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No Border Blues
I met Johnny Burgin in Memphis five years ago. He was on tour with his buddy Quique Gómez, a fabulous harmonica player and singer from Spain. Quique introduce me to Johnny.
And after Memphis I flew to Chicago, then again I met these guys there! I went to see Johnny’s gig in Chicago including Chicago Blues Festival ( he was playing with Lazy Lester) and found his great guitar playing and singing.
2 years ago Johnny asked me to set up a few gigs for him during his Japan tour. So I did one in Kobe and one in Osaka. The very first time to play with him for a sound check, When I began playing backing guitar,
he soon turned to me and said “ Wow you play your rhythm guitar just like black guys do! I like it!” It surprised me very much because I’ve never thought that way and his words made me so happy. ( Thanks Johnny!)
Our 2 shows went very well and many audiences came to see him. Johnny was amazing. He was like a guitar kid, he seemed he could play the guitar all night long till morning. I could see he still had a great pleasure, passion and happiness when he played his guitar and sang blues, just like a kid grabbed a guitar for the first time, pure as a kid.
Next year, I was so happy when his producer Stephanie Tice and John asked me to play for his new recording with other Japanese Blues Musicians. He wrote a new song for me and I learned it We, musicians from Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Tokyo did all recordings in one day at Fukuda Studio in Osaka.It was a long but exciting day. Every players there enjoyed the recording with him.
And a year after, it came out from Japanese biggest blues label P-Vine and the world famous blues label Delmark. I’ve never imagined that I would be a part of a CD which is from DELMARK!!!
I really hope this album goes out all around the world, yes, internationally and people recognize BLUES which was born in the US and the root of every music now has been spread and alive by blues lovers and musicians over the world. Blues beyond the border…No Border Blues.
Nacomi Tanaka 2020.6.17
No Border Blues
KOTEZ
Born in Tokyo in 1971.
Q:自分についての紹介
A:小学生のときから好きだった日本のRockBand｢RC SUCCESSION｣のVocal｢Kiyoshiro Imawano｣の影響で17才のときからBluesHarpをはじめる。
Q:自分の音楽史
A:21才のときにHarmonicaContest(F.I.H. Japan)で優勝。2001年、ピアニストのヤンシーと｢KOTEZ&YANCY｣でデビュー、Dr.John、Buddy Guy、Otis Rushなどのオープニングアクトをつとめる。2007年、｢blues.the-butcher-590213｣を結成、JamesGadsonと共演。Solomon Burkeのオープニングアクトをつとめる。2009年、ハーモニカの世界的ブランド｢鈴木楽器｣endorse契約。現在は年間220本のギグで日本全国で活動する。
Q:ブルースは自分のとって何か
A:音楽の基本、生活の糧、生きる上でのバイブル
Q:Johnnyとの出会い
A:知人を介して、1996年Johnny&SugarBrown(KenKawashima)の日本公演ではじめて出会い、ギグを数本共演。
Q:どうやってこのレコーディングに参加することになったか
A:2018年Johnny来日公演の東京エリアをピアニストLeeKanehiraとサポート。大成功をおさめ、2019年必然的な流れによりJohnnyとレコーディング。
I started playing the 10 hole so called blues harmonica when I was 17.
I met Johnny in 1996, I think it was inevitable That we would record together
I have a music passport that can take you anywhere in the world with this “No Border Blues”
Made my first album debut with singer songwriter and piano player YANCY in 2001. ｢KOTEZ&YANCY｣
Currently, I play regularly with KOTEZ ＆ YANCY and blues.the-butcher-590213.
I Also play and record with various artists and teach the wonders of the harmonica.
I enjoy my established reputation as a funky, melodic harmonica player with a high tone soulful voice.
My main harmonica is A
SUZUKI’s 10hole DIATONIC MANJI M-20.
Nacomi Tanaka 2020.6.17
No Border Blues
I started to play classical piano in my childhood. After graduating from a music college, I met and fell in love with the blues through the music of Memphis Slim and Sunnyland Slim. Since then I taught myself and have been devoted to playing the blues piano.
I’ve been visiting Chicago since 2008, where I got to know and play with great musicians such as Billy Flynn, Kenny”Beedy Eyes”Smith, Johnny Burgin ,Shoji Naito and The Cash Box Kings etc. My main influences are Leroy Carr, Big Maceo, Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, Pinetop Perkins and Barrelhouse Chuck.
I met Johnny for the first time in Chicago. I saw him playing several times but didn’t get to play together. I always liked his passionate guitar playing. Few years ago, Kotez asked me to play as a backup member of Johnny in Tokyo. Then I could finally play with him, and we all had a great time! The recording session for No Border Blues in Osaka was so much fun as well.
I’m so honored to be part of this album. I hope it will be heard by many people from all over the world.
Blues never die!!
Lee Kanehira 2020.6.17
No Border Blues
I came to Chicago in 1991. I met Johnny somewhere on the west side of Chicago shortly after. He was my inspiration and has been a really good friend of mine ever since.
I was playing with Johnny B. Moore from 1993 to 1997. was playing with Billy Branch & Sons of Blues from 2000 to 2006.
played with Wabi Blues project, Taildragger and many more. Currently playing with Mary Lane & No Static Blues Band, Liz Mandeville & Blue Points, and Win Noll & Rocking Soul.
