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William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl)

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1 LP (gatefold sleeve), lined inside pocket. 10 tracks. Total playing time approx. 42 minutes.... more

William Clarke: Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl)

1 LP (gatefold sleeve), lined inside pocket. 10 tracks. Total playing time approx. 42 minutes.
 
William Clarke (1951 - 1996) ranks alongside Rod Piazza among the most successful harmonica players from the George 'Harmonica' Smith school in Los Angeles.
He is regarded as the master of an extremely "fat" tone and a playing style that is reminiscent of saxophone virtuosos at times.
First vinyl retrospective spanning almost his entire and much too short career.
Studio recordings, most of which had been posthumously released on now long deleted CDs on the small Watch Dog label.
Including a previously unreleased studio recording from the 1990s.
Compiled by producer and harmonica player Bob Corritore, who also wrote the liner notes.
Carefully remastered by Tom Meyer and pressed by Optimal media, 180-gram edition in a gatefold sleeve, limited to 1.000 copies.

After some tough early years in which he managed to stay afloat with mostly poorly paid gigs in small clubs and only occasionally came out of Los Angeles or Southern California, William Clarke (March 21, 1951 - November 2, 1996) signed with the famous Alligator Records label. With his debut album 'Blowin' Like Hell' for the Chicago blues factory, the West Coast's blues secret became an endlessly touring international star of the scene! 

With 'Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp' we pay tribute and respect to one of the greatest harmonica stylists. As an instrumentalist William Clarke was strongly influenced by George 'Harmonica' Smith, a Chicago contemporary of Little Walter and Walter Horton. Smith came to Los Angeles for a recording session in 1956 and settled on the West Coast. Similar to his iconic idol Smith, from whom he learned a lot of tricks in countless joint appearances, Clarke was equally at home on the cross harmonica as on the chromatic. The combination of Chicago-style harmonica and the cool groove and swing of West Coast blues and jazz met the open ears of blues fans all over the world. On his first album 'Hittin' Heavy' he is accompanied by Hollywood Fats on guitar, later recording sessions include Ronnie Earl, Junior Watson, Rick Holmstrom and Alex Schultz a.m.o. 

Bob Corritore, for many years a prolific blues musician and first-class harp player, producer and influencer, has compiled this album and written the liner notes for Bear Family. With this release, we would like to pay tribute to one of the West Coast's greatest blues men, who had to lay down his instruments far too early in 1996.

Article properties: William Clarke: Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl)

  • Interpret: William Clarke

  • Album titlle: Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl)

  • Genre Blues

  • Label Bear Family Records

  • Preiscode BAF
  • Geschwindigkeit 33 U/min
  • Vinyl record size LP (12 Inch)
  • Record Grading Mint (M)
  • Sleeve Grading Mint (M)
  • Vinyl weight 180g Vinyl
  • Edition 2 Deluxe Edition
  • Artikelart LP

  • EAN: 5397102180545

  • weight in Kg 0.3
Clarke, William - Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) LP 1
01 Let's Celebrate Life (Gone) William Clarke
02 Home Is Where The Heart Is William Clarke
03 Chromatic Jump William Clarke
04 Coming Home To My Baby William Clarke
05 Must Be Jelly William Clarke
06 That Ain't The Way To Do It William Clarke
07 I Got My Bags Packed William Clarke
08 Hittin' Heavy William Clarke
09 When I Get Drunk William Clarke
10 Tribute To George Smithm William Clarke
William Clarke Born on March 29, 1951 in Inglewood, California, William Clarke the son of a... more
"William Clarke"

William Clarke

Born on March 29, 1951 in Inglewood, California, William Clarke the son of a working class family, decided in 1987 to devote himself entirely to his music, quit his job as a mechanic, and spent the following ten years touring the USA and Europe.

With his ultra-human tone, his perfect fusion of Chicago-style blues with the swing and groove of the West Coast, he quickly found his way into the hearts of blues fans worldwide. As a harmonica player, he established himself alongside Charlie Musselwhite and Rod Piazza as one of the most influential blues stylists of the West Coast. He was not only a master of cross-harp playing. Above all his playing technique on the chromatic and his dynamics caused enthusiasm.

Clarke had come to the blues through the bands of the British Invasion, especially the Rolling Stones. Towards the end of the sixties he ventured onto the stages in and around Los Angeles as a harmonica player. At that time the metropolis in Southern California was home to great blues musicians like Pee Wee Crayton, Big Joe Turner, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson, Big Mama Thornton or T-Bone Walker. But it was above all one of the outstanding harmonica virtuosos from Chicago who fascinated him most: George 'Harmonica' Smith, along with Little Walter, Walter Horton, Snooky Pryor and Junior Wells, is one of the best exponents of an early electric harmonica style from Chicago. In 1956 Smith came to the West Coast for a recording session for the Los Angeles-based RPM label and soon thereafter relocated his life to the south of California. 

