Customer Reviews

Ain't Easy No More

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First of all, let me say I am picky and very opinionated. I won't buy just any blues album. I am an older guy who has loved blues and blues harp in particular, for most of my life. Within the blues harp genre, I have a HUGE preference for amplified harp: big, fat, blasting, deep, full and throaty. I don't have one favorite player in particular, but of course, the whole thing started with one man: Little Walter. From there, you go to James Cotton, George Smith, Big Walter, Junior Wells, and on to Paul Butterfield, Carey Bell, Sam Myers, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, William Clarke, Gary Smith, etc.. Today there are many very good players out there, and you can find many of them playing on the three separate collections called Blues Harp Blowouts, assembled by Mark Hummel.

Mark has long been a very important promoter and performer in the blues harp world; he's probably done more to keep this music alive than anyone. He has released many albums over the years, and this is one of his better efforts, right up there with Blowin' My Horn. I would strongly recommend either one. There are several traits which distinguish MH's playing from that of the many other fine blues harpists: he has one of the biggest and heaviest tones I've ever heard, and he blows and bends in the higher registers as well as anyone. His mastery of holes #7-10 is absolutely unsurpassed (I wish I knew how he did it!!) Furthermore, he is a giant on the chromatic. Blues-wise, the only player who might possibly exceed him in his breadth of technique and capability is Rod Piazza. It seems like every blues harp player feels obligated on each album to include an acoustic harp number--which I could do without--but the one on this record is not bad. Also, there are a minimum of what I would call "cutesy" numbers here; most are straightahead blues, which is Mark's strength. His vocals are fine, and he gets the job done. Anyway, it's his harp blowing that we want to hear.

All-in-all an above average release from Mark.

West Coast harmonica wizard Mark Hummel has been increasing his visibility with his annual blues harmonica packages which have brought together a number of harmonica legends and led to several outstanding CDs documenting the tours. The shows are anchored around Hummel and his fine band of guitarist Charlie Wheal, bassist Steve Wolf and drummer Marty Dodson. Electro-Fi has just issued Hummel's Third album for the label, Ain't Easy No More, that will delight his fans and blues harp fans. A mixture of Hummel's originals and some choice rearrangements of previously recorded blues, Hummel impresses most as a harp player and his band (augmented by horns on several tracks) is terrific supporting him. Hummel also writes some strong originals, including the topical "Big Easy (Ain't Easy No More)," based on his reaction to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Hummel is a pleasant vocalist but his delivery does not match the outrage of the lyrics here nor does he have the forcefulness to be completely convincing on Muddy Waters' She's Got It. But on other tracks his delivery works better and there is really little to fault listening to his reworking of a Ray Charles jump blues "Get on the Right Track," and a couple of fine Eddie Boyd songs," You Got to Reap" and "Blues is Here to Stay." Harp features include his originals "Harpoventilating," and "Bird Brain," and Little Sonny's "The Creeper Returns," all of which showcase his driving, full-bodied playing. Overall quite a fine album and my quibbles about his vocals on a couple tracks should not be taken too far as his vocals are easy to take. Recommended highly.

Mark Hummel is one of my favorite blues artists. If you like rocking harp, you'll like this.