MITCH KASHMAR "LIVE AT LABATT" Source: Dr. Blues Date: 03/2009 Writer: Dr. Blues

Mitch Kashmar-man this cat can blow.  Kashmar gails and nor’easters like the greatly missed bigman, William Clarke did.  He swings large, gets tastily jazzed and keeps the flame alive for superb harpistry.  This particular CD was recorded live at the 2007 Labatt’s Blues Festival in Edmonton.  Kashmar’s West Coast sound isn’t surprising given his birth in Santa Barbara, CA which is also home to the USA’s first and oldest Blues Society.  From his seat at the helm of the Pontiax, regional fame led to Eurotours and records as well as backing everyone from Johnny Adams, John Lee Hooker, Lowell Fulson, Albert Collins, PeeWee Crayton, etc.  His harp transcended blues, leading to a position in the 70s funk-rock band WAR.  The present set was backed by his long time Pontiax band and it cooks from end to end.  Long jams, emotive singing and smoking solos were the order of the day.  Songs include stuff from his 2 studio CDs with 3 fine Kashmar compositions along with songs by Bessie Smith/Lionel Hampton/Leonard Feather, Mel London and Horace Silver, to name a few.  Supporting the rocking rhythms and blowing is the sublime axe of John Marx (he formerly backed William Clarke), who is equal to the task without a doubt.  Jimmy Calire greases the skids with fat and tasty B-3.  Opening with non-stop swinging via “I Got No Reason” the attitude morphs into the slow burn of “Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman”  and later you move on to “Evil Man” which was originally recorded as “Evil Gal Blues” by Bessie Smith.  It’s menace is then cooled by the jazz licks of Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father” with extreme taste. “You’re the One” shuffles and jitters with energy, “Lollipop Mama” is a fine tribute to Mr. Clarke and the disk wraps with a driving “Castle Rock.”  All told, Mitch Kashmar is keeping the West Coast harp groove tight, in the pocket and hot.