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Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers

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Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers
Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers in concert at One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine, in December 2014. From left to right: guest trumpeter Marc Chillemi, "Sonny" Jim Clifford, Erin Harpe, Bob Nisi and Jim Countryman
Background information
OriginJamaica Plain, Massachusetts, United States
GenresDelta blues, soul, funk, reggae
Years active2010 (2010)–present
LabelsVizzTone Label Group
Members
  • Erin Harpe
  • Jim Countryman
  • Matthew "Matt Charles" Prozialeck
  • Kendall Divoll
Websiteerinharpe.com

Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers are an American Delta blues quartet from Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Formed in 2010, the group consists of Erin Harpe (lead vocals and guitar), Jim Countryman (electric bass), Matthew "Matt Charles" Prozialeck (harmonica),and Kendall Divoll (drums).[1]

The band won the Boston Blues Challenge, for the third time, in 2014, and attended the five-day International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, in January 2015, but did not reach the semi-finals of the competition as they did in 2011 and 2013.

They released their debut album, Love Whip Blues, in 2014. The title (and second track on the album) is derived from the band's alter ego, Lovewhip, an electro-funk dance trio.

With the location in which they formed in mind, Harpe describes the band's sound as Charles River Delta blues, a fictional genre that gave its name to a track on Love Whip Blues.

History

Erin Harpe grew up in Greenbelt, Maryland. Her father, Neil, is a blues musician, and although she grew up with music around her, she did not pick up an instrument until fourth grade, when she opted to play the flute. She played that for about ten years, before a young love interest, who knew all of the lyrics to "Alice's Restaurant," turned her head to the guitar. “I ran home and said, ‘Dad, you’ve got to teach me how to play it.’ After that, I was hooked. I could pick it up really easily, so I said, ‘Screw the flute’ and learned finger-picking blues guitar.”[1]

Harpe started to play at folk festivals and coffeehouses in her 20s. She released two albums under her own name. The first, Blues Roots (2002), was a set of covers by artists such as Memphis Minnie (Harpe's main influence),[2] Bessie Smith and Tommy Johnson. The second, Delta Blues Duets (2008), included duets recorded with her father.

She later moved to Boston and met bass player Jim Countryman, whom she married in 1999. They formed Lovewhip with drummer and backing vocalist Bob Nisi[3] and released four studio albums and one live set. They won a Boston Music Award in 2012.

In 2010, Harpe formed the Delta Swingers quintet. Alongside Countryman and Nisi, harmonicist Richard "Rosy" Rosenblatt and slide guitarist "Sonny" Jim Clifford were brought in.

An initial attempt to disband Lovewhip to focus on the Swingers was rebuked by fans. “We tried to end Lovewhip but fans revolted,” Harpe said in 2014.[1]

In April 2014, Harpe and Countryman, who also doubles as the band's general manager and booking agent, toured the U.K. as the Acoustic Blues Duo, with the former on acoustic guitar and the latter on ukulele bass.

After signing to Newton-based VizzTone Label Group (founded by Rosenblatt) in late 2014,[4] the Swingers released their debut album, Love Whip Blues, on November 4, 2014. Produced in collaboration with Dave Gross, of Fat Rabbit Studios, the album features ten tracks — four originals and six interpretations of songs by Willie Brown, Lucille Bogan, Luke Jordan, William Moore and John Prine.

"Sonny" Jim Clifford left the band in the summer of 2015; he was replaced by harmonicist Matthew "Matt Charles" Prozialeck.

Band members

Present
  • Erin Harpe – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
  • Jim Countryman – electric bass
  • Matt "Matt Charles" Prozialeck – harmonica, percussion
  • Kendall Divoll - drums
Former

"Sonny" Jim Clifford — slide guitar

Bob Nisi – drums and background vocals

Richard "Rosy" Rosenblatt – harmonica (Still plays Select Boston area shows)

Discography

Studio albums

Love Whip Blues (2014)
  1. "The Delta Swing" (4:39) (Harpe/Rosenblatt)
  2. "Love Whip Blues" (3:11) (Rosenblatt/Harpe)
  3. "Future Blues" (4:18) (Willie Brown)
  4. "Good Luck Baby" (4:22) (Rosenblatt/Harpe/Countryman)
  5. "The M&O Blues" (5:36) (Lucille Bogan)
  6. "One Way Man" (4:34) (based on "One Way Gal" by William Moore)
  7. "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (3:06) (Luke Jordan)
  8. "Virtual Booty Blues" (4:07) (Harpe/Countryman)
  9. "Charles River Delta Blues" (4:31) (based on "Mississippi Blues" by Willie Brown)
  10. "Angel From Montgomery" (5:26) (John Prine)

Awards

  • Boston Blues Challenge: winners 2010, 2012, 2014
  • Boston Music Awards: winners 2012
  • Granite State Blues Challenge: winners 2016

References

  1. ^ a b c "ERIN HARPE & THE DELTA SWINGERS BRING BRIGHT BLUES TO ONE LONGFELLOW SQUARE ON SATURDAY" - MaineToday.com, December 9, 2014
  2. ^ "Erin Harpe" - The Noise, May 29, 2014
  3. ^ "Making Noise: A moving singer and another who will get you moving" - Portland Press Herald, January 16, 2013
  4. ^ "New VizzTone Signings and Upcoming Releases for Fall!" - VizzTone, August 27, 2014

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