 

Jeanette Lodovici (William Clarkes Witwe)

 

"I think you did a wonderful job on the LP. I want to thank you for believing in my late husband. My promise to Bill was that I keep his name alive ... he wanted to be remembered ... this LP will certainly help with that.❤   The packaging is just great. I have not been able to listen to it yet because I do not have a turntable at this time. But I will get one and I am sure I will enjoy listening to this."
Jeanette Lodovici, William Clarke's widow, July 9, 2019.

 

George Smith is to be owed the beautiful fusion of the hard beat from Chicago with the cool jazz groove of the music scene in L.A.. He first inspired Rod Piazza, born in 1947 in Riverside, California, who was one of the first young white West Coast musicians to record for the renowned BluesWay label with his Dirty Blues Band in 1967 and then led a band with George 'Harmonica' Smith under the name Bacon Fat.

From 1977 until Smith's death in 1983, Clarke worked with the Chicago blues legend and they made some recordings together. Before joining the successful Chicago label Alligator Records in 1990, William Clarke recorded five albums on his own between 1978 and 1988. Charming recordings, but one listens to the precarious financial circumstances under which they were made. During this time he worked part-time as an accompanist for Luke 'Long Gone' Miles, Smokey Wilson and others. He remained an insider tip, but nevertheless he became a living legend in the sworn community of the hard as nails blues fans 

With the signing of his contract with Alligator and the release of the new album ’Blowin' Like Hell’, Clarke's life turned upside down. He played more than 250 shows a year, toured constantly and recorded three more great albums for Bruce Iglauer's Alligator label.

Life in the fast lane eventually took its toll and led to severe health problems. After collapsing during a show on stage in Indianapolis, Clarke lived more consciously and healthily. But it was obviously too late. On November 2, 1996, he died after a last performance in Fresno, California. He was only 45 years old. With the death of Clarke, the blues world lost an exceptional artist, one of the best harmonicas players of all time, a virtuoso with perhaps the richest sound on this small instrument, an outstanding songwriter and a genius musician who merged the so different blues worlds from the far north and the deep south into his own thing like no other.

- Detlev Hoegen, May 2019

 

 

 

Né le 29 mars 1951 à Inglewood, Californie, William Clarke, fils d'une famille ouvrière, décide en 1987 de se consacrer entièrement à sa musique, quitte son emploi de mécanicien et passe les dix années suivantes en tournée aux Etats-Unis et en Europe.

 

Avec sa sonorité ultra-humaine, sa fusion parfaite du blues à la Chicago-style avec le swing et le groove de la côte ouest, il a rapidement trouvé sa place dans le cœur des fans de blues du monde entier. En tant qu'harmoniciste, il s'est imposé aux côtés de Charlie Musselwhite et Rod Piazza comme l'un des stylistes de blues les plus influents de la côte ouest. Il n'était pas seulement un maître du jeu des guimbardes. Surtout sa technique de jeu sur le chromatique et sa dynamique ont suscité l'enthousiasme.

 

Clarke était venu au blues par les groupes de l'invasion britannique, en particulier les Rolling Stones. Vers la fin des années soixante, il s'aventure sur les scènes de Los Angeles et des environs en tant qu'harmoniciste. À cette époque, la métropole du sud de la Californie abritait de grands musiciens de blues comme Pee Wee Crayton, Big Joe Turner, Eddie'Cleanhead' Vinson, Big Mama Thornton ou T-Bone Walker. Mais c'est surtout l'un des grands virtuoses de l'harmonica de Chicago qui l'a le plus fasciné : George'Harmonica' Smith, avec Little Walter, Walter Horton, Snooky Pryor et Junior Wells, est l'un des meilleurs représentants d'un premier style d'harmonica électrique de Chicago. En 1956, Smith est venu sur la côte ouest pour une session d'enregistrement pour le label RPM basé à Los Angeles et peu après, il a déménagé sa vie dans le sud de la Californie. 

George Smith doit la belle fusion du hard beat de Chicago avec le groove cool du jazz de la scène musicale de Los Angeles. Il a d'abord inspiré Rod Piazza, né en 1947 à Riverside, en Californie, qui fut l'un des premiers jeunes musiciens blancs de la côte ouest à enregistrer pour le célèbre label BluesWay avec son Dirty Blues Band en 1967 et a ensuite dirigé un groupe avec George'Harmonica' Smith sous le nom Bacon Fat.

