www.playbluesguitar.com
The originals on the dirty dozen tracks push the envelope inside out, too. On “No Particular Place,” a jumpin’, jivin’ wailin’ instrumental, Breit sounds suspiciously like he has heard the Nashville cats as well as a certain late virtuoso from Washington, D.C.. Ditto on “Run Me Down.” “Let’s Mambo,” a nod to del Junco’s motherland, would not sound out of place in Desi Arnaz’ band – well, yeah it would. And then there is the title track: Cab Calloway meets Phillip Marlowe while taking peyote (Note: This site does not endorse the use of illegal drugs).
Dig it: Wildly creative blues guys that do not take themselves too seriously while completely blowing you away with their musicianship. Essential new music.
Leave it to Canada’s musically fearless NorthernBlues label to record Carlos del Junco. The blues harp virtuoso with the slightly bent (pun intended) approach to the blues is in good company with his label mates Kevin Breit and Harry Manx. In fact, Breit contributes nasty and twisted, but wholly appropriate, guitar and mandolin throughout. Purists beware: these northern neighbors are not afraid to flip the blues tradition on its ear. For example, you know you are not going to hear the “same old blues” when a drunken, industrial strength distorted boogie guitar opens the CD on Little Walter’s classic “Blues With A Feeling” only to morph into a melting slide solo followed by del Junco’s severely overblown diatonic harp. Which is not to mention the Cuban-born artist’s dead pan, blues vocal mannerisms that are somehow weirdly perfect. Sonny Boy’s “Nine Below Zero” is taken as a solo performance, much like the legendary bluesman’s later recordings, and the tour de force is probably the “straightest” blues on the album with del Junco’s breath intake functioning as a percussive element.
Dave Rubin
Harp Chronicles.com
With the release of Mongrel Blues, Carlos del Junco has again set the high water mark for the blues harp. From the time you first pick up this CD, you realize you are holding a genuine work of art. The cover opens in gate fold fashion to reveal a definition taken from Webster that seems fiiting for the music you will find inside. Inside the cover wolfman-esque images munching hungrily on a Hohner Golden Melody reinforces the notion that what you are about to hear "ain't your daddy's blues harp music." And Carlos delivers. Packed tight in this CD are twelve of the finest examples of why Carlos del Junco has consistently been awarded Canada's highest honor for blues harp. Marrying influences from different genres, even numbers that you think you might recognize, take on other worldly qualities. Brace yourself. Cool, deliberate and calculating, this CD leaves no doubt this animal will prove superior as it comes at you.
Dave King, Cross
Chicago Sun Times
The diatonic harpist, a practitioner of the "overblow" technique that he learned from his Chicago mentor Howard Levy, isn't afraid to go out on a limb with his playing. Even on standards such as Little Walter's "Blues With a Feeling" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Nine Below Zero," del Junco will turn the arrangement upside-down. The masterpieces, though, are Noro Morales' "Let's Mambo" as well as the title track, written by del Junco's Canadian guitar mate Kevin Breit.
There's a roiling beat through much of harmonica ace Carlos del Junco's sixth album that harkens back to the classic Chicago blues sound -- with strong Latin underpinnings as well. The Cuban-born, Canadian-reared artist also mixes swing, jazz and country influences into his unique concoction.
Jeff Johnson
Charlottetown Guardian
That’s just the latest in a long series of awards for del Junco, whose
dazzling virtuosity has placed him squarely at the front of the pack
of today’s harmonica players.
There’s a reason he’s spoken of in the same reverential tone as the
legendary Toots Thielmans, Chicago harp player Howard Levy and Nashville’s
Charlie McCoy.
If you want to know why just listen to Blues Mongrel, del Junco’s
first release for the Toronto-based NorthernBlues Music.
This is one wicked set.
Backed by a hot five-piece band whose members include guitarist Kevin
Breit, bass player Henry Hellig and percussionist Arturo Avalos, del
Junco smokes his way through a 12-song set that mixes traditional blues
from old masters like Sonny Boy Williamson with jazz, country and Latin
music.