Minoru Maruyama 2020.6.17
No Border Blues
The blues never stop attracting me. Even though it was born in a far country, I could feel something harsh but warm from the blues always from the beggining.
I started harmonica playing at the age of 19. Those my younger seasons, day after day I eagerly listened to Little Walter,Sunny Boy Williamson, James Cotton, and other old blues records,and continued to try to steal some secrets of their harmonica . As time goes by, I feel like I finally got a little of my own sound,but even now I continue to seek the secrets of them, Blues Harmonica giants.A relationship with Johnny Burgin has been started by doing gig with him in Kyoto when he visited Japan for the second time. I have played with him several times since then, and I want to play with him more.
I was so happy participating in the “No Border Blues”project. I would like to thank Johnny and producer Stephanie Tice for their friendship and love for the blues.
Nogio Kazu 2020.6.17
No Border Blues
京都出身
まず初めに。今回、このアルバムに参加できたことをとても嬉しく思っています。関わってくださった皆さんに感謝しています。
私は10歳からdrumsを始め、全国各地で演奏活動を行っていました。
主にRock musicを演奏していましたが、約15年前、たまたま友人に誘われブルースバンドに参加することになりました。
2014年からはNacimi Tanakaと共に毎年シカゴへ渡り、いくつかのクラブで演奏、ブルースとより深く関わることになる。
Johnnyと初めて出会ったのは5年前、シカゴにあるCity News Cafeでした。
そこではJohnnyのギグが行われていて、とても素晴らしいパフォーマンスに感動した事を覚えています。
その後もJohnnyとはNacomiを通じて日本やシカゴでも一緒に演奏する機会もあり、今回のアルバムも彼女から招かれ参加することとなりました。
私の日本での活動は
・Kyoto Blues Powers
・Red Flowers Blues Sisters
この二つのグループで日本全国各地、ツアーをしながら
他にも複数のアーティストのライブサポートや、レコーディングにもたくさん参加しています
Blues musicに出会い、この15年で私の世界は特に大きく広がったと感じます。これまでに味わったことのない音楽の素晴らしさ、感動と喜びを知りました。日本から世界へ向かえたことで更なる可能性も感じています。
これらは全て沢山の仲間に出会えたことがきっかけです。
音楽はいつでも私の人生を豊かにしてくれます。
出会った人々、街、体験、それら全てが私の宝物！
みんなの思いがいっぱい詰まったこのアルバムが、また他の誰かの宝物になればとそう願っています。
Fumiko Maejima
2020.6.17
No Border Blues
I am a blues guitar player based in Osaka Japan. I spent 7 years in Chicago playing with many great musicians. I played guitar for the Mathew Skoller band, Toronzo Cannon and The Cannonball Express, and many other bands in Chicago. While in Chicago I studied music at Columbia College Chicago. Since moving back to Japan he’s been playing blues at blues clubs around the Osaka area. I had so much fun playing with Johnny and the Japanese blues players through NBB project, and I’m so excited that many people outside of Japan might listen to our music. I think I saw Johnny’s show several times when I was in Chicago, but the first time I played with him was at the Chicago Rock club in Osaka 2014. I have had many blues influences including Otis Rush, Carlos Johnson, and many more.
Yoshi Mizuno – Guitar Player NBB 2020.6.17No Border Blues
I was born in Osaka in 1968, July 1968
I was obsessed with Rock music from the 60’s to 70’s since I was 11 and would go to rental record shops.Then it turned out that some of those came from Blues.
In 1988,I was asked to play drums with the Chicago blues band which I’d never played before in Osaka, and I’ve never stopped playing since then.
I call myself “Underground Blues in Osaka” with a motto that Blues can also be dance music! as I organized some shows at many places where I collaborated with some DJ’s, bringing blues to more interested people, young as well.
Also I believed “There is real Blues on the street!” so I’d been playing on a street here and there in Osaka every night from 1994 to early 2000s.
Since 2005, I organize an annual blues event “TAKAGIMAN presents BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE” which is currently presented by city of Kobe)
I met Johnny for the first time in fall 2014 when I booked and backed him up in Osaka during touring through Japan. Also I’d heard him playing from some records in the 90’s including Delmark Records.
In this recording session, I could play some of my favorite songs such as Elmore James, John Brim etc…which was so much fun. I think it’s great that we captured the time when it was short but fun and released it.
I wish to thank Johnny, Stephanie and my good old friends who recorded on No Border Blues
Takagiman (Drummer NBB)
2020.6.17
I was invited by a classmate to start a copy band of Grand Funk Railroad, CCR, and Free when I was fifteen years old. Three years later, I started to perform music at a disco with a three-person band like that copy band. After that, I joined a progressive rock band “DATETENRYU,” and then a punk rock band “Dust.” Then in 1995, I joined Kazuhiko Ohnogi Blues Band. I had the impression that Johnny was a natural type of person who didn’t put unnecessary pressure on others, and I was able to follow his rhythm from the start. If you listen to his performance carefully, you will find it is done with his unquestionable skills.I enjoyed recording with Johnny very much.
Zee – BASS Player NBB 2020.6.17Leave you email to stay up to date on the latest news !