 

De 1977 jusqu'à la mort de Smith en 1983, Clarke a travaillé avec la légende du blues de Chicago et a fait quelques enregistrements ensemble. Avant de rejoindre le label à succès Alligator Records de Chicago en 1990, William Clarke a enregistré cinq albums entre 1978 et 1988. Charmants enregistrements, mais on écoute les conditions financières précaires dans lesquelles ils ont été réalisés. Pendant ce temps, il a travaillé à temps partiel comme accompagnateur pour Luke'Long Gone' Miles, Smokey Wilson et d'autres. Il est resté un tuyau d'initié, mais il est néanmoins devenu une légende vivante dans la communauté jurée des fans de hard as nails blues.

 

Avec la signature de son contrat avec Alligator et la sortie du nouvel album ‚Blowin' Like Hell’, la vie de Clarkes est bouleversée. Il a joué plus de 250 spectacles par année, fait des tournées constantes et enregistré trois autres albums pour le label Alligator de Bruce Iglauer.

 

La vie sur la voie rapide a fini par faire des ravages et a entraîné de graves problèmes de santé. Après s'être effondré lors d'un spectacle sur scène à Indianapolis, Clarke a vécu plus consciemment et plus sainement. Mais c'était manifestement trop tard. Le 2 novembre 1996, il meurt après une dernière représentation à Fresno, en Californie. Il n'avait que 45 ans. Avec la mort de Clarke, le monde du blues a perdu un artiste exceptionnel, l'un des meilleurs harmonicas de tous les temps, un virtuose au son peut-être le plus riche de ce petit instrument, un auteur-compositeur hors pair et un musicien de génie qui a fusionné les univers si différents du blues du Grand Nord et du Grand Sud dans son propre style comme aucun autre.

- Detlev Hoegen, mai 2019

 

 

 

Review 3
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Customer evaluation for "Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl)"
4 Oct 2019

Great album

20 Jul 2019

William's widow Jeanette to carefully choose the 10 wonderful songs and to get inside perspective from which to write the liner notes

When Germany's famed Bear Family Records asked Bob Corritore to help compile a collectors limited edition LP by late West Coast harmonica master William Clarke, the answer was an absolute yes! Bob worked closely with William's widow Jeanette to carefully choose the 10 wonderful songs and to get inside perspective from which to write the liner notes. Bear Family records is known as an industry leader for its flawless production. The end result is for you to judge.

4 Jul 2019

Sounds good

Sehr gute Klangqualität. Genialer Harp-Spieler

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Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - Living Blues magazine (US)
Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - Living Blues magazine (US) Even a cursory survey of the obituaries and tributes that circulated after William Clarke's untimely passing in late 1996 reveals one consistent theme: Clarke was perceived by fans and critics alike as one of the very best harmonica players to ever master the instrument. The blues world is no stranger to hyperbole, for sure, but the praise for Clarke's artistry was (and still is) clearly merited. His dexterous style could oscillate between as-sertive and aggressive to sweet and subtle as the song required, and his rich, fat tone—es-pecially when blowing through amplification equipment—established a benchmark that few have matched. Clarke, a native of Southern California, released several indie label recordings during the late 1970s and 1980s, a time where he honed his craft, as Rod Piazza had before him, under the tutelage of George "Harmoni-ca" Smith. But it wasn't until his partnership with Alligator Records in the 1990s that Clarke started to garner national and international at-tention.
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Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - musicstreetjournal
Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - musicstreetjournal William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (vinyl) Review by Gary Hill The new LP is a compilation of music from a killer blues artist who was not well-known outside certainly circles. It includes a host of studio recordings along with a live track. There are some definite rarities here. That's true in part because his music is out of print and was never widely released, but also because there is one track that's previously unreleased. There is a healthy mix of blues and jazz here. While the recordings here are not of modern quality expectations, they sound good and really do represent the era in which they were released. The records if a heavy vinyl album with a gatefold sleeve. Overall, this is a great product that's well worth having for blues harp fan
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Tracklist
Clarke, William - Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) LP 1
01 Let's Celebrate Life (Gone)
02 Home Is Where The Heart Is
03 Chromatic Jump
04 Coming Home To My Baby
05 Must Be Jelly
06 That Ain't The Way To Do It
07 I Got My Bags Packed
08 Hittin' Heavy
09 When I Get Drunk
10 Tribute To George Smithm