In addition to the Sonny Boy Williamson track, there are classic cuts
here from John Henry and Walter Jacobs, plus originals from del Junco
and Breit. Breit, in fact, penned one third of the album. He also covers
the theme song composer Jerry Goldsmith penned for the action flick
Our Man Flint.
The performances that del Junco delivers on tracks like Run Me Down,
No Particular Place and Long Highway are nothing short of amazing.
What’s even more amazing is how del Junco produces some of these sounds.
The Cuban-born Canadian is a leading pioneer in the use of the 10-hole
diatonic harmonica, having won Hohner’s World Harmonica Competition
in Germany. He’s also mastered a technique called overblowing which
enables him to play a diatonic harmonica as if it were chromatic. This
makes for some real interesting sounds.
Blues Mongrel will most surely land del Junco on the blues honour
roll again.
Friday, February 4, 2005
Last month Canada’s blues community voted in Carlos del Junco Canada’s
as best harmonica player at the Maple Blues Awards.
Doug
Gallant
Greemanreview.com Walter Jacobs' "Blues With a Feeling" starts things off with a Howlin'
Wolf feel. Heavy, and I mean HEAVY, distorted guitar sets up the standard
12-bar framework,and Carlos's overblown harp comes in, and you ain't
heard heavy yet. Wow! Then Breit's "No Particular Place" is given a
reed workout. This tune was a highlight of Breit's duet album with Harry
Manx, and it tough to pick which version I like best. It depends which
one I'm listening to! Del Junco displays a Jamaican influence on his
own "Skatoon." The interplay of this fine group of musicians is inspiring.
Even the throwaway riffs are entertaining. "Don't Bring Me Down" starts
with slide guitar, adds del Junco's harp, then his vocals, and even
a touch of harmony in the chorus. Jerry Goldsmith's theme song from
"Our Man Flint" is given a stylish workout. It's blues and then a surprise
or two with solid playing throughout and Blues Mongrel will get plenty
of play in the car!
Carlos del Junco's cover shot is an extreme closeup of his mouth, holding
a Hohner Golden Melody harmonica. The title is Blues Mongrel and the photo
is part of the theme. Inside pictures are collages of a dog-man, and shots
of the other musicians baring their fangs. Quite scary! And the music
is scary too: raw, overblown harmonica, and that screendoor slamming drumbeat,
heavy bass, and Carlos's rich vocals. Kevin Breit, who recently left Norah
Jones's band, demonstrates his mastery of the six string throughout the
album, and also adds some fine mandolin. Henry Heilig plays bass, Jorn
Juul Andersen plays drums and percussion, Denis Keldie adds organ and
percussionist Arturo Avalos helps out on a couple of tracks. It's a hot
band.
David
Kidney
Chicago
Sun Times
Carlos del Junco - Blues Mongrel (Northern Blues) excellent theater of the mind blues from the harmonica virtuoso and Havana-suave vocalist; winding out a graveyard hunch with a killer backing band - highly recommended!
Jeff Johnson
Anchorage Press
12 tracks, 57 minutes. Recommended. Webster's definition of 'mongrel' is as follows: "1. any animal or plant resulting from the crossing of different breeds or varieties. 2. any cross between different things, esp. if inharmonious or indiscriminate." With that being said, Mongrel is an apt and highly-fitting title for the new Carlos del Junco disc. With influences and previous work showing heavy touches of jazz, hip-hop, New Orleans funk, Tex-Mex, and bluegrass (del Junco's iceberg is massive), among other styles, his harmonica playing reflects an exciting and highly-modern twist in comparison to what many view the tin-sandwich as. In the hands of del Junco, it's not a small instrument, or a mere toy, instead, it becomes more an extension of soul and voice - and in many ways - it can be considered his voice. Carlos' playing swoops, swells, careens, and flows as often as the tides and it speaks volumes, often in tongues not heard in the blues realm. His covers of Little Walter's Blues With A Feeling and Sonny Boy Williamson's Nine Below Zero are intelligently crafted and heartfelt expressions of his love for blues, as much as Skatoon and No Particular Place show a desire to expand the borders of harp-playing. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of introducing your senses to the talents of Carlos del Junco, Blues Mongrel is packed from beginning to end with creative and stumbling grooves, brilliant harmonica work, and feel as thick as molasses. Spectacular stuff!
