#128 in The Need To Know Badass Blues Instrumentals Series, 733 Boylston, features the harp playing of Boston music legend, James Montgomery. In 1973 James' track Train was played every day at lunchtime on WBCN for more than a year. I remember riding my bike down Commonwealth Avenue and seeing The James Montgomery Band playing the quadrangle at James' alma mater Boston University. (I would also get to see Aerosmith and George Thorogood in that same quad) Upon graduating, James was offered a $15,000 a year job at BU but turned it down for a $250,000 contract with Capricorn Records and an opportunity to go on the road opening for the Allman Brothers Band. James had already had a taste of the road fronting the Colwell-Winfield Blues Band on a tour supporting Janis Joplin. The adventures haven't stopped since; James has played with B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Bonnie Raitt, Steven Tyler just to name a few. As a band leader, he's been a sort of John Mayall of the Boston Blues Scene, having had a bunch of great musicians "graduate" and go on to successful careers, including Billy Squier, Wayne Kramer (MC-5) Jim McCarty (Mitch Ryder), Jeff Golub (Rod Stewart), Nunzio Signore (Bo Diddley), Jeff Pevar (Ray Charles, CS&N), and my favorite, bassist David Hull (Buddy Miles, Aerosmith). I hope you'll enjoy this childhood fantasy of mine having James guest on this tribute to the legendary Paul's Mall/Jazz Workshop located at 733 Boylston St. Boston MA. I think it's wicked pissah!
The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Stevie Wonder) on drums and myself on bass and additional guitar. The basics were recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. James' session was engineered by Jack Gauthier at Lake West Studios in Rhode Island. Mellifluously mixed and mastered by the infamous F-Bomb.
The backing band on this track is Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker 1984-2001) on rhythm guitar, Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Stevie Wonder) on drums and myself on bass and additional guitar. The basics were recorded at Skunkworks in Capitola CA. James' session was engineered by Jack Gauthier at Lake West Studios in Rhode Island. Mellifluously mixed and mastered by the infamous F-Bomb.
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