Time: 36:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Harmonica Blues, Instrumental
Art: Front
01. Sly Dog (3:31)
02. Corta Jaca (3:20)
03. Crawfish Stomp (4:03)
04. Tilt-A-Whirl (3:34)
05. Slippers And Boots (4:14)
06. Big Breaths (6:05)
07. 81°f (3:18)
08. Up In The Sky (3:39)
09. Sphere Dance (4:54)
Blowing through the diatonic harmonica, Russian born and bred Ilya Portnov musically visits various American juke joints with a sweat team of Kid Anderson/g-b, Chris Burns/p-key, June Core/dr Endre Tarczy/b and Ben Andrews/g-vi. The result is a foot stomping blues fest, with Portnov wailing with a humming Hammond for “Sly Dog” and a pounding “Sphere Dance” as well as a nifty and lyrical waltz during a gracious “Slippers and Boots.” The team supplies a happy Mercy Beat on a 60’s “Corta Jaca” with a South Side of Chicago take of a boogaloo-ing “Tilt-a-Whirl” and a deep “81 degrees F.” Portnov gets funky with the keyboards on “Up In The Sky” and does a nice New Orleans swing for the easy “Crawfish Stomp.” Portnov’s harp breathes easy. ~George W. Harris
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