Craig Ruskey
Reviews: Up and At 'Em
UP
AND AT 'EM - CBC Radio One
"Up And At 'Em" was featured disc
of the week on Bandwidth. <http://ottawa.cbc.ca/bandwidth/discofweek.html>
and scroll down to click on 2001 Archives and then scroll down till you
see Carlos del Junco "Up and At Em" to listen to CD review.
UP
AND AT 'EM Big Reed BRRCD-3/Festival
Our
wizard of the harmonica's eagerly-anticipated follow-up to Big Boy-some
blues and other somewhat related stuff is an impressive one indeed.
In Carlos del Junco's hands, the often-thought-of-as-lowly harp continues
its trip into the unknown. Most of the songs feature Kevin Breit on
his impressive collection of stringed things, Russ Boswell on bass and
Jorn Anderson on drums with Dennis Keldie guesting and providing some
atmospheric B3. Regular acoustic duo partner Mark Sepic is also on hand
for two songs with Henry Heillig on bass and Al Cross on drums. There
are three vocals among the eleven songs, with Carlos taking two of them
and Jane Siberry doing the multi-tracked vocal on "How High The Moon",
which sounds as though it started life as a Larry Adler tribute, but
grew. One of Carlos' vocals is his first in Spanish, "Moliendo Cafe"
and points to the Latin tinge to the album, as fans of the Sepic/del
Junco live shows have come to know. The other vocal is the most overt
blues, "The Train Don't Stop Here", and even it's a Los Lobos song (from
Kiko). The instrumental quartet of Carlos, Breit, Boswell & Anderson,
though, is the heart of the album and it is cutting edge stuff - interactive
music of the highest order. I find Kevin's playing is more focussed
here than on his own Poverty Playlist albums or on Supergenerous, something
I'm sure Carlos had a hand in along with veteran producer Joe Chiccarelli.
As before, there is lots of technical information about keys and positions
and there's lots more info at www.carlosdeljunco.com. To paraphrase
the last album's sub-title, the music here is less related to blues
than on that album but if you're interested in harmonica playing and
adventure in music, this one's for you.
UP
AND AT 'EM CD REVIEW
Continuously, delJunco is moving away from blues in it's strict form. It is amazing to learn how easily he is crossing musical borders. On this one he brings us bluesy, rock, jazz standards, modern jazz and fusion, and anything in between. He's one of the greatest stylists when it comes to innovative harmonica blowing. Harpplayers: listen carefully - this man's got something to say. Perfect recording and high level musicianship throughout. Highly recommended for harp players with open ears.
Detlev Hoegen of Crosscut Records - Germany
AMG REVIEW: Although a studio recording, the songs within this album have an extremely live sound to them, as if each was recorded within one or two takes. Putting his fingers in a few genre pies, the album takes flight with the salsa Latin percussion featured in "11 Songo Blues" before heading back into familiar blues territory on some standards. A surprise guest appearance by Jane Siberry on "How High the Moon" is rather eclectic, starting off slow before a scat-like structure takes control. The playing of del Junco is honed to suit the needs of his supporting cast, often acting as a small but vital ingredient to the music's heart, carrying the title track. The jump in a tune such as "Some Sweet Day" is only eclipsed by the lighter, more melodic notes found in "Donald Michael" and "The Field." And as an added bonus, those wanting to learn the songs can refer to both the harmonica keys and positions noted in the liner notes. An engaging sonic nightcap. AMG rating: ***
Jason MacNeil- All Music Guide
Reviews: BIG BOY Some Recycled Blues and Other Somewhat Related Stuff
The first time I heard Carlos Del Junco, I was foreman of the jury which voted him World Champion in the Blues competition at the World Harmonica Festival 1993 in Trossingen, Germany. At the time I had no doubt that this Cuban-born Canadian stood head and shoulders above the other students of overblow pioneer Howard Levy. I was fascinated by how he integrated the frequently over-intellectualized overblow approach with the more rootsy feel of Chicago blues and swing, without any stylistic contradictions and with total conviction. His subsequent CD releases bore witness to his continuing hard work and dedication to his music, and underlined his rare ability to combine technically exemplary harp playing with emotional content. My favorite from his first three CDs is the wonderful “Big Road Blues”, an acoustic duo production with talented guitarist and singer Thom Roberts, and a loving tribute to the giants of pre-war delta blues. I next saw Carlos at the 1998 SPAH Convention in Detroit, where his two short appearances clearly demonstrated his growing musical maturity.
