Help from Doneganophiles Please!

Subject: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: eddie1
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 12:44 PM

I found a track on the Internet called simply, "Harmonica Blues - Donegan"

http://www.andmas.co.uk/jukemusic/skiffle_4/skiffle_4.htm

The line-up is harmonica (well of course), very well played acoustic guitar and double bass.
I'm assuming it was Lonnie playing guitar - he was a lot better than most folks realised but would like to know the other two musicians. Any ideas?

Eddie

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Rasener
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 01:09 PM

I think that the harmonica was played by Cyril Davies.
Could it have been Jim Bray or Chris Barber on Bass?

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: eddie1
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 01:19 PM

Thanks Villan - Barber would figure - early Donegan Skiffle Group and all! Didn't know the Cyril Davies connection though.

Eddie

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Leadbelly
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 01:38 PM

Might be Jim Bray as well because sleeve picture of "As good as it gets" shows Jim on bass.

Manfred

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST,Captain Colin
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 01:48 PM

Chris Barber on harmonica and Jim Bray on bass Eddie. The composers were Barber/Donegan.

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Leadbelly
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 02:03 PM

That's it, Captain Colin. Recorded on May 19, 1955 (I.B.C. Studios, London).
Other tracks from this session: Midnight Special, When the sun goes down, New buryin' ground and Worried man blues.

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Rasener
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 02:13 PM

Well I thought Cyril Davies was used for harmonica, but teher you go. :-)

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: eddie1
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 03:23 PM

Whatever it is, if you want to know it, try Mudcat!
Thanks gentlemen.

Eddie

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 17 Mar 08 - 03:32 PM

I wondered if it might have been Brian Brocklehurst, who was the resident bass player on Country Meets [swamps] Folk, and he was also on a couple of tracks with Dave Cousins from the Strawbs. When the Strawbs/Strawberry Hill Boys ran their club in Hounslow at the White Bear, Donegan used to show up there occasionally. So I put 2 and 2 together and made 5 again ;)
I do remember Cyril Davies from the days of Eel Pie Island.

G

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 18 Mar 08 - 06:41 AM

Hello folks,

Information about this is available from the horse's mouth, in an interview on the Cyril Davis web page. find it here

http://www.cyrildavies.com/Barber.html

Roger Trower (who he?) says to Chris Barber: "I have the recordings you made in 53-56 with Ken Colyer and your own band which have been released on Lake. They included your harmonica blues solo with Lonnie Donegan. It was recorded at the same times as the Backstairs Session EP which came out on Nixa on 1955. What introduced you to the harmonica as something you wanted to play…was it from a visit to Chicago?"

Barber replied: "What interested me in the harmonica was the records I had of Sonny Terry, Sleepy John Estes, Jazz Gillum and Sonny Boy Williamson I, etc. We did not have anybody among the band who played harp so I had a go at it. Of course, I didn't know about the sucking to produce bent notes so it doesn't sound really bluesy - so I gave up the attempt."

My own copy of the "Backstairs Session" EP is long gone. I recall only one track on it featuring harmonica, the blues "In the Evening". It sounded as though the player was using a chromatic harp, and getting the blue notes with the slide, rather than by breath control, which tallies with what Chris says in the interview.

Mystery solved?

Wassail!

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Rasener
Date: 18 Mar 08 - 08:26 PM

Yes it was Chris Barber.
I e-mailed Paul Leegan who is Lonnies official tribute band and he confirmed that it was Chris Barber.

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST,Sue Allan
Date: 19 Mar 08 - 07:31 AM

I wonder if the Paul Henry who now plays with the Donegan tribute band is the same one who went to Trent Park College with me in early 1970s ... he was an ace guitarist. I remember he hailed originally from Swindon. Any Mudcatters know anything about Paul Henry?

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST,Jan
Date: 19 Mar 08 - 04:02 PM

Hi I have just been speaking to Paul Henry, he is my son's lecturer in Swindon College, we went in for parent's evening. Best regards Jan

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST,Sue Allan
Date: 01 Apr 08 - 07:45 AM

Hi Jan,

thanks for that (sorry for v. belated reply ... I lost the thread after not viewing Mudcat for a couple of weeks!) I may well try to get in contact with Paul then (assuming it's the same Paul Henry) as there's a college reunion scheduled for later this year and he may be interested in coming.

Sye

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST,mild t
Date: 02 Apr 08 - 10:02 PM

Hi folks - Roger Trobridge is the Chairman of the N.H.L. (The UK's National Harmonica League) http://harmonica.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 08 - 07:55 PM

paul henry is a legend!

Subject: RE: Help from Doneganophiles Please!
From: Flash Company
Date: 06 Apr 08 - 10:46 AM

No, John Henry is a legend, Paul Henry is a guitarist!

I'll get me coat!

FC