Mitch Kashmar
Photo by Dusty Blues
So after listening to Kevin Selfe’s album last night and thinking about Mitch Kashmar lending his harp prowess to the album, made me feel like listening to a little Mitch Kashmar tonight!. So on my way back from the DMV I put on the Mitch Kashmar and Pontiax album 100 Miles and listened to several tracks. Once again I will say, by writing this blog and concentrating on finding and listening to new music, I don’t get enough time to listen to some of my favorites, and Mitch is one of them! He is a great blues artist and boy can he wail on harp. And I am not the only one with that opinion! “Mitch Kashmar is my absolute favorite blues harp player of his generation, and one of my favorites period! He’s also a first-class vocalist – his singing really knocks me out.” – William Clarke “Mitch was only 19 when I first heard him and he sounded good even then. These days, oh man, is he tough!”– Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds From his page at Delta Groove Productions:
Mitch’s blues harp playing is second to none for creativity, drive and excitement. And he’s also just as witty and imaginative in the role of songwriter. He’s shared the stage with some of the biggest names in blues over the years with Stevie Ray Vaughan paying him the ultimate compliment given from one musician to another: “Can I sit in?” Moving on to a solo career recording “Crazy Mixed-Up World” in ’99, Kashmar started making a name for himself and touring with his own band but it wasn’t until his 2005 effort “Nickels & Dimes”, featuring guitar great Junior Watson on Delta Groove Music’s label, that his stock really began to rise. Kashmar was recognized two consecutive years in a row by the Blues Music Awards with nominations in 2006 as Best New Artist Debut and followed in 2007 as Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. Full Bio at Delta Groove
So let’s go “Into the Night” with the aforementioned “Nickels and Dimes” from Mitch and the Igor Prado Trio at the IX International Harp Festival!