Now he’s back with a new release on his own label, Big Reed Records, entitled “Big Boy”. As the subtitle “Some Recycled Blues and Other Somewhat Related Stuff” would suggest, this CD covers a wide stylistic spectrum, ranging from relatively conventional blues to jazz and world beat. Carlos is accompanied on this outing by a top-line band, of whom the excellent Kevin Breit on guitar, dobro, mandolin and mandola is especially worthy of mention. I won’t go into details about the individual titles except to say they are almost without exception highly listenable. The arrangements and the masterly interaction between the band members bear witness to professionals working together on a very high level. What captivated me from beginning to end, however, was Carlos’ unmistakable harmonica playing. Although Howard Levy is clearly still a major influence - see the (to my mind) slightly superfluous Levyish excursion through all 12 keys in the opening track, “Heaven’s Where You’ll Dwell” - Carlos has for the most part now stepped out of Howard’s shadow and speaks with a distinctive voice of his own. The precision and sensitivity with which he lays down his harmonica lines is without precedent in this music. At the same time his playing is both sensual and emotional, groovy and tasteful, with a tone which the majority of harp players would be happy to die for. This CD is a milestone of modern harmonica playing. It sets new standards for all comparable efforts and it sets them damnably high!
My only criticism is that Carlos’ vocals, while undoubtedly good, do not quite measure up to his brilliant harmonica work. As an instrumentalist,Carlos Del Junco is world class. I have no hesitation in saying he is my favorite living harmonica player. Buy this CD!
Steve
Baker
www.stevebaker.de
BIG
BOY Blues Review No. 46, April 1999
Oh,
terrific - another musical technician. Or is he?
In the blues, lightening - fast, pitch
perfect licks can't make up for a lack of basic gut level feeling for
the music. Only when these two aspects join do we find the musician
who raises his instrumental virtuosity to the next level.
Canadian harpist Carlos del Junco represents
the perfect juxtaposition of these two worlds. He's an astounding player
who has perfected a type of overblowing technique that gives his playing
a jazzy feel. del Junco has fashioned an electric album rooted in the
blues, but he's not afraid to merrily traipse into other territory.
Don't let his appropriation of a Taj Mahal album title or his offbeat
song explanations in his liner notes dissuade you. Though he describes
"Heddon Tadpolly Spook" as "a quirky ska hybrid instrumental soundtrack
for a Fellini film?", the cut is actually a jazz-blues mix that showcases
his amazing blowing style.
More than half the album is instrumental,
but when del Junco sings he projects an engaging "speaking" delivery
reminiscent of Little Charlie and the Nightcat's Rick Estrin. Whether
he's covering Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" or Ray Charles "Mess Around",
this award - winning musician (he was Maple Leaf Blues"Harmonica Player
of the Year Award) displays the kind of heartfelt emotional sincerity
only the most dedicated bluesmen possess. And though we could probably
do without another harmonica train song where the sound of the harp
mimics the gradual acceleration of a locomotive, del Junco pulls off
this blues cliche with such style, passion and lip-bending intensity
that it seems he could have originated the idea.
Not content to mimic the styles of icons
such as Little Walter, Paul Butterfield or Toots Thielemans, Carlos
del Junco has the chops and imagination to push the boundaries of blues
and to take the harmonica to new plateaus. And throughout BIG BOY, he
keeps the music's natural heart and soul intact.
Hal Horowitz
BIG
BOY Blues Access No.37, Spring 1999
(Catfish pick) Harmonica players will flip over one of the most unique harmonica voices in recent memory, blowing his way through a varied repertoire of blues, and as he puts it, "somewhat related stuff", which includes a ska fling, a Fats Waller tune and some "dawg" music with mandolins.
