Living Country Blues Vol.1 - Bowling Green John & Harmonica Phil Wiggins (Full Album)
Cephas & Wiggins were an American acoustic blues duo, composed of the guitarist John Cephas (September 4, 1930– March 4, 2009) and the harmonica player Phil Wiggins (born May 8, 1954). They were known for playing Piedmont blues.
Both musicians were born in Washington D.C. Cephas, who was 24 years older than Wiggins, grew up in Bowling Green, Virginia. They first met at a jam session at the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife in 1976 and played together in Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis's band. When Ellis died, they decided to continue as a duo.
In 1980, Cephas & Wiggins were recorded by the German archivists Siegfried Christmann and Axel Kustner. These recordings, their first as a duo, were released the following year as a part of the Living Country Blues USA series on the German label L+R.[8] They also appeared around Washington, D.C., with the Travelling Blues Workshop, which included John Jackson, Archie Edwards, Flora Molton, and Mother Scott.
Their first U.S. release, the album Dog Days of August, was issued by Flying Fish Records in 1986.
Cephas was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in 1989.
Two more albums followed from Flying Fish. After they left the label, they released one album for the New York–based Chesky Records and four albums for Alligator Records. They toured extensively, primarily courtesy of the sponsorship of the United States Department of State.[4] They released the album Richmond Blues on Folkways Records in 2008.
Cephas died of natural causes on March 4, 2009. He was 78.
Vinyl Releasedate: 2014 Okt 31
Artist: Bowling Green John & Harmonica Phil Wiggins
Title: Living Country Blues USA Vol.1
Kat.Nr.: LR713116
Format: 12" Vinyl
Label: L+R Records
EAN: 4003099713116
Introducing Bowling Green John & Harmonica Phil Wiggins
What is so remarkable about the duo is their intensive commitment to the black Blues and Gospel tradition — without diminishing the quality or spontaneity of their performances.
By hearing John Cerpas with his guitar one quickly gets impressed by the power of his playing. Deeply rooted in the so-called “Piedmont” Blues tradition of the East Coast, ragtime influence and complex rhythms produce a strong emphasis on melody — much in contrast to the harsh Mississippi Blues with its hard beat and drive.
When recording this album Phil Wiggins was 26 years old and despite his young age he already could be rated as one of the top Blues harp players.
Influences include Hammie Nixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and Shakey Hotton. He played alongside Flora Molton, Archie Edwards, Big Chief Ellis, the late Esther Mae “Mother” Scott and John Jackson as well as jamming with such well known Blues veterans as Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Shines and Louisiana Red — shaping his technique to perfection, be it in the Country Blues or with amplified harp in the best Chicago tradition.
Living Country Blues USA is a series of albums on L+R Records. The material was collected by German Blues experts Siegfried A. Christmann and Axel Küstner on an extended trip thru the south of the USA in the fall of 1980, in the form of so-called "Field-Recordings" — recordings made in the natural surroundings of the artists and not in the studio. Travelling 10.000 miles (16.000 km) by car in 2 1/2 months, they used 180.000 feet (54 km) of tape and took hundreds of photographs to document various aspects of Country Blues, as well as work songs, fife and drum band music, field hollers and rural Gospel music, performed by 35 artists, some of whom appear on record for the first time.
Side 1
01 Black Rat Swing 5’00
02 Eyesight To The Blind 4’10
03 Guitar & Harmonica Rag 3’09
O4 Rising River Blues 3’57
O5 I´m A Pilgrim 3’00
06 Chicken Can´t Roost Too High For Me 2’38
Side2
01 I Ain´t Got No Lovin´ Baby Now 4’48
02 West Carey Street Blues 5’35
03 Richmond Blues 3’15
04 Pony Blues 4’06
05 Goin´ Down The Road Feelin´ Bad 4’04
Format:
180 gr Vinyl + MP3 Download
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