Catfish Whitey
"One listen to the man who bent his first notes on the harmonica at the age of fourteen and it's obvious he's in a class with such greats as Toots Theilmans, Paul Butterfield, and Howard Levy, who was an original member of Bela Fleck's Flecktones.".... ..."Skate through his recorded output and you'll find that del Junco is one of the most versatile and open-minded harmonica players to ever come down the line."
Peter North The Edmonton Journal
"...so few players, at least on record take advantage of the overblow technique, with the exception of Carlos del Junco...you want to know what I admire is exactly the kind of stuff he is doing. To my mind he has a touch that I could only dream of having, and I think of myself as having a pretty good touch, there is a just a level of control and subtlety that I think is exemplary, I love what he does..."Adam Gussow of Satan and Adam
BIG BOY RPM Weekly Dec. 7, 1998 The descriptive outline says Blues but the music played by harmonica maestro Carlos del Junco transcends all categorization into sheer artistry. His command of the instrument -- one that's far more difficult than one would believe -- is absolute. Here, he plays an eclectic programme of original and traditional and succeeds in both. His Sister Kate is down and naughty; his playing Waller's Jitterbug Waltz is quite simply a work of art worthy of comparison to Larry Adler. And those are just two out of thirteen excellent tracks. Mostly MAPL and muchly enjoyed, the album deserves much airplay and concomitant front racking. We have spoken.
CUSTOMER
REVIEWS on BIG BOY:
Avg.
Customer Review: 5 STARS
Carlos Del Junco Rewrites The Book, February 8, 2002
Reviewer: peter krampert (see more about me) from www.eharmonica.net
One of the great pleasures of doing research on the harmonica and the
players who have made it sound so good is that every so often I get
absolutely floored by a player. Someone who reachs so far beyond the
textbook way of playing that it makes the entire harmonica community
re-think the way it looks at the harmonica. Carlos Del Junco is such
a player.
Carlos is the student of harmonica revolutionary Howard Levy, the guru
of overblows. Carlos has taken the lessons he learned fro Levy and has
incorporated those ideas into the Blues. Blues harmonica has long stagnated
into a miasma of how Sonny Boy or Walter would have played. By introducing
Overblows and other new ways of thinking into the harmonica, Blues harmonica
can now enter the 21st century.
This CD presents an excellent sampling of what Carlos can do. It gives
us a few old favorites, a few original compositions and a few major
suprises, like when Del Junco plays in all 12 keys on a single harmonica,
built to play in only one key. Though I have attended several seminars
by Howard Levy and his disciples, my mind still boggles at those who
have the ability to think that far outside the box.
For those who want an idea of what potential a simple Blues harmonica
has, this is a definite must-have album.
Awesome!, January 19, 2002
Reviewer: An Amazon.com Customer from San Mateo, CA USA Saw this guy
at the Harmonica Blowout concert at Yoshi's in Oakland on 1/11/02. I've
been playing harp for 3 years - never heard of him. From his name I
was expecting a latin or south american influence. NOT! He's a white
guy from Toronto! I'm pretty sure he won 1st place in a recent International
Harmonica competition in BOTH Blues and Jazz categories.
Del Junco has a rare mix of incredible technical proficiency and musical
creativity. He uses a technique called "overblowing" which,
in addition to the more well-known "bending", allows virtually
all the notes of a chromatic scale to be played on a standard diatonic
harmonica. (The other well known artist known for this technique is
Howard Levy, whom I am told Del Junco studied under for 3 years.) This
is an elusive and difficult technique that most pros avoid. However
Del Junco plays them so proficiently that if you weren't trying to follow
along with his licks on your own harp, you'd never know - those notes
just aren't there!
But the technique is a means to an end, and the end in this case is
a set of songs with progressions you've never heard, which sound absolutely
terrific. I'm picky - but with this one album (and I have more on the
way) this guy has climbed right to the top of my "Harmonica God"
list.
He compliments the wonderful licks with a great voice, a good backup
band and a nice range of musical styles on a single album. This is a
must-buy for any harp fan.
Nearly Peerless, July 23, 2001
Reviewer: Stephen Kampa (see more about me) from Port Orange, FL USA
Carlos del Junco is one of the greatest harp (that's slang for "harmonica,"
for our non-harp-playing friends) players alive and actively playing.
del Junco melds the gritty, gutty emotion of blues players to the harmonic
prowess and lyrical creativity of jazz players with astonishing results.
Give "Jitterbug Waltz" or "Marjorie" a listen for
del Junco's sensitivity and restraint in playing, then check out "Mess
Around" and "Yul Brynner" for examples of del Junco's
ability to rock the house! If you love blues, harmonica, or adventurous
music of any type, give "Big Boy" a shot!
Top Rockin' Boogie and Blues, November 17, 2000
Reviewer: Michael Mayer (see more about me) from Annapolis, MD USA Where
has Carlos Del Junco been hiding? I can't believe he isn't better known.
This album showcases Del Junco's soaring, lyrical blues harmonica and
vocal work backed by some of the best sidemen in the business. Two classics,
Junco Partner and Mess Around are the best versions of these songs ever
recorded. Two others, Heddon Tadpolly Spook and A Funny Thing feature
beautiful in sync harp and guitar playing. This is CD is one of the
most exciting debuts of a new group since the Paul Butterfield Blues
Band. Get it and PLAY IT LOUD!
WHAT CRITIQUES HAVE SAID ABOUT JUST YOUR FOOL
"Blues for the present. Respecting traditions by innovators such as Little Walter and following that example, continuing to push and expand the boundaries of possibility for the blues idiom, harmonicist, vocalist Carlos del Junco and his band establish with Just Your Fool their place in the vanguard of contemporary blues musicians. Check it out."
David Bernard of CKLN - Blue Soul
"Harmonica virtuoso Carlos del Junco takes his instrument to new heights on this set of blues standards and originals." Words and Music Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers Canada (SOCAN) "Whatever the genre in music, if you're the best, let's hear it!. When del Junco puts that harmonica to his mouth, you know there are few harmonica players anywhere past or present that can drag blues around like this gifted young man can."
Eleanor Koldofsky The Listening Post
"It might seem pretty hard to make a harmonica sound sophisticated but del Junco pulls it off...del Junco has mapped out a fine discourse on blues harmonica playing and his handling of the harp leaves one breathless. This isn't some cheapened modern-day blues rip-off, this is the low-down, my-dog-just-died-and-my-house-burned-to-the-ground type of blues that the true Delta masters would smile upon."
Ron Rogers RPM Weekly
ARTICLES
HARMONICA
HERO CAN'T BE OVERBLOWN.
By Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail Wednesday, November 21, 2001
It
may be small and inconspicuous, but in the hands of Carlos del Junco,
the harmonica makes it big. TORONTO
-- It's a slow night at Blues on Bellair. The musicians on stage, Raoul
and the Big Time, swing with conviction, but their Hollywood jump blues
gather little height without a crowd to jump along with them. Sunday
evenings hold the come-down hours for the weekend, and the time is not
prime for live music. But
to play it in an intelligent manner, in a blues mode, the harmonica
can be fiendishly difficult to master. The art of bending notes -- lowering
pitch by changing the pressure exerted on the instrument's reeds --
comes into play, and it is not an easy thing to do. "A lot of people
struggle with it and never really learn to bend a note," according to
del Junco. "It's a tricky thing." To
the untrained ear, harmonica players might seem to be a rather generic
lot -- talented, yes, but indistinguishable from one another. One only
needs to look at the stable of Toronto honkers to see that it isn't
that way at all. What
separates del Junco from the rest is the use of a technique known as
"overblowing," which allows him to play chromatically, that is to say,
in all 12 keys, on a standard-issue harmonica designed to play in just
two or three. The technique, not common in the blues idiom, was originated
by jazz virtuoso Levy, who in turn taught del Junco. "I
should be getting back," del Junco tells me. He's answered all my questions,
and he'd love to talk some more, but the band is back on stage and he's
itching to join them. The big time, it seems, is calling.